Lang was a headline signing late in the previous transfer window from Portsmouth

Preston North End assistant has backed Callum Lang to be a ‘big player’ for the club despite his injury-hit start.

The Lilywhites secured the signing of the Portsmouth man late on transfer deadline day, in February. Lang assisted a couple of goals but in his fifth appearance for PNE, suffered a blow to the ankle and hamstring issue at the same time. The reported £2m signing had endured a frustrating 12 months with Pompey, due to injury.

Lang arrived at a time when Preston were still in the play-off shake up, albeit form was starting to dwindle. The 27-year-old’s impact, this season, was always going to be dictated by his availability and unfortunately, worst fears came true with his setback against Oxford United. Was Lang viewed as someone who, if kept fit, could’ve played a key role in pushing for the top six this year?

“I'll be honest, and my family would say they are excited, there's a chance of play-offs... I had realism,” McCall told the Lancashire Post. “Yeah (people got carried away) and there's nothing wrong with that. So you should be as a supporter, if you see your team up there. Why can't it be Preston this year in the play-offs?

“I'm not knocking that for one bit, but I know the strength of other squads and other players that teams are bringing in. Certainly, getting Callum, because I was very strong in pushing that... and that was much down to his personality, his character and his desire, as well as his ability.

“When you haven't got lots of money to throw at it, they're the type of people you want in your club, and Callum's certainly one of them. So yeah, I think if Callum had not had the unfortunate occurrence with his injury, he would’ve been a big player for us. No doubt, in the next few years he will be a big player for Preston.”

McCall, while on press conference duty last week, mentioned the importance of having ‘edge and desire’ in players. It’s something he and manager Paul Heckingbottom spotted when they came to PNE and wanted to improve.

”It's tough,” said McCall. “As I said, it's easy when people are patting you on the back to go out and play with a bit of confidence. It's in adversity, that's when you see your real characters. Sounding like a dinosaur, when I used to play or even not long ago, 10 years ago, you could have four or five captains in your team.

“You have to make decisions on your own. I don’t know if you get (that in) academies, being shown how it is, the analysis that teams do nowadays. I know it's a part of it but sometimes it takes your own thought process away. You've got to go and think for yourself sometimes and manage your game, make decisions yourself.

“Not going through every little bit and saturated about how you're going to play. So yeah, you just need a real strong mentality in your group. To have a Robbie Brady fit, even if he's not playing every week, to have him around the dressing room, they're absolutely priceless. I wouldn't say they're a dying breed but those lads, it means everything to them.

“They know how to win a game, in adversity, and I think that's what young lads coming through have got to sort of grasp really. It's a short career and you've got to make the most of every time you're out on that football pitch. I drained every last bit I could. I played until I was 40... not very well, but I played and that's what players need to be.”