Martin Offiah

[Mike]

Martin Offiah was one of the best wingers ever to have played for Wigan. He was unbelievable at breaking tackles and consistently scored fantastic tries. If you think he was rubbish - I think you're rubbish at judging players.

He is now an agent. An agent's job is to get the best deal for his players. If he were a coach for Wigan his job wuold be to get the best out of the players at the club. He isn't so he doesn't.

Why the outrage?

Read what I said Mike.No matter how many tries he scored.At no time did I say he was not up to scoring tries.Just because we differ in opinion regarding his defensive qualities etc.This does not give you the right to think your opinion is any better than mine or anyone else's.Perhaps you like certain players that I do not rate.We all differ in opinion.I have been attending Wigan matches for the last 54 years and do not presume that other Wigan fans will rate the same players the way I do.Nor do I think that others opinions are rubbish.Otherwise we would all be successful coaches.

By definition I think my opinion is better than other peoples, otherwise I'd have their opinion.

My opinion is that anyone that thinks Offiah was a bad player for Wigan is a bad judge of players.

BTW, I didn't quote you, I was responding to the general (and outrageous) negative vibes on this thread surrounding Offiah as a player and an agent. Its not often I get vehement, but this thread is ridiculous!

I imagine someone will start the "Boston was a liability under the high ball" thread next!

[Kittwazzer]

By definition I think my opinion is better than other peoples, otherwise I'd have their opinion.

I believe Hitler shared the same philosophy.

Its not often I get vehement, but this thread is ridiculous!

So lets have a new rule where you start all the threads so that this situation cannot arise!

[DaveO]

By definition I think my opinion is better than other peoples, otherwise I'd have their opinion.

I believe Hitler shared the same philosophy.

Well you know what they say, philosophically speaking there is no such thing as a wrong opinion. Of course this is nonsense in practical terms as Hitlers opinions on the Jews and what to do with them were to put it mildly, wrong.

In the context of this message board however I don't think Mike's opinion on Offiah as a player can be considered Hitler like stubbornness in the face of all common sense in that many people would agree with him. Not many (sane) people agreed with Hitler!

Its not often I get vehement, but this thread is ridiculous!

So lets have a new rule where you start all the threads so that this situation cannot arise!

Well you started a thread about how poor a signing Offiah was and did say you expected to be shot down in flames over your opinion of Offiah as a player, so what's the problem if someone thinks a thread started on that premise is a poor one? Do you have a problem with someone strongly disagreeing with your opinion on Offiah given you set yourself up as a target?

FWIW I think your opinion that "he was one of the most over-priced, over-rated players we ever signed." has about as much credibility as any of Hitlers opinions.

His antics as an agent or pundit may nor endear him to Wigan fans but you can never take away his prowess as a player and IMO he was unquestionably a great player and worth every penny the club spent on him.

Dave

[Kittwazzer]

I agree made to look good by the amount of outstanding players in the team at the time,

Ronnie Braithwaite would have looked good in that team. Especially with Gene Miles at centre!

[ancientnloyal]

Was my idol growing up... Wembley '94 was something special... as mentioned, an agent has to represent his clients at every opportunity which some may dislike especially as he is in the public eye on sky tv... but as a player his try scoring record speaks for itself. The point is to score tries, he did.

[Kittwazzer]

My Aunty Betty would have scored tries in that team!!

OK. I may have been tongue in cheek (only a bit though!!) with Rocket Ronnie. But I reckon Calderwood would have had greater success in that team!!

[butt monkey]

Cannot believe people are actually saying the likes of Calderwood and Braithwaite would have thrived like Offiah in that team!

People soon forget true class - and Martin Offiah had that! If it was just about pace, why didn't Dwain Chambers thrive at Castleford? Wigan already had other exceptionally quick winger around at that time in Mark Preston & Rob Smythe - they were good, but didn't have the class of Offiah. There is no argument, it is like comparing Ellery Hanley to Shaun O'Loughlin

[Fozzius]

As I posted earlier in this thread everytime I hear him at the minute he is spouting rubbish, but you cannot argue with his class as a player. He had a supernatural try scoring ability and seemed to be able to ghost through defenses at times. I am too young to have seen Boston play so imo from the players I have seen at Wigan on tryscoring ability alone he is the best winger I have seen. Better than Robinson, Gill and Dallas who I rate as the best of the rest. For what its worth while I liked Calderwood as a player as he always gave 100% I don't think he is anywhere near the class of any of the above.

[AndyLaw]

My thoughts for what they are worth (probably nothing)

Terrible pundit, half the time can't remember players names, unless he represents them of course.

An agent so obviously has vested interest in trying to drum up business. Which is also why I think he should not be a pundit, as he can make comments to promote his players or disparrage other players not on his books. Not saying he does it, but having him as a pundit leaves the broadcaster wide open to accusations.

Prolific try scorer in his time and has played with the best, therefore knows something about quality players.

Probably been reading posts on this forum for the last 6 months. He's pointing out that we need better players in the squad. How many posts have there been on here about exactly the same topic, Piggy not good enough, Fielden not good enough, Smith not good enough and the list goes on...

He's right, we do need more quality players in the squad, nothing we don't already know, but one thing he forgets the dreaded salary cap! When he played at Wigan, money was no object, today it's different we can't just throw money around we have to stick to the cap.

The only thing to question in my mind is his motives for commenting. Is it an article he's written or a journo taking off the cuff comments and making a story of them.

[AndyLaw]

AH just spotted his motivation for making the comments. He's got a book coming out so needs to up his profile to sell it.

Much as I like Offiah as a player, can't see me rushing out to get it if it's anything like his punditry.