Gareth Thomas

[DaveO]

Its very rare Dave that I can think or say I can agree with what you come out with BUT that is a very good post!

Well thank you. I shall go and have a lie down now.

[emperorkel]

Twelve months ago I was filled with optimism about the future. We had signed three players from Melbourne Storm, Lima a good NRL prop, Finch an above average NRL half and Hoffman a world class second row. Madge was building a team for the future, we were playing an exciting brand of rugby, our players were committed and in truth playing out of their skins.
Twelve months later and despite winning the Challenge Cup we rarely seem to have got out of second gear, Madge is going and, if rumours are to be believed we have signed three players from Crusaders and an absolute duffer from Hull. It seems we have also appointed an assistant coach who hated Wigan with a vengeance throughout his playing career and who has not in his short coaching career displayed any inkling of extraordinary ability.
Madge was always going to be a tough act to follow and much as I like Wane he is not as good as Madge, if you then replace your number two with someone who is not as good it suggests a downward spiral in class and ability.
Maybe all will be well but the signs at the moment are that next season is being driven by cost and if our new head coach is happy with the proposed recruits our short lived return to the top of rugby league could be over very quickly.
I must add this is not a reaction to a shocking performance at Wire it is a feeling I have had for some weeks and I will now head back out into the sunshine and pray that the rumours are not true.

[DaveO]

....if rumours are to be believed we have signed three players from Crusaders and an absolute duffer from Hull.

....if you then replace your number two with someone who is not as good it suggests a downward spiral in class and ability.

....if our new head coach is happy with the proposed recruits our short lived return to the top of rugby league could be over very quickly.

I have quoted three important points from your post, most of which I agree with though I think Wane does deserve a chance as head coach.

Those points should get any Wigan fan worried if they come to pass.

We should not have signed or sign any of those players rumoured. None are good enough to improve the squad.

Wane (if he is head coach) should not have had Harris imposed on him as is rumoured.

And I certainly do not believe he will be happy with the signings (if we have made them) so who made them?

The last time we had a coach who was restricted in who he could sign was Millward and we nearly got relegated. If Wane is not careful he is going to be expected to follow on from Madge with a much poorer squad. I thought the idea was gradual improvement year on year. Not lumbering the new coach with a worse squad and an assistant he doesn't want.

I must add this is not a reaction to a shocking performance at Wire it is a feeling I have had for some weeks and I will now head back out into the sunshine and pray that the rumours are not true.

I don't think we have hit the heights of last season either. I think we will need to be content with the CC.

[emperorkel]

If I inferred I had anything against Shaun Wane I must quickly put it right. I think he does deserve a chance and I think in normal circumstances he would do a good job but he is following a unique coach and there are probably very few others in world rugby who could improve on what he has done. Shaun would have a hard enough task anyway without, seemingly, having his hands tied or has he had to accept these conditions to get the post wants.
We are losing some very influential players as well as Madge and I do not see significant improvement in the squad that is left nor do I see any young players ready to step up. All in all it does not look good but that is if the rumours are to be believed and they may not be

[Wes]

Dave I had a thought tonight maybe a realisation but it could also be a realisation (the O made sense if I am correct), do you have someone living opposite you with my name?!?

[DaveO]

Dave I had a thought tonight maybe a realisation but it could also be a realisation (the O made sense if I am correct), do you have someone living opposite you with my name?!?

Mr 29wes28? Err..no. Opposite is Robbie & family, Liverpudlian ex-Royal Marine and now member of the North Wales police. No RL fans in our cul-de-sac I am afraid here in Chester.

Mind you one of Librarian's at the local Library just a few minutes down the road is a Wigan fan originally from Preston and she was on TV at Wembley in the crowd, short blonde hair and dark rimmed glasses!

[BigJeffLima]

hello people im new to the site, been on the site for years now reading the latest news but only just decided to make an account. Anyway last night and the game i got chatting to a women and the women got on to the Gareth Thomas subject, she said we are only signing him becuase he his making a film about his life and he needs to be in super league to make the film and sky are paying hes wages at wigan? dont no how true it is so hope nobody bites my head off haha

[Kittwazzer]

Already a huge thread on this Jeff. Enjoy posting!

[BigJeffLima]

thanks alot

[cpwigan]

We haven't signed him yet, it would have happened BUT the RFL want an awful lot from Wigan in terms of promoting RL in Wales, the RFL keep moving the goalposts too.

I just hope fans start to wise up to how corrupt our sport is at the very top with all manner of deals being struck and if the RFL sanction it then the rules can be bent, broken etc etc.