Quote: Cruncher "I think it's just that the 2010/2011 close season is being seen as a watershed. A number of contracts will be ending, which are unlikely to be renewed given the ages of the players involved. IL and MM may have a whole batch of new players they want to and actually can (for a change) sign. There is also the quota issue - this won't go away, and, like it nor not, it's bound to affect the thinking where Cameron Phelps is concerned.
Ironically, one thing that may assist him rather than hinder him is the presence of Josh Vievers. This is the young full back everyone's talking about. But he's still young. It may be that if, in 2011, Wigan have high hopes for him but decide that he's not quite ready, they could opt to keep Phelps on again for another year, rather than go out and buy a big name.
I think Dave is absolutely right about the work ethic. Phelps has worked hard for us, but in a team where (up until this season, hopefully) we've had to suffer several first teamers who did minimum work, we almost became thankful for that rather than regarded it as the least a professional player should offer.
When you consider what a full back should actually do at the highest level - and good grief, we at Wigan ought to know that better than anyone with the quality full backs we've had over the years - you've got to ask yourself "is Phelps the man?" IL strikes me as having a genuine plan to return Wigan to the top. It's been longer drawn out than many fans would like, but maybe we're now starting to see the fruits. I'm sure a time will come soon when players who are 'okay' or 'willing lads' or who 'always try hard' will be overlooked for players who are the real deal.
Can Phelpsy be the real deal? Time will tell, but as I said before, I think he's really got to improve. He's got to make himself the automatic go-to man for the number 1 shirt, and not just because there's nobody else.'"
I still stand by what I said in that I don't understand why his short term place in the side(i.e at least the first 5 or 6 games this season) is being questioned. He's our best option and has earned his place there in that short term with his preformences last year.
Longer term i'm as unsure of his place at Wigan as the next man.