Rogues Gallery wrote:
As I stated above, I think his time has run BUT I wouldn't have a major problem with ONE more year. To be fair to him he's been dealt a real poor hand this year with the injury situation and it's a credit to him for Wigan to be where they are (look at Leeds who have had similar problems) Should we put a director of rugby above him as Salford did? Certainly the "style" of rugby has been poor to watch, but is that down to Wane or the constant changes he's had to make? I honestly don't know, and "our group" have spent hours debating it, without resolution
I've had an hours phone conversation today on the subject!!
I love the club and the game in general.
IL and KR have big decisions to make, I trust they feel the same way about Wigan RLFC as I do and have/will do the right thing.
On your point of regression, in Wanes first season we played a far more expansive game than we ever did under Maguire. Is it a case of players win games, coaches win them.
As you probably know I watch a lot of Wigan junior scholarship/ academy games and would hate us to follow the Hull model of eight overseas players in the squad, it bothers ME as an RL fan that has been allowed to happen. Maybe that's for a different discussion, but I believe it's related.
You've got to strike a balance. Hull have 8 in the squad yes (although Feka was only really kept because we want him for a community development role and he wasn't quite ready to hang up his boots), and that is on the high side. On the other hand 8 members of the cup final winning side were Hull lads, and our squad is packed with academy products. As it stands our overseas total for next year sits at 6.
Wigan's model of having almost a full team of local talent is very noble, but if the players aren't good enough, then what is it achieving? It helps neither Wigan or the national team. An aspiring young player will learn more by playing along side a Mark Minichiello or Sika Manu than they would just being chucked in alongside his mates from the under 19's.
