The gap between expectation and achievement

[Exiled Wiganer]

we measure disappointment as the gap between expectation and achievement. One way to reduce disappointment would be to reduce expectation...

I was talking with a number of family members over the week end and we were unanimously gloomy about the state of things at the club - we could even see relegation looming...

I was thinking back to when I started watching them, which was at the end of our season in Div (glorious George). I can't claim any kudos for that - I inherited my grandad's season ticket. In that season and the years that immediately followed, we won less often than we lost, but it didn't feel the same somehow.

I remember one 5 match run of defeats where we consoled ourselves with the signs of improvement among some of the young players in the team (Martin Foy a particular favourite, as was Nicky Kiss).

As a way of getting more enjoyment (or less pain) out of the season I am going to try and pitch the limit of my ambition at the level of avoiding relegation, rather than reaching the play-offs or (as if) winning anything. Instead of despairing about useless players (would any other club in SLgive DV a job?), I intend to spot as much improvement in others, particularly the young lads (could Gleeson and Goulding do any worse than we currently see in the centres?).

I have no idea whether this will work, but I intend to give it a go.

[DaveO]

Doug Stand posted:
....thus the expectations of a Wigan fan is completley unreasonable.
It bordering on bizzare at time only comparable to a small child's tantrum.
Wigan have the right to expect the bext, but must undertdand that this will not happen after 5 matches.

The snag is it isn't just five matches. We have been promised the new dawn for at least four years now. Millward has been in charge for longer than five matches and the team is getting worse, not better.

It is also a pretty poor show that the team has actually declined by so much at all. There is a difference between going from not winning every trophy to being one of several teams competing for trophies, to going from winning every trophy to contemplating relegation.

There are teams such as Leeds and Saints who were competing with us when we dominated who despite lack of success were never in danger of not putting out a competitive team and most importantly still aren't. They have not declined. Why have we?

We have gone from the top to close to rock bottom and I for one don't think that is an inevitable thing in sport. It hasn't happened to those two teams so the fact it has happened to us is doubly annoying when you consider the height we have fallen from.

The fact we have been rubbish before is no excuse for being rubbish again.

EW is right when they say we measure disappointment as the gap between expectation and achievement.

I don't think it is right to suggest the expectations are so high that we are disappointed because we are not dominating the 2006 season.

In my opinion the the gap between expectation and achievement that is causing disappointment is that given the player recruitment and the coach we have got, we expected to be competitive and we are worse than last season.

That is where the gloom comes from. No one expected given a virtually fully fit squad to have lost four out of five games and what is more, the manner of these losses has been quite a shock. There have been lots of excuses but other teams have lots of new players so the fact our lot are under-performing makes that expectation v achievement gap huge even though the expection level wasn't as high as you seem to think.

Dave

[GeoffN]

DaveO posted:

The snag is it isn't just five matches. We have been promised the new dawn for at least four years now. Millward has been in charge for longer than five matches and the team is getting worse, not better.

Dave

Yes, Dave, but the common factor over those four years hasn't been Millward, or Betts, or Gregory, or Raper.

[DaveO]

GeoffN posted:

DaveO posted:

The snag is it isn't just five matches. We have been promised the new dawn for at least four years now. Millward has been in charge for longer than five matches and the team is getting worse, not better.

Dave

Yes, Dave, but the common factor over those four years hasn't been Millward, or Betts, or Gregory, or Raper.

There are two levels of expectation. Where we ought to be given what was said by ML four years ago and where we ought to be relative to last season.

Millward is ultimately responsible for how the expectations of improvement from last season have not been met.

Millward should be getting more out of the team than he is. I don't think there is a Wigan fan alive who expected the start we have had.

Ultimate expectations may have differed for this season ranging from winning the challenge cup to a top six place or whatever. Even so I think there is definitely a gap between what even the most pessimistic fan expected and what we are achieving and that is down to the current staff at the club.

I don't think they have any excuse for the team to be where it is at the moment.

Dave

[DaveO]

Doug Stand posted:

We brought in a proven coach last season and because he brought in a few players people were excited about the expectaion bar automatically shot up.

The clock got set back to zero about half way through last season so has been ticking for longer than five matches. I think the fact the team played well (or better) toward the end of last season with Millward in charge raised expectations that we would go better this. Far from an unreasonable expectation.

Add to that the better pack and other recruits, add to that he had the majority of the team togehter since October and add to that we are not chock full of injured players, why would expectations not be higher then last season?

I just can't see why we should not have had higher expectaions this season if only by a small amount than last season.

