A Wigan lad willing to help out in difficult Times.
I believe he doesn’t want to run a sports club.

I could be more cynical and think the longer we drift the cost of buying out the remaining 75% becomes increasingly less.

I haven’t got a clue what the correct answer is but in a perverse way the latter does have some semblance of a business plan if I were Danson albeit not very moral.

I'm going to draw a line under the first part of the response, I'm not talking about the use of the word elitism, Condescending, contemptuous, I was more concerned about the next words that to be honest I done want to repeat (not for fear of saying it, I've said worse in private etc, but I just don't think making last nights forum an analogy to a sex ring and the connotations behind it is a great thing to do).

However

The last 3 paragraphs pretty much nail my feelings.
They didn't whitewash everything and say they got everything right, a number of times they held their hands up, but they gave some explanation behind their thinking and decision making.
They didn't agree with everyone on the floor, but they explained their decisions and why they feel they're right on those subjects.
As I've said, I know people who are and were involved and know about numerous situations, whilst not telling us everything (how can you in a 2hr meeting were dozens and dozens of topics are discussed before you even get i to whether they should tell us) i can say that nothing they said contradicted what I've previously been told so IMO they didn't lie about thise things.

I'm only interested in moving forward

Finances - took a massive hit, worked hard to get through it and have plans in place to improve and get back on track to 2020 forecasts pre pandemic, and have a mitigating plans for various circumstances

Stadium - didn't work out the way they wanted, but are dealing with new owners to put ourselves on a mutually agreeable path.

Squad - and I keep repeating this, they asked did anyone think the way they promote youth etc is wrong, no one complained or said they didn't think it was the right way to go, they explained the situations with a number of players, its up to each individual to believe or not believe them.. certainly on the GW one I believe them, as I've been told previously how much wigan offered and what he went to Wire for. But ultimately the question was asked do we think the identification, nurturing and payment structure that allows us to bring youth, retain youth and guide them into the 1st team environment is the right one.

Coach - they explained their thought processes, they explained the options they could potentially take moving forward, they explained their rationale behind how these things are done and to me I heard nothing controversial in what they said, people may not agree, but its hardly controversial.

Ultimately my feeling was that were 10/20% off were we would like to be in a lot of areas, but with a backdrop of covid and the issues that has brought then a lot of this is understandable.

They gave confidence that coming out the other side they are in the right position to move forward, and whilst not saying there aren't questions and issues surrounding certain subjects it certainly would be fair that they had an optimistic but cautious view.

Yep, that’s fair enough. Post amended. Said in anger and frustration but in hindsight it was unacceptable.

Which bit?

Can't believe nobody piped up when asked if anybody had an issue with the policy of promoting youth. There's a difference between promoting it and the complete over reliance we've got on it now, especially in the pack. Half that pack is not Super League standard and I doubt ever will be. Paul Sculthorpe hit the nail on the head last week when he said too many in our pack don't look Super League ready. The reason the gap between Saints and us is getting wider is because they know how to bring their youth through. Gradually and with the support of seasoned pros all around them. There's method in the Saints approach. And fair play to them, they're reaping the rewards.

And why no goal kicker since Pat Richards left? Presumably another department Radlinski knows nowt about, along with forwards.

Our young forwards don’t have the luxury of playing with seasoned and other good forwards (with the obvious exceptions of Farrell and Bateman). Havard would be, and still is IMO, on course to be a top, top front rower if he had the likes of Walmsley, Knowles, Prior, Millington tutoring him and I doubt Byrne/Partington would even get a look in.

Smithies works hard, he’s a real grafter and you do need players like him in your team but a question mark remains over him for me over his effectiveness. He reminds me of Harrison Hansen; willing to do the tough stuff and dependable but just not there.

Shorrocks I like, he has something about him but I’ve said it before in that I just don’t know whether he has what it takes to be at a top level SL club.

KPP is a star in the making IMO an absolute must keep at all costs. I would possibly put Halsall in that bracket too.

Smith I’d like to see under a new (and competent) coach before calling for him to go. There is clear talent there but as I’ve repeatedly said he looks lost and completely devoid of any confidence which is clearly affecting his game. It’s like sending a lamb to the slaughter having him kick, why not Zak? That’s not going to help him.

The issue we have is as you’ve pointed out, our over reliance on the youngsters which has been down to poor senior player form, or injuries. Clubb and Clarke aren’t great role models for our young props, Bullock is a total waste of time and Singleton though I like him and out of our senior props I’d rate him the highest, blows hot and cold. He was outstanding v Cas but has been virtually anonymous in other games. If French/Field had been fit I doubt we’d have seen Smith half as much and now Field is fit again but clearly struggling for form.

The Saints approach is without doubt the best way to do it, but let’s be fair; they’ve not had anywhere near the injuries or loss of form of senior players we have. That’s a huge reason for this IMO.

Who was the last 'top quality' player the Wigan academy brought through? Gildart maybe (1st team debut in 2015)?

Its not meant as a criticism as such but whilst the academy has always been effective at developing a good quantity of SL / Championship standard players, perhaps not as effective in recent years at developing top quality.

I seem to remember that from from around 2009 to around 2018 nobody complained about our youth policy and how it was brought through, whilst at the same time saints weren't getting the best out of their youngster until around 2017?

I wonder what changed at wigan 2018 and at saints 2017 that changed that?

Oh, and once again and i will elaborate on later, they didn't say roads and IL choose the players etc. They said ultimately they are the ones that sign off on it, they said they had staff that Identifies and researches, they have different people who have input into it including the head and assistant coaches and but ultimately they sign off on the deal.
Pretty much how most sporting organizations work these days.

I haven’t got a clue to be honest with you Grimmy. I’d be surprised with a dad of the intellect of IL if they haven’t got good business skills but couldn’t comment if they the core skills to run a multi million pound sports club.

From what I’ve heard one of his son’s (apologies I don’t know which one) goes on Twitter occasionally to give updates and opinions on the club. Apparently he comes across very well and does appear to be pretty knowledgable about the club.

I suppose another issue could be geography in that they may not want to work in Wigan but live in Oxfordshire

The youth policy has been fantastic and it gives you huge pride to see successful Wigan teams with a healthy percentage of local juniors in it but I can’t help think we really pushed our luck too far in the last couple of off seasons. The set up of the academy system and cutting of the reserves means the jump to first team rugby from the level below is absolutely massive.

We coped for many years losing 6-10 first teams players (a mix of first choice and fringe players) and only bringing in 2 or 3 players and filling gaps with juniors but that happened too many years on the trot and it’s left us with a squad lacking in experience. The pack is just all wrong in balance terms and it’s really hurt us. One thing we absolutely cannot afford for 2022 is to lose more players again than we bring in. If we lose 6, we need 6 replacements IMO and ideally 6 experienced replacements. The four signings confirmed are all a decent age but the overseas lads again aren’t the most experienced but it’s better than it’s been. If we lose Hardaker he must be replaced in addition to signing a halfback and us not just accept a swap with somebody like Miller and then the halfback cap space (plus 75k) reported from last night isn’t being used. It doesn’t sound like they pleaded absolute poverty last night or levelled that we can’t spend up to the cap, so we can only presume they can. Tough to say without seeing much this season but it doesn’t feel like anymore juniors are ready to step up (Matty Nicholson maybe).