Wigan 58 Catalans 0

[Matthew]

In previous seasons this was the sort of game that I would be a little apprehensive about. Wigan in a vein of form coming off of a victory against one of the big sides, facing a team that is in the doldrums and can't beat anyone. In short; a perfect recipe for Wigan to completely fail to perform and lose (to a chorus of boos) - a prime example being the match against the crusaders last year.

It's nice to see that whilst making the team fit from the start of the season, Michael Maguire is also making the team strong mentally. Even after a very tough encounter and victory last week; they still turn up the following week with the same intensity and when the other side can't deal with it - they put them to the sword.

We will lose games this season - we are the only team with a 100% record and you can bet other teams will be gunning for us from here on in. But as long as we continue in the same manner as we have started the season, we will win far more than we lose.

[butt monkey]

I had no problem with Noble in 2006, just the opposite. In fact it was inspiring the way his calm approach seemed to sort things out. What got me was the complete failure to build on a very optimistic end to 2006 over the next three years and I think he lived off 2006 for too long. He should have gone at the end of 2008 IMO and maybe would have if it were not for IL giving him every opportunity to prove his worth.

Dave

I think this was always a tricky issue for IL. He came to the club as new owner and as a fan and must have known about the club's revolving door of coaches over the last ten years or so and possibly felt he should at least appear to be different to what had gone on previously.

The rights and wrongs of Noble's one year deal for last year can be argued to the nth degree. The issue was it gave IL the time to see for himself what problems and issues (if there were any) that need addressing and the best possible people approached and signed up to rectify whatever IL felt the Warriors needed as a course of solution. IL had no RL background as a player and so must (like most of us) have to accept what a former international and current Head Coach explains to him, until it is obvious that a new direction must be taken.

I wanted Noble out too, but it would have been interesting to wonder who IL would have been able to install as Head Coach and who would have actually been part of the back-room staff should Noble have gone at the time many felt he should have originally been removed. This may be slightly like a jigsaw puzzle with the pieces fitting in at the right time?!

[highland convert]

Mm Don't want to bring up old wounds but I refer to my posts of last year. Noble set his side while drinking from a poison chalice. He played though a period where he was damned if he did, damned if he didn't. MM has not had that yet. The fans are on his side. IL is on his side. Support staff have been brought in that are the best in the business. Don't get me wrong. I am over the moon with the results but the playing field is not level. Had you given Noble the same backing maybe the GF would not have been that one game away. This year the players are playing for a group of supporters that are backing them to the hilt.
It is called moral. Therefore hose that are cheering that they were instramental for the change should think again. They possibly are just responsible for the lack of silverware as Noble,
Jim

[j658]

Mm Don't want to bring up old wounds but I refer to my posts of last year. Noble set his side while drinking from a poison chalice. He played though a period where he was damned if he did, damned if he didn't. MM has not had that yet. The fans are on his side. IL is on his side. Support staff have been brought in that are the best in the business. Don't get me wrong. I am over the moon with the results but the playing field is not level. Had you given Noble the same backing maybe the GF would not have been that one game away. This year the players are playing for a group of supporters that are backing them to the hilt.
It is called moral. Therefore hose that are cheering that they were instramental for the change should think again. They possibly are just responsible for the lack of silverware as Noble,
Jim

I'm sorry but I think you are 100% wrong. Noble had everyones backing after he saved us from relegation then people started to lose patience when the team din't kick on. You say that we now have top class support staff that Noble didn't have, but one of the common complaints was with Noble sticking to his support staff that many posters thought to be inadequate. I genuinely don't believe that the improved support staff would not have been available to Noble if he had asked for it. The implication you make is that IL didn't back Noble 100% and that he has only made the best staff available to Maguire. Once again, I do not believe this to be the case.
The way I see it, Maguire & Wane have come in and seen where they think the team is struggling and made the changes to sort those things out. Time will tell if the changes will result in trophies but I don't know a single Wigan fan who would rather be in the position we were in last season than where we are now.

Also IMO you over play the effect of fans views on players/clubs. I know you have strong views on that topic but from my experience the best players do not care what anyone thinks of them. They go out and do the business every week. Hanley, Edwards, Farrel, the criticisms they received (and they did even in the glory years) would be like water off a ducks back. The perfect example is Lee Briers who has been loved and hated by his own fans in equal measures throughout his Warrington career, and the only person that effects Lee Briers performances is himself.

