The 32-year-old, who hung up his green and gold boots following last September’s 1-0 defeat by Argentina at the MCG, has found first team football hard to come by at the JJB Stadium under manager Steve Bruce.

However, a lack of bodies due to other Wigan players being on international duty could see Skoko make his first start in more than four months.

Skoko could be in to face Portsmouth as suspension rules out Wilson Palacios, Michael Brown and Jason Koumas for the trip to Fratton Park.

Skoko hasn’t started a Premier League game since a 4-0 defeat at Tottenham on November 11 when caretaker boss Frank Barlow was in charge.

Skoko appeared as a last-minute substitute against Arsenal a fortnight later, with his only appearance since coming on in the FA Cup victory over Sunderland in January.

Since then, he has had to watch from the sidelines as Palacios and Brown formed an effective partnership in the centre of midfield, but that has to be temporarily broken up following events at Blackburn.

Bruce and his coaching staff will have little time to work on the training ground with their chosen XI ahead of the Pompey game.

Eight Latics players are away on international duty this week and won't be back until Friday morning at the earliest.

Bruce told the Wigan Evening Post: “It baffles me why there are international games now. All over the Premier League, clubs are going to have half their squads away playing friendlies.

“I won't see our internationals until Friday morning, and it might be later for some.

“But there you are, we just have to get on with it the best we can.”