Is Josh Charnley Wane's scapegoat?

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Let me make this clear, I have no problem with Wane being critical of his players and demanding more from them - that is his job - and I am not saying I agree nor disagree with Wane's assessment. But there is a way of going about this in a professional manner and making criticisms of individual players publically is just wrong for me. The reason I make the scapegoat reference is Charnley seems to be getting a bit of a battering at the moment. Wane came out with some comments in June saying he needed to put his head down. Last year he came out with something similar too. Can that be good for his confidence? Wingers play off confidence and we have all seen how quickly the most confident winger in the world one week can look like a shakey rookie the next. Take Amos Roberts after his injury and Joe Burgess earlier in the season when he was trying too hard.

What do other people think here? Is Wane right to criticise players and lay down the challenge to them very publically? Or should it be done behind closed doors?

Charnley's form this year had been woeful. If it was all done behind closed doors people would be questioning Wane's judgement as it would appear he hadn't noticed.

As an outsider, I think three things.

1. Charnley, when he's feeling confident and good about his game is a very good winger. Strong, fast, got a decent step
2. Coaches can think what they like. They need to select a team and should do so themselves, not on social media, in papers etc. Basically he's published an ultimatum, which puts pressure on a player and will affect his performance, when he's clearly already suffering with confidence issues.
3. It's like he wants someone to fail because he doesn't really like them. Hampshire being another victim of this. Goulding another, and I know he's had to retire, but still.

I'm sure you'll all come down on me like a ton of bricks as a blonde female Saints fan (beat that for afflictions), but even though I have never been Charnely's biggest fan it's only because I think he's half decent, and I personally think hes being wasted and ruined at the moment.

For me, he needs to stop pi$$ing about and concentrate on his training/game

He has all the ability in the world but he doesnt appear to apply himself which is a real shame

But this assumes that Charnley himself is innocent in the matter, and has no other disractions in his life, which, from the rumours at least, is not the case.

I also think the statement - either from him or his agent, can't now remember - that he was using the World Club Challenge in 2014 as a means of marketing himself to other clubs did him no good in the eyes of the coaches. It certainly wouldn't have done if I'd been coach, especially as he was only midway through his contract.

Ah, well to be fair, I know no rumours, was just taking the whole thing at face value, fair enough

Wouldn't call it a bashing saying he didn't 'blow him away' tbh. It's the truth and when a guys on the sort of salary Charnley is you expect more then he delivered this season. I think Wane obviously feels he's the type of character who'll respond to a few home truths but we'll see.

One point I will make about Charnley is that he's rarely had a fit and firing centre by his side this year. At the start of the season Gellings form was poor then when he picked up Charnley got injured and then since coming back he's had Joel Tomkins and then John Bateman at the side of him.

He still needs to do more taking the ball from his own line though IMO and start pressurising defenders from kicks like he used to.

He's made it clear that both are fit. So on form Dom deserves the place. By picking Josh, he's giving him a chance he possibly doesn't deserve.

So I don't see that Wane is being unfair to Josh - far from it.

We have barely got a half decent prop at the club and all Wane can moan about is a winger who would walk into almost every team in the league. I haven't seen what Charnley gets up to on social media nor do I know how he goes in training. However, I saw a distinct improvement in him last time out (as I saw with the pack, to be fair) and am getting a little tired of his public humiliation by Wane. If Charnley is the only improver in this team we will win nothing, Wane needs to broaden his focus rather than pinpoint it on the one position where we do not have a problem. Having said all this, we also don't know how the "journalist" framed the question, do we?

Poor management IMO. I think Charnley is low on confidence and needs an arm round him now and reminding that he hasn't become a terrible player overnight, not more pressure piling on him. The notion that people would question Wane for not saying this in the press is nonsense IMO considering he has already dropped him for Manfredi

Maybe Josh doesn't buy into the Wane master plan of doing the props work in his own half. In a few seasons before this he went the length of the field a few times taking the ball up from his own line.

It is obvious something is wrong with his relationship with Wane who seems to take the slightest excuse to give Josh a public telling off, with Hampshire though it is different , Wane treats Hampshire as if he does not exist as if his name shall never be mentioned.

Nothing to do with his , it is down to Sam Tomkins leaving, plain and simple, expect his form to re-appear next season thanks to Magic Sam

Stuff like this is ok IF it's even handed and fair across the board.

Sadly we know this isn't the case and we all know that Wane has his favourites who he would never aim these kind of sly digs at. Where is his criticism of Mossop or Patrick's recent form? He's also been full of praise for Bowen recently (well earned btw) but yet he strangely seems to skirt over the mistakes that he makes from time to time? Smith has been downright dreadful at some points this season but no soundbites in the media from Wane on him?

We've seen this time and time again with Charnley, Rocky and Gelling - who remembers the rocks and diamonds BS that Wane spouted???

I've got a theory that Wane doesn't like players who are a little flashy/cocky/unpredictable.

"flashy, cocky and unpredictable"........ Sams in for a bad time then!

Yes - bang goes another theory!!!