Kris Radlinski determined to help turn Wigan's on and off-field fortunes around

[DaveO]

The fact that people were asked to keep the contents of the meeting to themselves is both bizarre and ridiculous. A fans forum (but only for the ears of some fans not all- WHAT!!????)

If you read the transcript on the club website you will find this under the Wigan Athletic and Insolvency heading.

“We would suggest here that, again, keep this off social media because it may hinder negotiations moving forward.”

So not only did they ask fans not to post on social media, they then post the sensitive information on the club web site including the bit asking fans not to post on social media.

You couldn’t make this up.

[Charriots Offiah]

Exclusive: The Wigan legend speaks about the impact the last 18 months has had on him and the Super League club.

If there was one thing Kris Radlinski never did as a player, it was hide.

And one of the most talented fullbacks Super League has ever seen is not prepared to do that now despite experiencing some of the toughest times he has ever known with his boyhood club. It is easy to forget at times that Radlinski has spent his entire adult life at Wigan Warriors: first as a player, and now as the club's executive director.

There have been undoubted highs along the way, too many to list. But these are far more turbulent times for one of rugby league's most famous clubs.

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was one thing, but a season of struggle and disappointment in 2021 has exacerbated the feeling of gloom around the DW Stadium. And while Radlinski is not afraid to admit it has been challenging, he is up for the fight when it comes to turning things around.

It's been a nightmare, I won't lie," he tells Rugby League Live. "People don't really have a clue what guys in the position of running a club have had to go through, and what owners have had to endure. The game wasn't in a strong place before the pandemic hit, but this has hit us at Wigan to our very core. We need to regroup and go again in 2022 as a club and a sport, but it's been hard. I'm exhausted mentally."

The financial hit all professional clubs have endured throughout the pandemic are eye-watering, but at Wigan in particular, they are harrowing. "Since the start of the pandemic, we've a hole of around £2million through lost income," Radlinski admits. "That's in less than 18 months. The owner will have to make up the shortfall on that."

That deficit has not just been created by lack of supporters coming through the turnstiles, either. "Every business is struggling," he says.

"We've had sponsors not paying, and plenty of other issues off the field. My top five problems at the moment genuinely don't involve the rugby club winning games: it primarily involves keeping the business going because it is genuinely a success we're still here.

Season tickets, match-day tickets, retail sales, hospitality and sponsorship are your five main income streams for a rugby club and they have all been absolutely decimated. That puts more pressure on owners who have to put more money in."

But as much as off-field problems are realistic and serious, it is impossible to ignore what has happened on the field this year for the Warriors. Wigan lost marquee player George Burgess on the eve of the season, as well as star player Bevan French for the rest of the season due to a serious injury, plus various other injuries and issues.

However, Radlinski insists that does not cover what has been, at times, a woeful season for the Warriors.

"I categorically will not make excuses because if I do that, I shouldn't be in this job," he insists. "There have been big factors, like losing players to injuries but I won't make excuses. I feel for the coach a little because he's had to navigate through that, but there's no question we aren't where we need to be as a club.

"How we're in fourth is incredible really, but look.. you never know what can happen in the play-offs. Have we had a disappointing season? Of course we have. Are we looking to put that right. Of course we are."

There is a big off-season coming up for the sport as a whole - but few clubs are facing as much upheaval behind their own doors than Wigan. Adrian Lam will leave the Warriors along with key players such as Jackson Hastings and Oliver Gildart. Where are Wigan at with the hunt for Lam's replacement?

"It's ongoing," Radlinski says. "You don't make these decisions overnight. I've kept Adrian in the loop all the way through. The chairman has been out of the country and as soon as he came back we were very honest with Adrian. I think in the end, there was a sense of relief.

"There'll have to be a review of the whole coaching department, but I wouldn't say there's a need for wholesale changes. There are people here whose contracts are coming to an end. People have got different lengths of contract and we have to be pragmatic about our next move and consider it carefully."

Wigan have signed the likes of Abbas Miski, Kaide Ellis and Patrick Mago for 2022 already - but Radlinski insists their recruitment is not finished.

"We'll spend up to the salary cap and we will have a couple more new faces to come in on top of the guys you know about - we're still looking," he says. "We have to get people excited and get people coming to games again. I hate using the word transition because if you're using that, it means you're not planning. But we will have a strong squad. We will be replacing what we're losing."

Radlinski also admits the ongoing politics beyond Wigan's internal business is hard to ignore, and only adds to the confusion and state of flux rugby league on the whole finds itself in.

"The constant issues around the Super League board and realignment are ongoing and it's coming to a conclusion now," he says. "But there's around 25 people on the Super League board and that's too many. The future of the sport rests with those people and we have to get to a point where we agree the right thing for the sport. That's where we're getting to now.

"We've not met in person for over a year, everything is done behind a screen and that's not an ideal working environment. The next Super League board meeting is September 13 and it's time we bunkered in.

We don't leave until it's sorted. That's where I think we need to get to. As many hours as it takes with strong coffee and no clocks: let's finally get a solution. We have to start to look forward with optimism."

And as we approach the final weeks of a turbulent season for the Warriors, what would constitute success for the man who has won everything there is to win with his hometown club?

Success is that we're still here existing as I said earlier, in a way," Radlinski says.

"I don't know what the next five weeks will bring but I just need to recover, take stock and reflect on what's been a horrific period personally and for the club. I can't sit here and say it's been amazing because it hasn't.

