Best of luck to him. I like the fella.

What a 5hitehouse that leneghan must be,telling nobby the week before the semi that it was time for a change?
what motivation that is,i hope that it comes back to haunt him

it was time for a change. wigan blew it tonight.most of the game it was boring one man rugby. when they eventually tried to create something they got success. he has taken them as far as he can

Any coach who doesn't have a contract extension half way through the season knows he's likely to be going. It should have been no suprise to Noble, or anyone. Whilst I think it's a mistake by Wigan, I can see why they have done it.

I have a lot of respect for what he's done at club level, and he comes across as a really good bloke. I was never a fan of his time as GB coach, he never really managed to create a team for me, but given our international record it'shard to really criticise an individual for that.
I am sure he will do well wherever he goes. I think it's a big loss for Wigan. We will have to see how they go next year.

Probably. But he's taken them to third (incl playoffs) and I'm not sure they have the third best set of players in the league. So on that basis, he has the players playing above themselves.

He'll be a reasonably hard act to follow. Wigan have improved greatly from when he took over without quite making the breakthrough.

He's appeared very professional these last couple of months (in front of the cameras at least) considering the rumours circulating and constant questioning by pundits/commentators.

He did say that he has known for a week but not let it out.



Barry

He should of joined the pie forum they've known for at least 3 months!

I think the wind made it difficult to play an expansive game. Saints kept it tight, I didn't think the two teams tactics were much different. Saints just defended a bit better, and had the edge in experience winning big games. One break goes Wigan's way and they win that match.
Ovreall though I didn't think it was a great game and somehow not as physical as last nights game (although that was a doozy).

Do you mean he isn't signing the players Richie? I thought that all ended at Wigan when Maurice Lindsay left.

I think Noble's done OK there, but he hasn't managed to knock declining (IMO) Saints and Leeds teams off their perch for 2 years in a row now. I think with hindsight he may reflect that he wished he'd learnt his lesson about signing over the hill former stars on megabucks at Bradford when he signed Harris, because he repeated the trick at Wigan with Fielden.

fielden was still performing quite well when wigan signed him from the bulls,his demise occurred whilst at wigan imo

It seems he has an input, but not complete control. Which is how things should be. If recruitment were always entirely down to the coach, they'd be planning a year or two at a time only.
Agree on Fielden, who had already dropped from his best to become just another good prop.

He was done. Worn down. Too many miles, too many 11 month seasons. I'd hoped an absence from internationals might get him back to his best, but unfortunately not.