To be fair, that wouldn't prevent him staying in contact with players he'd want to take with him. But it would prevent him continuing to successfully coach Wigan for the remainder of 2011, which could be seen as shooting our own foot off.

Probably the richest and most on the up team in the NRL could you really blame him if he'd gone? Bloody glad he didn't mind!

Wasn't sale the main threat of taking Richards?

Great news for Wigan if he's signed a new two year deal as he's very important for you guys.

He's a very good player.

Sale were reported as interested, and the chance to play RU for Ireland might interest Richards. Then again the IRU look to their provincial teams to provide international players. Maybe a move to Munster, Leinster might tempt him?

I agree with what you say, Madge going now wouldnt stop him speaking to those players, and if the Richards story is true, it will perhaps show that we arent as vunerable as we think.

But it does leave an element of a sour taste in the mouth that it appears he is working on Souths for 2012 currently as well doesnt it?

If he is only trying to approach off contract players then thats fine with me.

It would tarnish his image a little bit in my eyes - because yes, he would be lobbying on behalf of Souths while still employed by Wigan, but as you say, off-contract players are basically available. It if were a player with years still to run on his contract, that would be a different matter. I strongly hope that Maguire would not do something like that.

If we found out he was lobbying from the inside to even sign players off contract then i would send him packing now. He is a Wigan employee until the end of the season and he has to do whats best for Wigan until then or its a conflict of interest.

Please be true! What a timely boost for us this would be. PAT RICHARDS = WIGAN LEGEND!

Well it should not be because if he succeeds in persuading any off contract player [uwe want to retain[/u to follow him it will be as a direct consequence of Madge not honouring his contract and leaving early. If he was honouring his deal he would not be at Souths in 2012 to follow would he, so any player off contract at the end of this season would not have that option.

We will have to see how strong the lure of playing under Madge is to off contract players who may well have simply re-signed for Wigan without a second thought if Madge were still Wigan coach. In my opinion him going early will make it that bit more difficult to retain players we want to retain.

I expect Hoffman to exercise his option to leave and to follow Madge but were Madge honouring his deal with Wigan I think we would have had a strong chance of retaining his services for the second year of his option.

Quite right

Its nice that Pat has turned them down but i wont be able to relax until its announced he re-signs for us. He could still of turned them down to go elsewhere and they could also come back with a better offer. I hope to god we get him resigned sonner rather than later, last thing we need is another saga after weve just started to settle down and rise towards the top.

Sam Tomkins?

Its obvious that Maguire will approach the players he wants to take with him. How can you stop him?

How are the salary cap doomsayers going to explain Wigan getting Richards to stay in direct competition from both the NRL and RU?

Good work by Wigan (if it turns out to be true).

An inability to stop him wouldn't prevent you being very disappointed with him, which is the general jist of this thread.

To be honest I would sue him and see if there are any rules in RL regarding "tapping up" like those problems they had in football. If I had a business and the manager was leaving at the end of the year and he started to try and take my staff with him I'd be seeking damages.

Come on IFL - announce Pats signed a new 2 year deal.

He is currently shopping in the Grand Arcade as ive just seen him walk past and thought 'whos this big bloke' - turned out it was Pat - Hopefully the Grand Arcade is one of the pulling factors of Wigan

If the news is true its great for Wigan that Pat has decided to stay with the club. Not many foreign players are loyal for long in this country if playing well and I cannot honestly blame them for wanting to ply their trade back home in the best league competition.

It's even more humbling when you consider Pat has won the Super League with Wigan and taken the MOS - he could win the Challenge Cup this year and have done (nearly) everything in this country so could bow out for a new challenge on a high but (if) he has re-signed then he most truly love it here (Adopted Wiganer)

Such good news if that's true. Let's hope they announce it soon!

Hope to god it's true. He's shown since he came back just how important he is to us and as I thought, due to his style of play there's been no I'll effects from his injury.

If he does sign then the guy will go up even further in ours estimations.

I seem to recall starting a thread a while back saying we were missing Pat a lot (smug mode

).

Can the legend that is Paaaaaaaat go up much further in people's estimations?



Please sign, Paaaaaaaaaaat!

Absolutely correct.

I wont get too worked up over an article that's just hearsay, but it would leave one hell of a sour taste in the mouth if Madge had lured away Pat Richards and Brett Finch (or anyone else for that matter) whilst still head coach of Wigan. In fact if I was Ian Lenagan, I would deem that a sackable offense and send him packing right away and give Wane the job for the remainder of the season. Absolutely no room for sentiment in sport. Wigan always comes first.

could prove to be our biggest signing next year. A points machine and mr consistent. A new coach plus in a worst case scenario losing, Finch, Deacon, Hoffman, Carmont, tommy, and then Pat could prove to be too much. Yes we have good youngsters but that is a load of experience leaving and we have shown with inconsistent performances this year that we can't rely on the youth of wigan to keep us winning trophies. The balance needs to be there to bring these youngsters through at the right pace without throwing them all in at once and expecting them to deliver titles. Pat would be a big boost with hopefully of couple of older heads coming in to keep developing the reservoir of talent with have pushing for the first team

Would seriously love it if Pat chose to stay. He is a points machine, he makes hard yards and he is a quality defender.

Agreed. His resigning would soften the obvious blow of losing Deacon, Coley and Carmont. Plus the more than likely departure of Hoffman.