Nobby drops a heavy hint

[Nine]

In the piece in the club website about needing a response in the games this next week, following the Millenium Horror, Nobby says:

Excuses are running out for certain people.

I know some people knock him for being too loyal to players, but I see that as a strength, on the whole. How often do people say "we need stability" and then call for a mass clearout after a poor (well, OK - horrendous) display? That is exactly the lack of stability that has contributed to our problems in recent years.

On the other hand, you can't keep picking people who underperform all the time, and it's a tough call as to when you should eventually wield the axe.

Looks like Nobby is sharpening the blade... I just hope it gives some players the rocket up the backside they need. If performances improve significantly and consistently from now on, so much the better.

[Fujiman]

In the piece in the club website about needing a response in the games this next week, following the Millenium Horror, Nobby says:

Excuses are running out for certain people.

I know some people knock him for being too loyal to players, but I see that as a strength, on the whole. How often do people say "we need stability" and then call for a mass clearout after a poor (well, OK - horrendous) display? That is exactly the lack of stability that has contributed to our problems in recent years.

On the other hand, you can't keep picking people who underperform all the time, and it's a tough call as to when you should eventually wield the axe.

Looks like Nobby is sharpening the blade... I just hope it gives some players the rocket up the backside they need. If perforances improve significantly and consistently from now on, there may

Trouble is i think we have been here before i.e after Cats game and 12 months on the same things are being said :conf:

[cpwigan]

Nine I was gutted by the interview personally. If you take it in it's entirety he seems under the impression that we have generally been playing well and calls for a back to basics approach. We have not played well full stop and we need to play a more dynamic brand of RL not dour one up drives and kick/chase. We must be the only team that played more stylish, more complex RL in 1985 and 1989 and so on than we do now.

Worse still we will be lucky to see any changes for the Whitehaven game which means the same old faces playing twice in 5 days. He thinks our team is full of youngsters. I think anybody under 24 is a young player to Nobby. Where are these youngsters bar say Goulding.

I will be interested to see who plays 7 v Whitehaven. It should be Sam Tomkins but it may not be. I would not put it past Nobby to go for Trent at 7 and Lockers at 6 or Coyle and Trent.

[cpwigan]

Just to add I bet Mathers plays, I bet Fielden plays.

He makes me laugh re Flannagan. Nobody rated him at Bradford although I daresay his dad was a good mate of Nobby's. He will never be anything but a loose forward and not a SL one at that. So why is Nobby bigging him up when his captain and 4 year contract Lockers plays there.

[Nine]

Just to add I bet Mathers plays, I bet Fielden plays.

You could be right there, cpw. I note in the article in the club website on the Reserves/Academy games that Coyle, Tomkins and O'Carroll will be playing for the Reserves.

Like I said, it's a tough call between stability and dropping underperforming players. Trouble is, if everyone has a big game against Whitehaven it proves nothing - we'll have to wait until the Wire game to see who's pulled their socks up and who really should get a boot up the jacksy.

On Flanagan, he's just being given another year to make it with us. It's hard to know how good he is yet as he spent much of last season injured.

There's enough Lockers knockers on here who I would have thought would be delighted to see someone coming through to maybe put pressure on at 13 - we don't have too many specialist choices there. I'm not one of them, by the way, I have a lot of time for Lockers and we miss him badly when he's not there. Flanagan covers 6 as well, of course.

[cpwigan]

What I cannot fathom is that as you say it proves nothing. Our best XIII hammering Pia or Whitehaven tells us nothing. A few young lads, it might tells us a little.

Worse, surely it makes sense to keep some players fresh for Friday.

Losing faith in Nobby. Sorry.

[Matthew]

Does anyone else that a lot of our youngsters seem to be there to make up the numbers?

Whilst some have been introduced into the first team - there seem to be a lot of players that seem destined to never get a first team start - despite having a lot of academy experience.

Flannegan is a prime example of this - however you could add Stanton Ainscough etc

If these players are never going to play for the first team; then it begs the question - why keep them? Are we training them up for Wakefield and Widnes?

[Mike]

I will be interested to see who plays 7 v Whitehaven. It should be Sam Tomkins but it may not be. I would not put it past Nobby to go for Trent at 7 and Lockers at 6 or Coyle and Trent.

Tommy will play 7.

[josie andrews]

Does anyone else that a lot of our youngsters seem to be there to make up the numbers?

Whilst some have been introduced into the first team - there seem to be a lot of players that seem destined to never get a first team start - despite having a lot of academy experience.

Flannegan is a prime example of this - however you could add Stanton Ainscough etc

If these players are never going to play for the first team; then it begs the question - why keep them? Are we training them up for Wakefield and Widnes?

Good point :doz:

[cpwigan]

I will be interested to see who plays 7 v Whitehaven. It should be Sam Tomkins but it may not be. I would not put it past Nobby to go for Trent at 7 and Lockers at 6 or Coyle and Trent.

Tommy will play 7.

Tommy Mike? Lu Lu? Will he be back for Monday?