Ex-Wigan Warriors ace Martin Gleeson takes coaching role in rugby union

[josie andrews]

Former Wigan Grand Final-winning centre Martin Gleeson will leave his role as Salford assistant coach this month to join Wasps RU.

He will follow his former St Helens and GB team-mate Sean Long in switching codes, following his move to Harlequins earlier this month.

Gleeson’s ex-Wigan team-mate Paul Deacon is also in the Premiership, with Sale Sharks, while Shaun Wane, Andy Farrell, Mike Forshaw, Joe Lydon and Shaun Edwards are among those working in the 15-a-side code.

Gleeson, who joined Salford as a player in 2013 before making the transition to the club’s coaching staff, will leave at the end of June - his final match will be at hometown club Wigan on June 28.

He said: “I’m really grateful to Salford Red Devils, for giving me the opportunity to finish my playing career and start my coaching career here.

“I feel it’s the right time for me to go down a different path and pursue a different career. I’d like to thank Watto (Ian Watson) for the relationship and team that he’s built over the last five years.

“I’ve learned a lot from working with him and being at the club, which I can take forward.”

Gleeson will join the Gallagher Premiership side as assistant attack coach ahead of their 2019/20 season.

Orrell-based Gleeson joined the Warriors from Warrington and was in the side which won the Grand Final in 2010.

Red Devils head coach Ian Watson said: “Gleese has been given a fantastic opportunity to enhance his career in rugby union, one that’s too good to turn down at the present time.

“He’s been a really important figure within our team. All of our backroom staff have a big impact here at Salford and we have a big emphasis on the team being ours as a group.

“Me and Gleese have worked really closely throughout our time together and he’s been outstanding in everything he’s done. He’ll be a strong acquisition for any team he’s involved with.”

Salford’s director of rugby Ian Blease said: “The search for his replacement has now started and we’re accepting CVs from applicants who can help the team continue to move forward.”

https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/ex-wig ... -1-9828093

[Caboosegg]

Alot of league people moving to union this year, something going on behind the scenes we are not aware of?

[moto748]

Always makes me laugh when union fans come out with that patronising crap about how league is a simple game which lacks the subtlety and complexity of union (when I lived in the South-West, I heard that a lot). If that's the case, why are they so keen on our coaches?

[jaws1]

Turning point for RL coaches going to RU was the Bath/Wigan games and the Twickenham sevens which Wigan won coming from behind to win .RU saw that fitness levels did not come any where near to RL and appointed Phil Larder the then RL England coach to RU.RL at the time was in the frenzy of appointing NRL coaches and that left a glut of potential ex RL players taking up coaching and a lot went over to the dark side and still going over yet. Farrell-Edwards-McGinty all went across .

[DaveO]

I didn’t even think he was still involved in the game.

Going off to coach at a top RU side is quite a turnaround from being sacked as a player by Wigan.

Will he have to learn to speak like Andy Farrell now so they can understand him?

[josie andrews]

I didn’t even think he was still involved in the game.

Going off to coach at a top RU side is quite a turnaround from being sacked as a player by Wigan.

Will he have to learn to speak like Andy Farrell now so they can understand him?

He was assistant at Salford.

[DaveO]

I didn’t even think he was still involved in the game.

Going off to coach at a top RU side is quite a turnaround from being sacked as a player by Wigan.

Will he have to learn to speak like Andy Farrell now so they can understand him?

He was assistant at Salford.

I know that now, I didn’t know before I heard he was off to Wasps today.

[josie andrews]

I didn’t even think he was still involved in the game.

Going off to coach at a top RU side is quite a turnaround from being sacked as a player by Wigan.

Will he have to learn to speak like Andy Farrell now so they can understand him?

He was assistant at Salford.

I know that now, I didn’t know before I heard he was off to Wasps today.

Sorry

[DaveO]

He was assistant at Salford.

I know that now, I didn’t know before I heard he was off to Wasps today.

Sorry

No problem.

Gleeson was a very astute signing for us. A proper centre and instrumental in our GF win. He was obviously near the end of his career and so was probably fairly cheap as wages go but he knew how to play which is in contrast to some of our more recent "cheap" signings.

Left under a cloud though.

[jobo]

I know that now, I didn’t know before I heard he was off to Wasps today.

Sorry

No problem.

Gleeson was a very astute signing for us. A proper centre and instrumental in our GF win. He was obviously near the end of his career and so was probably fairly cheap as wages go but he knew how to play which is in contrast to some of our more recent "cheap" signings.

Left under a cloud though.

He was 28/29 when he signed for us and he didn't come cheap at all.