Diame recently gave a tongue-in-cheek interview to a French magazine, criticising Wigan's weather and the local women. He has since expressed his bemusement at the furore which has greeted his comments, insisting he was joking and never intended to be disrespectful. Whelan agrees that the quotes have been blown out of proportion, with the Latics supremo aware that Diame's surroundings have changed considerably since he swapped life in Madrid at Rayo Vallecano for that in the North West of England. He said: "Momo said Wigan in winter is colder than Madrid and the girls wrap up because of the cold. "We have to agree with him on that. "Momo has come from a beautiful city to sign for Wigan which has come from a mining and cotton background. "But Wigan is a happy town. We will have to take Momo out for a night out in King Street to give him a proper taste of the place." Diame was benched for Wigan's defeat to Aston Villa on Tuesday, but Whelan insists the Frenchman is not in trouble. He added: "If every footballer was like him the world would be a better place."
