From everything we've been told, Waney steps up when Madge leaves.

Wasn't this the reason Wane gave up his job to become full time as MM's assistant? TBH I was always comfortable with the planned progression but now it looks like a very real possibility I'm not so sure.

Noble offer of a contract for 2010 - no comment

hock returning to Wigan - no comment (well not until recently )

gleeson leaving - no comment

makes me believe he is on his way at the end of the season and the delay in announcing it is down to IL scouting either a replacement or a decent assistant for Wane. Even maybe a big name signing to sweeten the pill

I don't have aproblem with someone using a get out clause if they or their family can't settle. But to activate one to take a job with another club smacks of using Wigan as a stepping stone which I don't like

if we were talking the Brisbane Broncos IMO biggest club in Oz or Maguires home town club , ala Stuart Raper, I may not mind as much

Wane has everthing you would want as a coach tons of passion and love for the club , a desire to win and for Wigan to be the best and he also looks at Wigan like us fans do which for me is what i want put that together with two years of technical coaching training with Madge and Wane is going to make 1 very good coach.

i wouldnt of liked to of been the players on Friday night after playing that bad going in it at half time and facing Wane if he was coach

Did you genuinely think Maguire was coaching in SL as anything other than a stepping stone? If you did, you were hugely naive.

I would venture that every coach that comes from the NRL would want to go back there if they were offered a job. They're here because they weren't offered a job or they were sacked.

No talk of Hanley?

absolutley agree, as I've said a thousand times before he was only ever seen as an assitant and now he has proven himself he will go bak to the bigger stage. As disappointing as that is it's totally understandable.

Correct. This was going to happen next season anyway. I hadn't given it much thought until now but I am worried about the rest of the season now. I don't wish to denegrate the man but will Madge be able to give it his all? If it's all confirmed then IMO Madge will have 2 jobs at once - coaching Wigan and sorting player retention/recruitment for Souths.

rlhttp://www.wigantoday.net/sport/wigan-warriors/maguire_set_for_aus_return_1_3283247rl

I think everyone is aware of this.

The way I see it, the annoyance (which is very OTT in some cases) seems to be stemming from two main sources:

a) The sudden and unexpected nature of this apparent development

and/or

b) The fact that Madge appears to be trying to duck out of his contract early

Now, if in fact it's true that Madge only ever had a two-year contract with Wigan, which is what many sources are now saying, or if he had a get-out clause in the event of very strong interest from the NRL, then neither of the above apply. He isn't trying to get out of his contract early, and this development should not have been unexpected - if his contract ends at the end of this year, then it's only natural he'd start looking for another job with which to follow it (and everyone knows, or should, that the NRL is his ultimate target).

As to whether he can continue to do the job for the rest of this season, when it's known that he'll be leaving at the end, is a moot-point. Personally, I'd give him the chance. It's not like he hasn't earned it.

Quite right and while the stock answer to this is he was always using Wigan as a stepping stone it was supposed to be a three season stepping stone not one where he looks for another job after less than 16 months. All this its OK and he isn't doing anything wrong because he may technically be able to get out of his commitment is just bonkers. He has screwed things up for the club by doing so, so he is in the wrong.

Hold on Dave he hasn't screwed anything up yet! I've voiced my concerns too but let's wait and see how we go from here shall we?

If he does indeed leave then it's with my best wishes. He's come in and done and great job, and hopefully has set us on the road to even more success in the future. However what I don't want is the uncertainty of what's happening having a negative impact on the players, and ruining any chances of silverware this year. I'd like to see an announcement made declaring either Madge will be here in 2012 or he won't be. It end's all the speculation and allows the players and fans to get on with this season ahead.

As for all this other stuff about him honoring his contract. Madge has always seemed an honest bloke to me, and I'd find it hard to believe that he'd do anything out of order. And the truth of the matter is we don't really no the intricacies of his contract, and I sure as hell ain't gonna start berating the man over something he or may not have done.

If he has a two year contract with the option of a further year (or a three year contract with the option of a move if an NRL club comes in) then IL has known the position all along and MM has far from "screwed things up for the club" - he's done precisely what his contract says whilst winning you (at least) one SL title in the process.

Not only that, he appears to be giving IL oodles of time to find a replacement by sorting something out early.

Hasn't screwed anything up yet ? have you seen our last 4 results? Its not just a coincidence !!