Now I believe Millward will get it right, but with this current bunch of players he will find it tough this year.

But why is that when they are supposed to be better than what we had last year?

You mentioned Leeds. OK, they have been consistent in their time, but consistantley average for long periods, wheras Wigan enjoy highs and suffers the lows...
Couple of seasons back. Wigan played Leeds at the JJB in the play-offs and put 40+ points on them and this was a Wigan team that was already in decline and they were starting to come good.
Still took them another two seasons to win the GF.

The whole structure of the competition means that to win the GF you need a lot of luck. No team can dominate due to the nature of the competition so the fact Leeds took two more years to win the thing is par for the course in my opinion.

You can have the best squad in the league and still fail if you pick injuries up at the wrong time. Ask Saints.

The point is the highs will come far less often than in the past and if you have a well run side the expectaion ought to be being competative and in a position to enter the play off end of season lottery.

Like I said before just because we were good once does not mean it is an excuse to be rubbish now. The fact we are represents a failure and just because Leeds didn't dominate is not proof otherwise.

Dave

[Nine]

God Almighty! Can I slit my wrists now, or do you think work might complain about the mess and I'd better leave it until I get home?

It's all very well being disappointed by the unexpectedly bad start to the season - who isn't? - but you lot make King Lear look like the Laughing Policeman. Try looking a few words like "perspective" and "optimism" up in the dictionary. In fact, go mad and try them on for mental size.

Until we get to season's end we won't know for sure (and opinions are like bum-holes - we all have one) but for what it's worth mine is that you lot will end up looking like the Private Frasers of the RL messge-board world by then. Excuse me if I don't join in all the doom-mongering just yet.

And yes - I do have a few year's experience to draw on. I first saw my cherry-and-white lads play in the 50s.

[Exiled Wiganer]

You are quite right to be disappointed, and I agree with the thrust of your argument that we are justified in hoping for a better (not worse) performance, given all the factors that you list.

My point was just that, when faced with a year of constant disappointment, which would get a bit wearing after a while (and I know it follows years of disappointment), I intend to set my sights lower, in the hope that it will decrease my grumpiness. It may not work, and it involves an element of self-delusion, but I would be a happier man if I could go back to finding more consolation in Ashton's extraordinary potential at full back than misery at anotehr headless chicken half back performance from Moran.

That does not mean I want us to stay this way, or do not hope for us to be better, but I will give it a go for now.

In a way, Millward could say to us in a few weeks (after perhaps 4 losses in the next 5 games)- let's write off 06, and spend the rest of the time developing a style of play and exposing youngsters sufficiently to the first team that next year is better...

[Dawber]

Nine posted:
God Almighty! Can I slit my wrists now, or do you think work might complain about the mess and I'd better leave it until I get home?

It's all very well being disappointed by the unexpectedly bad start to the season - who isn't? - but you lot make King Lear look like the Laughing Policeman. Try looking a few words like "perspective" and "optimism" up in the dictionary. In fact, go mad and try them on for mental size.

Until we get to season's end we won't know for sure (and opinions are like bum-holes - we all have one) but for what it's worth mine is that you lot will end up looking like the Private Frasers of the RL messge-board world by then. Excuse me if I don't join in all the doom-mongering just yet.

And yes - I do have a few year's experience to draw on. I first saw my cherry-and-white lads play in the 50s.

Thank god for your post Nine, I was just about to slit my wrists also, You have cheered me up somewhat, We are only a few games into the season and everyone are saying we will be playing against Leigh next year?, I for one think we will be fine with a few more games under our belts, And as for the ones calling for Millwards head Give the guy a chance i for one knew it would take time, So please everyone just chill out a little, So many players coming together in so short a time need to gel and i believe they will.

[DaveO]

Nine posted:
Until we get to season's end we won't know for sure (and opinions are like bum-holes - we all have one) but for what it's worth mine is that you lot will end up looking like the Private Frasers of the RL messge-board world by then.

What, in your opinion, will Wigan have to do for that to happen? What are your expectations for the remainder of this season?

And yes - I do have a few year's experience to draw on. I first saw my cherry-and-white lads play in the 50s.

I am not quite sure what difference how long you have been watching Wigan makes. I have follwed the team for about 30 years but it doesn't change my opinion on what has happened so far this season. Just because I have seen poor Wigan sides before is not making this sitation any more palatable.

Dave

[Fraggle]

Dawber posted:
We are only a few games into the season and everyone are saying we will be playing against Leigh next year?

Well, Leigh might get promoted in our place, in which case we'll only be playing Leigh if we get them in the Cup...