Joel to Union

[slimshady]

JT is gone definately, just has to decide who's 13 pieces of silver he's taking.

[DaveO]

JT is gone definately, just has to decide who's 13 pieces of silver he's taking.

Don't you mean 15?

[cpwigan]

Has anyone had any conformation that Joel is about to leave/sign for the dark side.
Speculation often fuels the flames & theirs nowt more fickle than folk.

Have to come clean, it was purely a joke and scare mongering. Joel has withdrawn from the 4N because he had already booked a fortnight in Blackpool

[jobo]

If he does go, it's childish to say he's being some sort of Judas. He's never given anything less than 100% for Wigan and he's the rest of his life to think about. I say good luck to him and thanks for the Wembley try. As for holding him to his contract, that would be a disaster for the player and the club and I can't believe IL would be daft enough to enforce it. The problem we've got is that we can't reward our players to the level their skill deserves and until this is addressed, we'll continue to see any player with promise being targeted by the rah rahs. Just for the record, Martin Gleeson was offered a huge contract prior to signing for Wigan, to go to union but turned it down. Makes you think how he would be placed now had he taken it.

[Panchitta Marra]

If he does go, it's childish to say he's being some sort of Judas. He's never given anything less than 100% for Wigan and he's the rest of his life to think about. I say good luck to him and thanks for the Wembley try. As for holding him to his contract, that would be a disaster for the player and the club and I can't believe IL would be daft enough to enforce it. The problem we've got is that we can't reward our players to the level their skill deserves and until this is addressed, we'll continue to see any player with promise being targeted by the rah rahs. Just for the record, Martin Gleeson was offered a huge contract prior to signing for Wigan, to go to union but turned it down. Makes you think how he would be placed now had he taken it.

The thing that gripes me about all this Jobo is the fact that he signed a 5 year extension at WWRLFC to which additional squad plans would no doubt have be made around that signature.
To turn his back just 6 months or so beyond that pledge smells really bad.
His Loyalty has just smashed right out of the window so I say get gone.

[butt monkey]

If he does go, it's childish to say he's being some sort of Judas. He's never given anything less than 100% for Wigan and he's the rest of his life to think about. I say good luck to him and thanks for the Wembley try. As for holding him to his contract, that would be a disaster for the player and the club and I can't believe IL would be daft enough to enforce it. The problem we've got is that we can't reward our players to the level their skill deserves and until this is addressed, we'll continue to see any player with promise being targeted by the rah rahs. Just for the record, Martin Gleeson was offered a huge contract prior to signing for Wigan, to go to union but turned it down. Makes you think how he would be placed now had he taken it.

The thing that gripes me about all this Jobo is the fact that he signed a 5 year extension at WWRLFC to which additional squad plans would no doubt have be made around that signature.
To turn his back just 6 months or so beyond that pledge smells really bad.
His Loyalty has just smashed right out of the window so I say get gone.

:eusa2:

Which is exactly the point I constantly try and make!

I sincerely hope jobo doesn't come one here in a few months time complaining all the Wigan players have left because someone else offered them more money and a) It it just unfair to stop them b) better for them if they can just rip up their contracts and enjoy playing sport where they feel they are more welcome c) owe Wigan nothing anyways d) contracts are only really worthwhile for a players earnings perspective, but useless when another club makes illegal approaches with the offer of more money.

I for one cannot wait to hear all the bleeding hearts when Warrington approach Sam with a huge contract to move and he simply walks away with the club/chairman and fans speechless because no one had the strength,guts or determination to make players fulfill their part of a binding contract from the outset!

As for Gleeson supposedly being linked with Union before he moved to Wigan - perhaps the transfer fee Warrington placed on him to move made them think before they progressed further with any offer

[DaveO]

The thing that gripes me about all this Jobo is the fact that he signed a 5 year extension at WWRLFC to which additional squad plans would no doubt have be made around that signature.
To turn his back just 6 months or so beyond that pledge smells really bad.
His Loyalty has just smashed right out of the window so I say get gone.

I am with you on this one. If he goes after signing a five year deal he definitely deserves criticism. The idea he should be some how immune form this because he will earn a lot more money doesn't wash with me.

[butt monkey]

Put it simply. Wigan are in the driving seat here despite what Joel and his new agents might think.

For any move to occur there must be a correct remunerative compensation for Wigan to decide to not hold the player against the contract HE signed any more.

I for one would tell the Union club concerned to return with £1m fee and tell them to "take it or leave". If as some say he is worth any way, such a huge increase in wage, then surely the same club attempting to force an illegal move must be more than willing to pay any transfer fee that accompanies the wages being offered?

[Kiwiseddon]

If he does go, it's childish to say he's being some sort of Judas. He's never given anything less than 100% for Wigan and he's the rest of his life to think about. I say good luck to him and thanks for the Wembley try. As for holding him to his contract, that would be a disaster for the player and the club and I can't believe IL would be daft enough to enforce it. The problem we've got is that we can't reward our players to the level their skill deserves and until this is addressed, we'll continue to see any player with promise being targeted by the rah rahs. Just for the record, Martin Gleeson was offered a huge contract prior to signing for Wigan, to go to union but turned it down. Makes you think how he would be placed now had he taken it.

The thing that gripes me about all this Jobo is the fact that he signed a 5 year extension at WWRLFC to which additional squad plans would no doubt have be made around that signature.
To turn his back just 6 months or so beyond that pledge smells really bad.
His Loyalty has just smashed right out of the window so I say get gone.

I agree but 6 months is a long time. In that time we've won the only 'other' piece of silverware. He's also been playing out of position and from the press conference, it may be that they expect him to go round again at centre. Couple that with the offer of a huge amount of extra money and I don't think it's really a surprise he's going.
I for one don't blame him at all. You simply can't argue with money. People have argued that there are people like Rads who are one club people but let's not forget what the club offered him financially to convince him to stay. I'm gutted as I've always liked Joel but it's a symptom of RL. We can be a real two bit sport at times and the only people involved in RL upset with this are going to be Wigan fans.

Someone else posted about RL being set to to accommodate the lowest common denominator and I couldn't agree more. As long as the Wakeys of this world are happy then the RL are too. Such a shame but totally predictable. :conf:

[Panchitta Marra]

The thing that gripes me about all this Jobo is the fact that he signed a 5 year extension at WWRLFC to which additional squad plans would no doubt have be made around that signature.
To turn his back just 6 months or so beyond that pledge smells really bad.
His Loyalty has just smashed right out of the window so I say get gone.

I am with you on this one. If he goes after signing a five year deal he definitely deserves criticism. The idea he should be some how immune form this because he will earn a lot more money doesn't wash with me.

Also shows the true value of the contract, 5 year or not, if a person (player or coach) wants to break it.