"I get to the office at 5am and I'm leaving after 6pm - the complaints have come flooding back and sometimes, I just hope people can understand what we've been through as a club. It's been a horrific time for everyone, and I feel the pain of the supporters. But we need to try and keep fighting for this great club."

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... w-21471161

Aww diddums.

Maybe not, but I do have a clue about what people have had to go through generally in Covid.
I've seen families lose both wage earners. I've seen people offer to travel 2 hrs a day each way to keep their jobs. I've seen the desperation in people's faces when their colleagues have lost their jobs and people think they're next, and there was a time when my job was in the balance too, so yes I understand it.

I don't dispute it's been hard for all clubs but I find that comment patronising, ignorant and disrespectful.

I think one of the problems is that no matter what the club say, people will highlight one sentence and become angry about it. Sometimes leading to personal abuse as reported by Lam.

I would say that if the club were slightly more open about the situation, then people would understand what the club's staff are going through though. Its a comment, not somethign I'm angry about.

They need to be proactive not reactive. At the end of the day the CEO is responsible for running the club and at present Rads is found wanting. This issue has not arisen because of Covid it is due to poor planning.

[Charriots Offiah]

Aww diddums.

Maybe not, but I do have a clue about what people have had to go through generally in Covid.
I've seen families lose both wage earners. I've seen people offer to travel 2 hrs a day each way to keep their jobs. I've seen the desperation in people's faces when their colleagues have lost their jobs and people think they're next, and there was a time when my job was in the balance too, so yes I understand it.

I don't dispute it's been hard for all clubs but I find that comment patronising, ignorant and disrespectful.

I think the idea people don't know what the club has gone through is ridiculous. I doubt anyone doesn't think there has been a huge financial hit. We might not know exactly how much unless we wait to find out what gets published in the next set of accounts lodged but does he honestly think fans won't have been aware the pandemic has caused huge problems and increased workload? As you say plenty of people are in the same boat or worse. Plenty of companies have had to fold some which will have no doubt employed Wigan fans.

As to the playing side there is a little bit of news here which may or may not have been mentioned at the fans forum, we don't officially known because apparently what was said was top secret, which is the club will still spend to the salary cap which presumably means financial input from IL.

This is good news but for me is tempered because if we are going to do that why are we recruiting Thornley and the winger from London? We are getting two NRL players but they aren't superstars over there, we are losing the players we are and we are going to be at the cap? Just who is being overpaid next season because someone is?

This gets us back to poor squad management which is a big reason we are where we are. That interview reads he's putting far too large a blame on injuries for a poor season and I have not gleaned anything from the leaks from the fans forum that he's put his hand up that recruitment and retention has been rubbish and it needs to change.

I think that is fair comment Dave. The jury is out on Rads for me. He should concentrate on getting the club on an even keel rather than being a woke warrior.

[Mike]

Aww diddums.

Maybe not, but I do have a clue about what people have had to go through generally in Covid.
I've seen families lose both wage earners. I've seen people offer to travel 2 hrs a day each way to keep their jobs. I've seen the desperation in people's faces when their colleagues have lost their jobs and people think they're next, and there was a time when my job was in the balance too, so yes I understand it.

I don't dispute it's been hard for all clubs but I find that comment patronising, ignorant and disrespectful.

I think the idea people don't know what the club has gone through is ridiculous. I doubt anyone doesn't think there has been a huge financial hit. We might not know exactly how much unless we wait to find out what gets published in the next set of accounts lodged but does he honestly think fans won't have been aware the pandemic has caused huge problems and increased workload? As you say plenty of people are in the same boat or worse. Plenty of companies have had to fold some which will have no doubt employed Wigan fans.

As to the playing side there is a little bit of news here which may or may not have been mentioned at the fans forum, we don't officially known because apparently what was said was top secret, which is the club will still spend to the salary cap which presumably means financial input from IL.

This is good news but for me is tempered because if we are going to do that why are we recruiting Thornley and the winger from London? We are getting two NRL players but they aren't superstars over there, we are losing the players we are and we are going to be at the cap? Just who is being overpaid next season because someone is?

This gets us back to poor squad management which is a big reason we are where we are. That interview reads he's putting far too large a blame on injuries for a poor season and I have not gleaned anything from the leaks from the fans forum that he's put his hand up that recruitment and retention has been rubbish and it needs to change.

I think that is fair comment Dave. The jury is out on Rads for me. He should concentrate on getting the club on an even keel rather than being a woke warrior.

Where's that phrase come from? Not from anything KR said, not DaveO.

[blindsideprop]

What a load of waffle, Radlinski must really think he is addressing a primary school class.If he and IL find it so difficult in running the club then get out and let someone else take the reins.Having said that who would want the club at the moment as we seem to be on a downward spiral.

[Caboosegg]

It's amazing how much experience forum users have running a professional sports club In a pandemic.

I'm at awe of all these experts and look forward to them putting the money in buying the club and making us the most profitable and stable club in RL.

[DaveO]

It's amazing how much experience forum users have running a professional sports club In a pandemic.

I'm at awe of all these experts and look forward to them putting the money in buying the club and making us the most profitable and stable club in RL.

Ah the old Ad hominem comment. Top marks for originality.

There is plenty of evidence the club is not being well run. The Edwards saga. Employing Lam as coach. Spending to the cap and yet having the squad we do. Even some of the stuff they offered up as excuses in the fans forum beggar belief like saying the club over trained Burgess. If you would rather attack those discussing these issues rather than offer your opinion on them I guess that’s up to you.