Flanagan off to Wests - I am FURIOUS

[butt monkey]

What's all the fuss? Honestly don't rate the guy that highly, for all those complaining about his "loss" to Wigan.

No-one complained when the club tried to farm him out to Halifax so what is the difference?

[neilbass]

I think Halifax was clearly a loan situation, whereas this feels like we've lost a player who we've invested 2/3 years in who was just starting to come good in the 1st team.

I very much doubt from the comment in the sportinglife article that he'll come back to us if/when he returns to SL, as surely we'd be building a 'first refusal' clause into the deal somewhere, and therefore he would be talking about returning to us?

I can always hopefully come back and find a club in Super League and be the better for it so I might as well have a go at it.

[jimofwigan]

Where is Whelley Warrior

http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... olumn.html

"At the time I was playing in the reserves at Wigan," he explained. "I wasn't too sure if Wigan wanted to keep me so I spoke to my agent, Frank, and he suggested the idea of playing in Australia.

"It sounded a good idea at the time and, after Wests said they were interested in me, it pretty much made my mind up.

"I thought it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to potentially play in the NRL and live in a city like Sydney and I'm really looking forward to it.

"It's a one-year deal with an extension if I do all right."

"I probably would have re-signed with Wigan if I had the chance but I wasn't getting a chance at the time and there wasn't much contact from them in terms of a new contract so I started to look elsewhere," he said.

"When I got my chance, I had already made my mind up that I wanted to go down there. It was one of those things, I suppose."

This says it all for me Flanagan had a choice. He has been offered a contract and refused in favour of an adventure down under.There are players in the reserves that actually want to stop and play for Wigan who do not understand his decision. It is at the end of the day up to the player.

[cpwigan]

Jim it actually says they did not offer him a contract or even talk to him so he asked his agent to see what employment he could get him. He ws so desparate for a contract he was prepared to sign for a semi professional club.

[weststand-rich]

The club did talk to him about 3 weeks into his continuous playing streak. At that point it was too little too late because his deal down under was done and dusted.

What what's it's worth I rate him as a player, but it's a difficult one here. He's playing in the backrow / loose forward position, where even with Hocks dismissal (?? official announcement please??) and Bailey crocked we have cover. I'm sorry to see him go but he's not leaving us with a gaping hole.

[cpwigan]

Very true Rich but IMO he would have offered more particular long term than say Bailey. I see Flannagan as a loose forward personally. I cannot remember the game but I think we had Flash, Lockers and Joel on the pitch at the same time and all 3 love the right hand side that they often negate what each wants to do. I think fans can now see that not giving Flash some games before the recent stint was wrong and are probably asking the same or will be is Farrell does not get any games next season.

[Spanakopitta]

i wrote on here a while back about the flanaghan thing and i'll reiterate it again

it was ian leneghan that didnt rate flanaghan not noble. IL told me this himself after murrayfield match. my fax fan boyfriend jokingly asked IL when halifax could have flanaghan back. IL said well we're letting him go, we've put this about and halifax haven't come in for him. IL didnt think he was big enough for a second rower.

a few weeks later, big back page spread on WEP with noble saying he rated flanaghan and that he deserved a chance.

so this to me speaks volumes! it also suggests that it isnt the coach that picks the team

Not it it doesn't. IL is on the record as saying youth is the way to go and yet Nobby persists in overlooking them unless forced into it. Also Noble could simply resign if there was that much interference from above.

On the team selection front I firmly believe Noble has been given a free hand and has in effect been given enough rope to hang himself because if there is a problem between IL and Noble it is IMO that Noble does not rate the younger players whereas IL does. Remember the comments from IL about the younger players being a big influence on turning our season around?

On the recruitment front that is a different issue and IL has made mistakes here. He has recruited players in every position but the one need and has done things like give Roberts a four year deal which is too long for a player of his age IMO. In fact player recruitment under IL has been less than inspiring all round and the only good thing that has happened is signing Sam T up long term and increase the wages of other young players.

Dave

IL on record as saying youth is way forward - yes recently but not at the 2nd fans forum which i attended. this was when everyone was banging on about letting s tompkins have a chance and leneghan poo pooed it going on about him getting battered / burnt out etc.

IL has only started going on about youth being way forward after seeing what our youngsters can do in 1st team, the fact that this is what i believe majority of fans want to see AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE NO MONEY FOR SIGNINGS NEXT SEASON!

if noble didnt rate flanagan why did he bring him with him from Bradford?

[jaws1]

i wrote on here a while back about the flanaghan thing and i'll reiterate it again

it was ian leneghan that didnt rate flanaghan not noble. IL told me this himself after murrayfield match. my fax fan boyfriend jokingly asked IL when halifax could have flanaghan back. IL said well we're letting him go, we've put this about and halifax haven't come in for him. IL didnt think he was big enough for a second rower.

a few weeks later, big back page spread on WEP with noble saying he rated flanaghan and that he deserved a chance.

so this to me speaks volumes! it also suggests that it isnt the coach that picks the team

Not it it doesn't. IL is on the record as saying youth is the way to go and yet Nobby persists in overlooking them unless forced into it. Also Noble could simply resign if there was that much interference from above.

On the team selection front I firmly believe Noble has been given a free hand and has in effect been given enough rope to hang himself because if there is a problem between IL and Noble it is IMO that Noble does not rate the younger players whereas IL does. Remember the comments from IL about the younger players being a big influence on turning our season around?

On the recruitment front that is a different issue and IL has made mistakes here. He has recruited players in every position but the one need and has done things like give Roberts a four year deal which is too long for a player of his age IMO. In fact player recruitment under IL has been less than inspiring all round and the only good thing that has happened is signing Sam T up long term and increase the wages of other young players.

Dave

IL on record as saying youth is way forward - yes recently but not at the 2nd fans forum which i attended. this was when everyone was banging on about letting s tompkins have a chance and leneghan poo pooed it going on about him getting battered / burnt out etc.

IL has only started going on about youth being way forward after seeing what our youngsters can do in 1st team, the fact that this is what i believe majority of fans want to see AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE NO MONEY FOR SIGNINGS NEXT SEASON!

if noble didnt rate flanagan why did he bring him with him from Bradford?

If i rememder rightly Dean Bell wanted to sign another player and Noble signed Flanagan which started a rift between Bell and Noble.Bell went home.

[cpwigan]

The one part I can never understand. Noble was the Bradford coach and got us to buy Fielden and Flannagan but not Burgess.