"I had to get out," he admitted. "The writing was on the wall when Mr Benitez came. I struggled with training and bits and bobs like that. That's just football," said Kirkland.
"He put me in the team when I was carrying a back injury that needed an operation and I was out for six months. After that he bought a new keeper and that was that.
"It's a weight off my shoulders now. I am a Wigan player and nothing can change that."
