Can we all at least now agree that IL was right to not renew Brian Noble's contract and that we have indeed progressed compared to last season with our new coach Michael Maguire?

BRING ON OT!

Oh come on it was obvious 6 months ago it was the right decision

YES

Indeed it was (to most of us). However there were a few posters on here who stated that only a place in a final would justify the change in head coach, just looking for confirmation.........

Hmmm................. ................Ummmm................... ...............Let me see............
Can i get back to you on that???

I am made up with the way this season has gone and think the appointment of Madge and not forgetting his sidekick Shaun Wane is a master stroke . you can't start slagging Nobby off though lets face it he didn't do a bad job really did he ? saved from a possible relegation and then play off semis is not bad going and what you have got to remember the side now is more or lees the side that Nobby left behind + deacon . yes madge and Wane may have given them that extra cutting edge they need but the Team are another year older and mature too .lets hope Wigan can go that step further at OT next week . COME ON WIGAN

we're going to.....

To be fair, there weren't too many on here who totally lambasted Noble. I had major problems with him in the end, but I think most of us reckoned that he'd started very well and had done a fairly good job most of the way, but that we needed to go up to the next level, which was something he didn't seem able to deliver.

In contrast, there were one or two who seemed determined to be unimpressed by Michael Maguire from the moment he arrived. This seemed to owe more to an irrational dislike of IL than anything based on factual analysis of Maguire's credentials.

I understand that outspoken characters like IL can polarise views, but I suspect one or two formerly regular posters on this forum are feeling a bit stupid at this moment.

Eddie and Stevo have presumably forgotten the poop they tried to stir at the end of last season, when Nobby's contract was not renewed.

Anyone who didnt agree that it was the right decision before last nights match is a complete tool.

Yes. He saved us from relegation with the addition of Fielden an Dobson but it was downhill from then on. 2007 was a poor season considering when we finished 2006 with people praying we didn't make the play offs we were playing so well. He got the benefit of the doubt from virtually everyone in 2007 but when the same mistakes were made in 2008 and then 2009 he was exposed as not that good IMO.



If IL had provided Madge and Wane with a brand new team of superstars there could be the argument that is why we are at Old Trafford. The fact we are there with virtually the same side and having won the league in the process just underlines how Noble failed to get the best out of what he had available. The fact some are a year older is not the reason and indeed débuts have been given this season to young as the injuries kicked in. For all the time Noble was here we were forever being told "its not his team" as many players were contracted before he arrived. Well it wasn't Madges team either as all bar Deacon were already here. This season is the prime example of a coach getting the best out of what he has been given instead of having excuses made for him such as <insert name of player here> wasn't his type of player.



Yes lets hope we can do win one more game to crown a great season. One that has been more enjoyable than all the previous three put together.

Dave

Cracking post. Couldn't have put it better myself!!!

I liked losing in the semi's, tonight seems a little weird. Like some great dream, just to be awoken up next to the wife.

In all honesty, I feel MM has done a great job. BN built the foundations but it was plain to see that we need a little bit extra to take us to that next level. Perhaps a little bit of ruthlessness that SW & MM bring, or perhaps just some new ideas. We haven't won anything yet & some would say we are behond the scheduale. But we are off 2 Old Trafford.

Happy days.