: Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:49 pm  

We all want a winning team.

See what happens this season, then we all have every right to get on Noble's back for 2010.

Personally I would love to see Edwards or Wayne Bennett at the club if Noble went/sacked.

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:53 pm  

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

No we've seen a rock bottom team become the 3rd best maybe 2nd or 1st.

Lets just go and get another coach and start from stratch instead. Maybe you can suggest another unrealistic candidate. Rather than stick with someone who has the success of Noble.

Let's be honest - we're not 3rd best.

Yes, we've played well in the last couple of seasons' play-offs and, technically speaking, we did finish 3rd overall. But we all know in ourselves that this was misrepresentative of our general peformance during the two years in question.

I think it would be more accurate to describe Wigan as an upper-middle table team. Beating Leeds one week and then losing to someone like Wakey the next does not mean you're better than Leeds. It means you can occasionally rouse yourself to compete with them, often at the expense of another fixture. And that is obviously nowhere near good enough for a club like Wigan, who at one time could have taught Leeds and Saints to shell peas they were so far ahead of them.

Most people knocking Noble at present want what's best for Wigan. They're trying to give a realistic assessment, and are bringing their own experience of watching, and maybe playing, top-class rugby on a regular basis to point out and what seems to be persistant under-achievement. It's too easy to class the Noble-knockers as being fantasists who think we have a right to win everything. As I see it, they're not saying that - they just want to see a radical improvement in the various areas where, under Noble, we seem to be inexplicably lacking.

The main question now, as I see it, is can Noble address these issues early enough this season to make our final run-in less exhausting on the players? Or, maybe more importantly, is he willing to do that? Because if he's going to stick bloody-mindedly to the current fare, which isn't just boring to watch but is also largely unsuccessful, then I don't see how the club can continue with him. The last thing Wigan want now is the fans drifting away.

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 2:07 pm  

Cruncher wrote:

Let's be honest - we're not 3rd best.

Yes, we've played well in the last couple of seasons' play-offs and, technically speaking, we did finish 3rd overall. But we all know in ourselves that this was misrepresentative of our general peformance during the two years in question.

I think it would be more accurate to describe Wigan as an upper-middle table team. Beating Leeds one week and then losing to someone like Wakey the next does not mean you're better than Leeds. It means you can occasionally rouse yourself to compete with them, often at the expense of another fixture. And that is obviously nowhere near good enough for a club like Wigan, who at one time could have taught Leeds and Saints to shell peas they were so far ahead of them.

Most people knocking Noble at present want what's best for Wigan. They're trying to give a realistic assessment, and are bringing their own experience of watching, and maybe playing, top-class rugby on a regular basis to point out and what seems to be persistant under-achievement. It's too easy to class the Noble-knockers as being fantasists who think we have a right to win everything. As I see it, they're not saying that - they just want to see a radical improvement in the various areas where, under Noble, we seem to be inexplicably lacking.

The main question now, as I see it, is can Noble address these issues early enough this season to make our final run-in less exhausting on the players? Or, maybe more importantly, is he willing to do that? Because if he's going to stick bloody-mindedly to the current fare, which isn't just boring to watch but is also largely unsuccessful, then I don't see how the club can continue with him. The last thing Wigan want now is the fans drifting away.

I agree

Everyone wants whats best for this club. but If Noble was sacked tomorrow who being realistic could we get ??

Edwards, bennett are not going to happen. All the so called top coaches are under contract..IL as said hes only willing to spend upto 70k for a player would he spend more on a top coach ?

Only guy i can think of is Smith but his he any better than Nobby.Given what we witnessed in Aussie i say hes not.

This is only my opinion but i'm struggling to find a realistic name whos going to be wigans messiah

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 2:13 pm  

wigan_knight wrote:

I agree

Everyone wants whats best for this club. but If Noble was sacked tomorrow who being realistic could we get ??

Edwards, bennett are not going to happen. All the so called top coaches are under contract..IL as said hes only willing to spend upto 70k for a player would he spend more on a top coach ?

