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Re: Best RL Coach
Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 10:58 am
by Wigan Watcher
GeoffN posted:
It's a trickier question than it looks, actually. It's easy to say Monie, simply because of all the success, but as has been mentioned, that team didn't need a coach - as was shown during Doherty's reign, when the team did largely coach itself.
I'd be tempted to go for Alex Murphy, as he was the one largely responsible for starting to build the side that dominated everything from the mid 80's to mid 90's, even though he left (following that well-remembered "tiff" with ML!) before his work began to show results.
I’m surprised to read this post from you Geoff.
I always read with interest your postings and agree with most but not on this one. IMO and also being told that Murphy was nothing more than a bully tactician. He upset the players he upset the board and I have heard rumours that underhanded tactics where also used. IMO he was not the type of person for Wigan much like Millward.
Funny that they are together at Leigh going nowhere, their careers to a degree have follow each other. Both been at Leigh, both been at Snake Helens, both been at Wigan and now both back at the bottom again with Leigh with the morals that
challenge each others. I think that is the only context you will see the words Murphy, Millward and Challenge (cup) in the same sentence ever again.
Both of them not for me!
Re: Best RL Coach
Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 11:08 am
by Wigan Watcher
I once heard John Monie say after being told that it must be very easy being the coach of Wigan with all the stars in the team.
“Yes they are all stars and fantastic athletes, you could say they are true pedigree’s and as everyone knows pedigree’s are much harder to look after than mongrelsâ€
Re: Best RL Coach
Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 12:39 pm
by Wigan Watcher
Doug Stand posted:
Wigan Watcher posted:
GeoffN posted:
I'd be tempted to go for Alex Murphy, as he was the
I’m surprised to read this post from you Geoff.
I always read with interest your postings and agree with most but not on this one. IMO and also being told that Murphy was nothing more than a bully tactician. He upset the players he upset the board and I have heard rumours that underhanded tactics where also used. IMO he was not the type of person for Wigan much like Millward.
Funny that they are together at Leigh going nowhere, their careers to a degree have follow each other. Both been at Leigh, both been at Snake Helens, both been at Wigan and now both back at the bottom again with Leigh with the morals that
challenge each others. I think that is the only context you will see the words Murphy, Millward and Challenge (cup) in the same sentence ever again.
Both of them not for me!
OK...
Alex Murphy is unquestionably the man the started the Glory days at Wigan. Alex Murphy whilst his coaching style had a lot to be desired I'll grant you, did some amazing stuff at Wigan. He made Martin Foy into quality stand-off. He brought in out of the wilderness one Brian Case. Ensured the signing of Shaun Edwards, Found Steve Hampson to name but a few. He won the JPT with Wigan which in essence started the ball moving. He took us to Wembely and awoke a sleeping Giant.
I was sad when Murphy went, but in hindsight he probably wouldn't have been able to sustain the growth that we had with him. There was probably a Challange cup win in him though...
None the less Murphy was a master coach for Wigan and gave a platform for the likes of Clarke/McInness, Lowe and Monie to build on.
By the time Greame West took over I'd say he had little to do.
If we stay up then I would add Noble to the lost of greats... he's showing an amazing talent, not least in the improvements of Danny Orr and the amazing capture of Stuart Fielden.
It's really no debate, Murphy was a fantastic coach at Wigan and like it or not put Wigan on the road to sucess.
Sorry I don't agree.
He did not find any of the players you mentioned. Its on the tip of my tongue his name who brought Edwards to the club.
Murphy watched Edwards and decided he was a good player and it was agreed with the board that they would sign him on his 16th birthday to bring much needed publicity to the club this would then bring much needed sponsorship money at the time, (it’s a fallacy that Murphy found him). I will go on to say that Murphy held the club back at a time of growth by alienating certain sponsorship partners by his controversial behaviour.
It was decided by the board that he was holding the club back and the players not wanting to work with him because of his tactics and style of coaching that he had to be sacked.
Wigan were going places at the time with anyone in charge because the ambition of the board not the ambition of a coach.
Re: Best RL Coach
Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 2:34 pm
by mike binder
Bear posted:
Graham West
can some 1 remind me what he did wrong won the grand slam beat the aussies in aus and got sacked why why oh why
Re: Best RL Coach
Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 3:17 pm
by Paul Farny
Ian Millward
Re: Best RL Coach
Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 8:55 pm
by Fielden's Angel
Although it has been pointed out that the great wigan teams of the late 80s and early 90s could virtually coach themselves, I still think that Monie was the perfect man for the job at the time.
I read a lot of players autobiographies and all point to Monie as a great coach who could be both supportive on a personal level and yet a disciplinian like no other. Every player talks about immense respect for the man when they talk about Monie.
Re: Best RL Coach
Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 10:13 pm
by mike binder
i have just read jason robinsons new book and swanny who wrote mentions on several occasions what a great mind games player that monie was ,if you get chance have a read the real jason robinson its called ,if you dont want to buy you can borrow my book or swap 4 another
alos read andy greory pint size what a book that is
