PLEASE IL do the decent thing!!!

[sheepsteeth]

I think there's two ways of looking at how IL handled the Sam leaving saga!

1 He's let our best player go mid contract so it shows he and the club art open to all offers.

2 he's done great business, he probably accepted when Sam signed such a long deal he wouldn't be here For all of it and in getting the long contract signed he ensured a huge fee.

yes Leeds and saints have let people go at the end of their deals but if those players where gonna go anyway should they not have had the foresight to entire they were in a position to get some money for them?

I don't know which side of the fence I'm on at the minute. I'm not happy all our players are going but at least we're getting some dosh. although wharf the point in the dosh if IL won't spend it?

[morley pie eater]

Just been looking in the Classified Ads for 'Multi-Millionaire Wigan born Philanthropist, desperately seeking to buy and inprove a rugby league club"

Nope. Can't see any. I'll check again tomorrow!

:lol1: :lol1: :lol1:

[Sutty]

IL is treating the club as a business, where profit is everything. He has got a fortune for Sam, goodness knows how much he's got for Hock, Mossop etc. Moran is a fan of Warrington as well and he treats the club as such. They probably make little, if any profit. But to Moran, that doesn't seem to matter as long as they achieve on field success.

Compare that to IL and all he seems intent on doing is selling our best assets, so that he can turn a tidy profit and spout to the fans that the club is healthy and making good money etc.
Granted, we've won a few trophies recently. But how long will that continue, if he keeps selling our best assets? People say that we need to have faith in the youth setup and the players that are coming through. That's all good and well, but if recent years are anything to go by, as soon as the next major talent comes through the ranks, he'll just get sold to the highest bidder. All so that IL can line his own pockets. I've heard stories from people that have dealt with him on a professional level and he's far from a nice person, from what I've been told.

Therefore, yes, I'd prefer an owner that is happy to spend his money and not worry too much about profits, as long as the club remains in a healthy and stable state, as well as achieving on field success.

Another point, if people like IL keep selling the best of British talent to the NRL / RU, then they're also directly affecting the health of the sport as a whole, in this country. It's no wonder the season is so boring and the standards of RL have slipped so far, when all the best talent is leaving. I'm not saying that they should forbid the players from leaving and furthering their careers / earnings potential. But it's a different matter when they seem to be proactive in the sale of players to the highest bidders.

[DaveO]

I think there's two ways of looking at how IL handled the Sam leaving saga!

1 He's let our best player go mid contract so it shows he and the club art open to all offers.

That is obviously true.

2 he's done great business, he probably accepted when Sam signed such a long deal he wouldn't be here For all of it and in getting the long contract signed he ensured a huge fee.

That is not true. The idea is to win things and you don't do that by selling your best players. He also signed a special contract with Sam designed to keep him here for three years minimum. You can't do that, publicise it as such and then sell after two years and have a shred of credibility left.

yes Leeds and saints have let people go at the end of their deals but if those players where gonna go anyway should they not have had the foresight to entire they were in a position to get some money for them?

They kept them because they felt they would help them to win trophies?

What do want in Wigan's trophy cabinet? A pile of cash or cups?

There is also the idea that Wigan without Sam is far less attractive to sponsors. Who would you sponsor the club to see? Sam Tomkins or Tony Clubb?

And you can add to that the increased revenue the club gets from getting to Wembley and GF's which is far more likely to happen if you retain the Sam T's than if you sell them.

There is a financial cost of losing Sam as well as a benefit of getting a transfer fee. It's not all positive on the balance sheet and some clubs clearly do not view transfer fees as something they need to secure. They would rather retain players and try and win trophies.

I don't know which side of the fence I'm on at the minute. I'm not happy all our players are going but at least we're getting some dosh. although wharf the point in the dosh if IL won't spend it?

Exactly.

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

IL has changed us from a buying club to a selling club.

We should do a sweep of who goes next.

Charnley
Lockers
Farrell

If the money is offered IL will not refuse he has now made it obvious if a player wants to go he can break his contract and leave so long as he gets money for it.

We are the only side selling players on to the NRL. Saints, Wire or Leeds have not sold a player to the NRL or let a player break a contract early for a side to get a fee.

Like them or not Leeds must be a fun club to be at given they keep players until their contract expires and keep winning the GF rather than sell them get money and make the semi final. Every season now IL is weakening us he is not the owner we need if this is his plan.

Just a question i can not see how we do not at the very least break even without selling players anyone else feel he is using us to sell players to help prop up his football team.

We don't need a sweep, Charnley will be next.

[cpwigan]

Once something gains momentum it becomes incredibly hard to stop; teammates see fellow colleagues move on, they get restless too; other clubs see Wigan's players are readily available then they are far more inclined to ask / pursue our best players; if results become worse, if honours dry up then a very talented youngster is soon going to want to move to somewhere capable of winning honours; attendances decline; sponsorship / investment declines BUT for adecade we can proudly say we are not in debt!

[kevccool]

Interesting points raised I just wish people would remain a bit more grown up - this is rugby league not football!
IL treats the club like a business because modern sports teams/clubs are businesses whether we like it or not. Players, stadiums, training, facilities, youth development all of the things that go on behind the scenes all cost money and if you think that our ticket money covers this think again.
IL is far from perfect but he has stabilised the club and got us somewhere near where we belong with some trophies thrown in too. All players/humans want more money its human nature just like we do in our jobs and the problem is currently in Super League the money is not there - this is not IL's fault its the RFL's rules and regulations and we have fell foul to them in the past!
When a player wants to leave or hints at leaving you can do one of three things you can offer a package to make him stay (within the cap)and sign a new contract, make him stay and honour the contract or let him have his wishes and leave for a large fee. The first option is currently unlikely with a star player as the kudos of the NRL and the riches on offer makes it impossible to compete with. This leaves just 2 options. Option 1 keep an unhappy player who's morale and head may not be on the job and could have a detrimental effect on the team as a whole or let a player go on good terms in return for a chunk of cash for the club. Its a no brainer isn't it!
Its all good and well using the money to buy new players but top players want top wages. Please correct me if I am wrong but the cap is about 1.7 million for the top 25 players (I know there are a few exclusions etc) if it is to be believed that Sam was on £300,000 and Lockers £200,000 then that leaves 1.2 million between another 23 players and there are the likes of Pat, Harrison, Powell (bet he is not cheap!)Smith, Green etc it must be a nightmare to juggle that I for one wouldn't fancy it whilst keeping everyone happy.
Until the rules change the only way I can see it working is to put all your eggs in the youth basket and make sure their coaching and facilities are the best. We will need a conveyor belt however as Union and the NRL vultures will be circling!

[Shaun1967]

Like them or not Leeds must be a fun club to be at given they keep players until their contract expires and keep winning the GF rather than sell them get money and make the semi final.

Leeds have released at least two international players mid-contract in recent seasons.

[sheepsteeth]

DaveO I was just trying to state both sides of the argument, the key point for me is the last one you highlighted, what good are all these transfer fees if IL doesn't spend them on new signings.

Maybe i'm more used to this sort of thing as I support Everton and the chairman there takes the money from transfers and it's never seen again.

Also people will say we've freed up loads of cap space, but as IL won't pay anyone a really good wage we lose out on our targets to wire or Leeds. I suspect Briscoe will be going to headingley on this basis, although i hope to be proved wrong.

[sheepsteeth]

Mick

I agree to some extent but should IL not be using this money from transfers to try and sign the best still over here?