Only guy i can think of is Smith but his he any better than Nobby.Given what we witnessed in Aussie i say hes not.

This is only my opinion but i'm struggling to find a realistic name whos going to be wigans messiah

twinkle toe's

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 2:43 pm  

wigan_knight wrote:

I agree

Everyone wants whats best for this club. but If Noble was sacked tomorrow who being realistic could we get ??

Edwards, bennett are not going to happen. All the so called top coaches are under contract..IL as said hes only willing to spend upto 70k for a player would he spend more on a top coach ?

Only guy i can think of is Smith but his he any better than Nobby.Given what we witnessed in Aussie i say hes not.

This is only my opinion but i'm struggling to find a realistic name whos going to be wigans messiah

I've said this myself on a number of occasions - we should stick with Noble because there's no-one else. Also, because to dispense with a coach mid-season can often cause disruption.

However, Noble's contract will finish at the end of this season anyway, so sooner or later we'll have to cross that bridge. Secondly, if this season goes t1ts up in the manner of the 'relegation' season (and I know it's too early to say that after one game, but last Sunday's performance was truly THAT bad) - then IL and co will have to ask which is the lesser of two evils - the difficulty and expense of finding a new coach (which they'll have to do soon anyway), or endless humiliation and fans drifting away in potential large numbers?

I think IL is astute enough to know that he can't keep the Wigan fan family together indefinitely if there's no sign of an improvement on the field. That said, I'd expect him to give Noble a fair crack of the whip this season. Judgement can't realistically be passed after a handful of games.

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 2:44 pm  

wigan_knight wrote:

Right Nobby as just left...WHO will take over ???

If IL is only willing to pay upto 70k for a player would he break the bank to buy out a realistic coaches contract ?

David Waite.

Ellery Hanley

I would also actually like to see Mark Aston get a crack.

People will pooh pooh the latter but he has done a hell of a job with Sheffield much in the same way our last decent coach did in the lower Leagues Mike Gregory.

The fact that he does not have a Wigan connection will suddenly have people claiming it to be a ridiculous idea, but the lad has talent, although maybe at a big club he would need time as an assistant first.

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 2:50 pm  

jonh wrote:

David Waite.

Ellery Hanley

I would also actually like to see Mark Aston get a crack.

People will pooh pooh the latter but he has done a hell of a job with Sheffield much in the same way our last decent coach did in the lower Leagues Mike Gregory.

The fact that he does not have a Wigan connection will suddenly have people claiming it to be a ridiculous idea, but the lad has talent, although maybe at a big club he would need time as an assistant first.

What do you think about Tony Smith?

Just because he couldn't rein in the Leeds and Saints egos during the World Cup, does that make him a poor coach?

Who could have done with that bunch of prats?

Maybe a healthy dislike of Leeds and Saints - as a result of the WC experience - could be just the sort of thing we need.

Personally, I don't like his public profile - he's too often a surly Aussie for my liking - but he got Leeds playing very well. And he's availalbe, as far as I'm aware.

[Pemps]

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 2:52 pm  

Cruncher wrote:

What do you think about Tony Smith?

Just because he couldn't rein in the Leeds and Saints egos during the World Cup, does that make him a poor coach?

Who could have done with that bunch of prats?

Maybe a healthy dislike of Leeds and Saints - as a result of the WC experience - could be just the sort of thing we need.

Personally, I don't like his public profile - he's too often a surly Aussie for my liking - but he got Leeds playing very well. And he's availalbe, as far as I'm aware.

He also got Huddersfield playing to the best of their abilities. I wouldn't mind seeing him in charge here.

What are peoples thoughts on Lam?

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 2:53 pm  

Pemps wrote:

He also got Huddersfield playing to the best of their abilities. I wouldn't mind seeing him in charge here.

What are peoples thoughts on Lam?

great taste but a bit on the fatty side

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 2:56 pm  

Pemps wrote:

He also got Huddersfield playing to the best of their abilities. I wouldn't mind seeing him in charge here.

What are peoples thoughts on Lam?

Has he had much top-level experience beyond the WC?