Amos Roberts

[Exiled Wiganer]

We need Pat to play on both wings.
I wonder whether we have reached the point where we have such a glaring weakness in Amos that any other 3/4 who can catch would be better. Veivers? Goulding (when fit again obviously)? Phelps with someone else going to fb.
Like everyone else Roberts epitomises everything which is wrong with Noble - his performances have been far less effective than Ainsy's, a local lad not being paid much and not taking up an overseas quota spot, but if Noble has criticised Roberts I have missed it, while Aisny took a pasting week after week.
I am an upbeat chap and like to see the best in people but Noble's inability to make the most of the had which he has been dealt damns him in my eyes. let's bring the Melbourne assistant coach in - he would be coming from the most sophisticated and most meritorious environment in the game. Melbourne are a club who have blooded and developed internationals in their teens. That's exactly what we need.
The tragedy for this year, and the thing which gives me massive hope for the next year and onwards, is that we have an absolutely fabulous crop of young players. Never in my 30 years watching us can I remember a group as talented as Ainsy, Tomkins, Mossop, McIllorum, Flannagan, Farrell, Davies plus plus all emerging at once.
What an inheritance for some lucky coach.

[DaveO]

The tragedy for this year, and the thing which gives me massive hope for the next year and onwards, is that we have an absolutely fabulous crop of young players. Never in my 30 years watching us can I remember a group as talented as Ainsy, Tomkins, Mossop, McIllorum, Flannagan, Farrell, Davies plus plus all emerging at once.
What an inheritance for some lucky coach.

Reading round the threads and the news articles it seems we won't sign anyone for next season player-wise and I see Noble has indicated he does not want to coach in SL beyond 2010.

Put these two things together and I can see Noble having one more season here and if he does then I can only see the tragedy repeating itself one more time. I have posted in the past when people have said "who else is there but Noble" that finding the replacement is only half the issue. The other have is removing Noble of his position because he is actually damaging the team IMO.

His selection of the semi was predictable and fair enough with certain players you can argue they are almost automatic choices such as Lockers but this must be balanced against disrupting a side that has played very well and risking players not being 100% match fit in such a big game. It was nailed on even with such considerations Noble would bring back the senior players and he will do so in every game so long as he is Wigan coach. He always has done and always will so if he does get one more year we will see the same discussions again next season about off-form senior players not being dropped or walking back into the side etc.

Dave

[Big Steve]

To be fair, any coach would have brought Lockers back for a semi final if he was considered fit.

The big problem we have compared to the aussie clubs in terms of bringing younger players into the first team is that the standard and quality of play in the lower level teams is far higher than our reserves and academy. As a result they are far closer to 1st team standard.

Young players like Robinson, Brown etc, who did get the chance early on in their careers are only now starting to display performances ona more regularbasis that their early promise threatened. And we all know how they (Brown especialy) were treated by a large section of fans. The same goes for Prescott, Joel Tomkins (who many fans were saying we should get rid around 3 seasons ago), Ashurst when he was here got as much stick for his defence as he did praise for his attack. Goulding has a prety hard time from lots of fans, etc.....

All we seem to do is look for the 'next big thing' to come out of the reserves, and as soon as they don't develop into a shaun edwards, we cast them aside and look for the next one.

I know it's gone off topic, but most threads seem to come down to ; Noble, youngsters, overseas players in the end.........

[DaveO]

To be fair, any coach would have brought Lockers back for a semi final if he was considered fit.

I agree in the case of Lockers but as a general point any senior player once fit returns automatically under Noble not just players like him.

All we seem to do is look for the 'next big thing' to come out of the reserves, and as soon as they don't develop into a shaun edwards, we cast them aside and look for the next one.

While I agree various younger players do get some stick it isn't the fans who cast them aside but the club. We simply can't keep all of the players we produce and I don't think we have made any major mistakes in recent years in who we have let go including Brown.

However while we have signed up S Tomkins and getting back to the topic of Amos Roberts he may well be the obstacle in the way of Ainscough having a career here.

I know it's gone off topic, but most threads seem to come down to ; Noble, youngsters, overseas players in the end.........

In Roberts case it is bang on topic IMO because he is an experienced player and Noble picks his experienced players whenever fit regardless of form. About the only irrelevant thing is the fact he is an overseas player. It doesn't matter what nationality you are, if you are an experienced player you play regardless of form and that may be detrimental to young players development at the club.

Dave

[cpwigan]

You could play Pryce if we got him sorted physically. Maybe it takes him a year to settle in too Ian Thornley could play left wing if needed and Pat switched to the right. Stefan Marsh could play on the wing.

[DaveO]

I think that any overseas player that signs for us should have to go straight into the academy team and play with them until they prove and earn their place in the first team. They come up with the "its hard settling in" which does effect their games - so stick them in the Academy side till they “settle in” find their feet and earn a place in the first team. thats my opinion!

Quite a good idea in the sense that they would have no "settling in" excuse once in the first team. Unfortunately no overseas player would sign to play a few games in the reserves when other clubs would stick them into the first team right away.

Dave

[RJ]

The tragedy for this year, and the thing which gives me massive hope for the next year and onwards, is that we have an absolutely fabulous crop of young players. Never in my 30 years watching us can I remember a group as talented as Ainsy, Tomkins, Mossop, McIllorum, Flannagan, Farrell, Davies plus plus all emerging at once.
What an inheritance for some lucky coach.

Reading round the threads and the news articles it seems we won't sign anyone for next season player-wise and I see Noble has indicated he does not want to coach in SL beyond 2010.

Put these two things together and I can see Noble having one more season here and if he does then I can only see the tragedy repeating itself one more time. I have posted in the past when people have said "who else is there but Noble" that finding the replacement is only half the issue. The other have is removing Noble of his position because he is actually damaging the team IMO.

His selection of the semi was predictable and fair enough with certain players you can argue they are almost automatic choices such as Lockers but this must be balanced against disrupting a side that has played very well and risking players not being 100% match fit in such a big game. It was nailed on even with such considerations Noble would bring back the senior players and he will do so in every game so long as he is Wigan coach. He always has done and always will so if he does get one more year we will see the same discussions again next season about off-form senior players not being dropped or walking back into the side etc.

Dave