[j658]

PS couldn't get to the game last night, but the boys sounded awesome on the radio. COME ON WIGAN!!!!!

[Matthew]

Sorry Jim; can't agree with you there.

After the escape from relegation; Noble had all the Wigan fans onside. Record attendances and in Barrett, the best player in the competition by a country mile.

Every season started with defeats and indifferent form, leaving too much to do to mount a serious challenge on the GF. The players were simple not fit enough. That combined with failure to succeed in the CC, a very dull style of play and a preference for veteran overseas signings over young players is what caused Noble to lose the fans support.

[DaveO]

It is called moral. Therefore hose that are cheering that they were instramental for the change should think again. They possibly are just responsible for the lack of silverware as Noble,
Jim

No one is cheering because they think they were instrumental in any change because we all know none of us on this message board has any influence at all. You seem to think we have but really we don't. We are small minority of the 12000 or so regulars who attend home games.

As to the playing field not being level it was summed up very well by j658's post and others because the back room team Noble had was his choice and to suggest IL tied Nobles hands compared to what he has given MM is not credible IMO. I am sure IL would have liked Brian Noble to be a success. Otherwise the implication is IL was playing silly games and jeopardising the clubs success to do so which is also not credible.

You will just have to accept Noble was't a very good coach and that is simply all there was to it. No hidden agendas or anything like that, he just didn't prove good enough despite being given plenty of time to prove himself by IL which was a luxury rarely afforded to coaches in the previous administration.

If he'd been sacked when I think he should have gone you might have an argument for saying IL was impatient and didn't give him the time but I take the opposite view to you and think that IL gave him every opportunity to succeed. I don't think there are any grounds to suggest otherwise.

Dave

[Dobby]

Sorry Jim; can't agree with you there.

After the escape from relegation; Noble had all the Wigan fans onside. Record attendances and in Barrett, the best player in the competition by a country mile.

Every season started with defeats and indifferent form, leaving too much to do to mount a serious challenge on the GF. The players were simple not fit enough. That combined with failure to succeed in the CC, a very dull style of play and a preference for veteran overseas signings over young players is what caused Noble to lose the fans support.

I agree. Noble has no one to blame but himself. He had the complete support of the fans, management, players and lost it all by being a poor coach and a very poor man manager. Due to his tactics he lost the support of the fans. He also lost the changing room long before he left due to his training, tactics, team selections and the way he treated players. This meant that Lenegan had no choice but to get rid. I think that everything that has happened since the appointment of McGuire shows that this was the right decision and shows exectly why Noble had to go.

[GeoffN]

Mm Don't want to bring up old wounds but I refer to my posts of last year. Noble set his side while drinking from a poison chalice. He played though a period where he was damned if he did, damned if he didn't. MM has not had that yet. The fans are on his side. IL is on his side. Support staff have been brought in that are the best in the business. Don't get me wrong. I am over the moon with the results but the playing field is not level. Had you given Noble the same backing maybe the GF would not have been that one game away. This year the players are playing for a group of supporters that are backing them to the hilt.
It is called moral. Therefore hose that are cheering that they were instramental for the change should think again. They possibly are just responsible for the lack of silverware as Noble,
Jim

You're still confusing cause and effect, Jim, as others have already pointed out. Fans' reactions follow results, not the other way around, whether applied to the team or to individuals. Had Noble started 2009 with 4 straight wins (and 100+ points diff), rather than 1 win from 4, reactions would have been very different. Equally, had MM started with 3 straight losses, as we did last year, he would, quite rightly, be getting as much stick as Nobby did.

[baldrik]

An excellent team performance on a bad night.The 1st half was superb with the team tackling everything that moved. I agree with what is being said about the speed and fitness of the players.The ball handling has improved as well,although a few drops were made but Cats were guilty of it as well.Again I was impressed with Sam T his kicking game was up there with the best of them.His tackling was of the same standard.Famous had another solid game and I thought Mossop played well too.I dont think it would be fair to single out the few players who dropped the ball because Cats were putting in some good tackles.I must admit that I thought our opponents were not on the same level as us,although they showed a bit more co-hesiveness in the 2nd half.It was a game that I think they will want to forget. :eusa3: :eusa3: