IT IS VERY CLEAR

[fozzieskem]

Bibby
Miski
Singleton
Powell
Isa
Partington

All need replacing

You can add Thornley to that list as well and given age is an issue what’s the plan to replace Faz?

We didn’t plan for the retirement of Lockers what makes you think there will be any forward thinking or planning for Faz or Tommy retiring?

Hard to disagree with that assessment Josie

[widdenoldboy]

IIRC, Tommy was given special dispensation for length of service so doesn't take a non-fed space.

[widdenoldboy]

I assume with the new deal for Field French will move on at seasons end because it’s madness to have 2 players,while really exciting to watch but are oh so similar and fullbacks to boot other positions need looking at rather than having 2 identikit players in the squad?

Nah, Field is essential to the team, French is a luxury.

[morley pie eater]

"Here we go, here we go, here we go . . ."

"Woe is me."

"We're doomed."

The armchair coaches and directors demonstrate their unsuitability for a similar real-life role by advocating wholesale change whilst talking about the need for long-term plans!!!!!

We're 8 matches into a season, with a new coaching team and significant changes to the squad. No doubt more change will be needed for next season. Any reasonable plan/expectation/forecast would not have us beating Saints after 7 league games!

There has been discussion of the 80s/90s Wigan teams compared with the current Saints and the Leeds "golden generation". Which of them began after a bad season and beat the top teams straight away? Which of them panicked 8 games into a season after their 2nd loss? Which of their coaches took on board advice from armchair know-it-alls?

[Exiled Wiganer]

So, it’s our fault now? You’re right of course - the team would have got much fitter if we hadn’t interrupted them with emails on a fan website. I did not expect them to win, far from it, but the defeat was so comprehensive that it showed the distance we have to travel. As it happens, my sense is that Peet realises that, and will work hard and intelligently to bridge the gap. One thing that won’t get us anywhere is the idea that we were in some way unlucky - we got what that group was capable of, with that level of talent and conditioning.

The best thing the club can do is wake up and look at the scale of the problem honestly and candidly. Fans of course can clutch at straws and come up with scenarios in which we beat them next time out.; That’s our prerogative, and our right.

[josie andrews]

You can add Thornley to that list as well and given age is an issue what’s the plan to replace Faz?

We didn’t plan for the retirement of Lockers what makes you think there will be any forward thinking or planning for Faz or Tommy retiring?

Let's be honest it was impossible to plan for lockers retirement I don't know of another loose forward in SL that's anything like him.

There isn’t! Think he was the last of the great ball carrying loose forwards. Sad!

[josie andrews]

I agree that we can get more out of what we have, but we need to face up to the reality that we have been second best over decades. Yesterday’s game was the inevitable end result of Saints being better than us off the field in every way for a long time.

This is not a one off bounce of the ball/players having an off day - this was our 13th defeat in 15 games, and we didn’t even give them a hard game. We need to face reality as a club - whatever systems we have in place are inadequate when it comes to matching our main rivals. Unless we accept that as our starting point the next 25 years will be as bad as the last 25 years. And frankly I want to see us being top dogs on a regular basis again before I pass away.

Me too!

I think this is a very good point. Over the last 20 years or so we have had success by "upping" our game against Saints.

It's about time we went into these games requiring them to do the same.

We have one of, if not the best youth systems in the country in Wigan, yet we still allow quality players to slip through the net and join other clubs on a regular basis e.g. Welsby and Makinson from yesterday alone.

We should be bossing the league on a regular basis. What on earth is going wrong?

Neither Welsby or Makinson came through our academy. Welsby went straight to Saints from Shevington Sharks & Makinson was signed straight to Saints from St Jude’s.

[Barney841]

We have got a habit of holding on to average players and academy players for abit too long.
Out of the academy lads I would only keep hold of shorrocks, havard, halsall and O’Neil. I don’t think partington and Byrne are good enough, I’m still not convinced of smithies either.
Average players like singleton, Isa, bibby and powell are very replaceable

[Charriots Offiah]

We didn’t plan for the retirement of Lockers what makes you think there will be any forward thinking or planning for Faz or Tommy retiring?

Let's be honest it was impossible to plan for lockers retirement I don't know of another loose forward in SL that's anything like him.

There isn’t! Think he was the last of the great ball carrying loose forwards. Sad!

Westerman would have done a number for us.

[Charriots Offiah]

I agree that we can get more out of what we have, but we need to face up to the reality that we have been second best over decades. Yesterday’s game was the inevitable end result of Saints being better than us off the field in every way for a long time.

This is not a one off bounce of the ball/players having an off day - this was our 13th defeat in 15 games, and we didn’t even give them a hard game. We need to face reality as a club - whatever systems we have in place are inadequate when it comes to matching our main rivals. Unless we accept that as our starting point the next 25 years will be as bad as the last 25 years. And frankly I want to see us being top dogs on a regular basis again before I pass away.

Me too!

I think this is a very good point. Over the last 20 years or so we have had success by "upping" our game against Saints.

It's about time we went into these games requiring them to do the same.

We have one of, if not the best youth systems in the country in Wigan, yet we still allow quality players to slip through the net and join other clubs on a regular basis e.g. Welsby and Makinson from yesterday alone.

We should be bossing the league on a regular basis. What on earth is going wrong?

Neither Welsby or Makinson came through our academy. Welsby went straight to Saints from Shevington Sharks & Makinson was signed straight to Saints from St Jude’s.

Weld your would not have signed for Wigan if he had been offered a million pounds, he only had eyes for Saints.