I don't think this whole Mickey Higham saga would have done Wigan any favours either. He would have read all week that their chairman has gone to Australia and purchased Mark Riddell.
Having said that, the lad has done exceptional well to accept this adversity and get on with playing his game. But it must unsettle the club itself. It amazes me why they can't keep anything under wraps and why they feel they have to undermine the players they have playing their hearts out for them by announcing new signings before the season has finished.
This guy feels its acceptable for all the other clubs to announce their signings for next season (Buderus - Leeds, Stains - Puletua, Hodgson - Huddersfield etc etc). Yet Wigan are committing a "cardinal sin" for announcing their capture of hooker Mark Riddell as replacement for Higham next season.
I am not trying to defend Stevo and I think your description is accurate but the other signings that have been announced are all to replace players who are leaving teams next season and therefore are not contentious. Our announcement is made at a time when the only fit hooker we have is "playing" for a contract and could have a serious effect on his play.
I know many people on this site think he cant be any worse but I have seen a lot of hookers who are worse than Higham and we really need him to keep trying. I trust IL he knows what he is doing he has made a lot of money so he is good or very lucky both good qualities to have. Noble on the other hand I will never believe a thing this guy says in future, typical television type, talks a good game but was sadly short of ideas compared to justin Morgan on tv last weekend.
mike binder wrote:mickeys in the same boat yes hes playing for a contract ,at his new club im sure he was old early on in the season he would be leaving
No he wasn't, Mike, that's the whole point. He's told he's playing for a place with us, then a few weeks later he reads in the press that we've signed his replacement.
That's what we all think and is possibly the case. However, who knows what discussions have gone on behind the scenes. I doubt it would ever have come to this if Bradford had kept their gobs shut and not spouted off about us trying to buy Newton.
I'm not defending our board, just trying to look at things from another perspective. On this occasion maybe the whole saga should have been handled a lot differently. The quotes from IL in the press would seem ok if they didn't contradict things he has said in the past. Like I said though, who knows what Mickey has been told behind the scenes, that will be kept between only a few people.
emperorkel wrote:I am not trying to defend Stevo and I think your description is accurate but the other signings that have been announced are all to replace players who are leaving teams next season and therefore are not contentious. Our announcement is made at a time when the only fit hooker we have is "playing" for a contract and could have a serious effect on his play.
Is GB hooker Matt Diskin leaving Leeds after the signing of Buderus? Which forwards are under the apprehension of being sold at stains to make way for Puletua? Huddersfield's full back is going where precisely for Hodgson? As I said, other teams are signing players to create competition for places already covered - yet not a whimper from Stevo. Wigan sign Riddell and they have been unfair on Higham!
right cross wrote:how old was he at the start of the season ? and how old is he going to be at the end of it ??????? , i rekon he will be 40 next week, :eusa3: :lol1:
