Quote Aboveusonlypie="Aboveusonlypie"And he came back with a hat trick against Widnes IIRC, and scored enough tries to outstrip Burgess who played all season without serious injury. So maybe Wane knew a thing or two. Of course it's not reasonable at the moment to admit that is it? I see a 3 page thread on the Saints forum absolutely ripping into him. He must be the most hated man in RL. I don't think it's too much to expect a bit of loyalty from his own fans. As I said previously, it's not like he hasn't earned it. We've lost two league games and the knives are out for the guy. Such short memories - viewtopic.php?f=28&t=559650'" I think showing loyalty to a coach who has brought some success to your club is right (as fans of the club), it doesn't however insulate them from criticism. You may be right about his man management or he may have lost the plot, I guess only he and the player know the real answer to that. The thread on the Saints forum is because your coach decided to start chest thumping and talking about Saints again in an interview. It's sounds like a desperate attempt to get fans back on side but is a little odd given your playing Leeds, not Saints. Cunningham is every bit as much a Saints man as Wane is a pie but if he had started talking about Wigan in his press conference this week I would be a little concerned.

Quote Aboveusonlypie="Aboveusonlypie"And he came back with a hat trick against Widnes IIRC, and scored enough tries to outstrip Burgess who played all season without serious injury. So maybe Wane knew a thing or two. Of course it's not reasonable at the moment to admit that is it? I see a 3 page thread on the Saints forum absolutely ripping into him. He must be the most hated man in RL. I don't think it's too much to expect a bit of loyalty from his own fans. As I said previously, it's not like he hasn't earned it. We've lost two league games and the knives are out for the guy. Such short memories - viewtopic.php?f=28&t=559650'" I think showing loyalty to a coach who has brought some success to your club is right (as fans of the club), it doesn't however insulate them from criticism. You may be right about his man management or he may have lost the plot, I guess only he and the player know the real answer to that. The thread on the Saints forum is because your coach decided to start chest thumping and talking about Saints again in an interview. It's sounds like a desperate attempt to get fans back on side but is a little odd given your playing Leeds, not Saints. Cunningham is every bit as much a Saints man as Wane is a pie but if he had started talking about Wigan in his press conference this week I would be a little concerned.

Quote Aboveusonlypie="Aboveusonlypie"And he came back with a hat trick against Widnes IIRC, and scored enough tries to outstrip Burgess who played all season without serious injury. So maybe Wane knew a thing or two. Of course it's not reasonable at the moment to admit that is it? I see a 3 page thread on the Saints forum absolutely ripping into him. He must be the most hated man in RL. I don't think it's too much to expect a bit of loyalty from his own fans. As I said previously, it's not like he hasn't earned it. We've lost two league games and the knives are out for the guy. Such short memories - viewtopic.php?f=28&t=559650'" Are you Wane, or some close relation to him because he can do no wrong with you can he. Nobody's asking for him to be hung drawn and quartered, people just don't agree with all his coaching method, or tactics, or that annoying attitude of my way or the highway, this is a forum people will have different opinions. For me I don't personally like him never have, I don't like his Tatics, his game plan, the way he spouts his mouth off without engaging his brain, for me he is not the man to take wigan forward. I hope I'm wrong and he proves me wrong and he and the team deliver some silverware but I just can't see it.

Quote Aboveusonlypie="Aboveusonlypie"And he came back with a hat trick against Widnes IIRC, and scored enough tries to outstrip Burgess who played all season without serious injury. So maybe Wane knew a thing or two. Of course it's not reasonable at the moment to admit that is it? I see a 3 page thread on the Saints forum absolutely ripping into him. He must be the most hated man in RL. I don't think it's too much to expect a bit of loyalty from his own fans. As I said previously, it's not like he hasn't earned it. We've lost two league games and the knives are out for the guy. Such short memories - viewtopic.php?f=28&t=559650'" Are you Wane, or some close relation to him because he can do no wrong with you can he. Nobody's asking for him to be hung drawn and quartered, people just don't agree with all his coaching method, or tactics, or that annoying attitude of my way or the highway, this is a forum people will have different opinions. For me I don't personally like him never have, I don't like his Tatics, his game plan, the way he spouts his mouth off without engaging his brain, for me he is not the man to take wigan forward. I hope I'm wrong and he proves me wrong and he and the team deliver some silverware but I just can't see it.

So the 2013 season was what? According to this we got the bling despite Wane. Or do you contend that was nothing to do with him at all? Last year was a screw-up of monumental proportions (somewhere near the top of Snowdon), but you can't put that on the coach (unless you believe everything broadcast on Sly is gospel & not edited and spun in any way at all - or is Big Brother a documentary now?).

Back on topic: I'm more than a little concerned about these early injuries, with Powell & Sutton now also out, Wakefield being another possible banana, I'm not expecting 6 points in the next 3 weeks at all

Dom Manfredi needs to claim that spot..
This time next year JC will probably be stood on the touchline at Sarries, hands in pockets, shivering.

Im a SW fan and was derided by many when several years ago on Radio Manchester I suggested we axe Noble and replace him with SW. IL went one better and got us MM.
SW has his faults like any other human being you just have to hope when he does make a mistake he will learn from it.
My problem with him at the moment has been his inconsistency on who to play at 6 and not playing Hampshire however, I've got to accept that he knows the players far better than I do and he knows what he is doing. Having said that I will be really peeved off if we end up losing Hampshire due to lack of chances at 6.
Personally I believe we have over achieved in the last few years with the players available and the ongoing churn of players. I can't think of any other coach who could have achieved what SW achieved with his resources.
I think that SW is under intense pressure at the moment and some of his comments and actions reflect that. He needs support from Radlinski, IL, the players and the fans. Don't get me wrong and the end of the day it's results that matter but let's at least cut some slack in the short term.
As for his tatics in his first season the quality of rugby that we played was the best since the great team of 1995.
I know for a fact that when he took on the job he knew that at some point he would probably get fired or moved to one side which is the outcome for the vast majority of coaches because no one can be successful in perpetuity. I personally don't think that time is on the horizon in the near future
Also if he isn't the man who do we replace him with? Be careful what you wish for.

I really hope Wane has been misquoted. Promoting and offering Dom confidence is great, however there is no need to mention Josh in comparison. Very disrespectful and quite frankly not needed. Poor lads facing 6 weeks on the sidelines, if that wasn't enough to make him feel downhearted.

If Wane were to leave, might Sean Edwards be persuaded to return after next week when the Six Nations comes to an end? No idea what his contract situation with Wales is.
I for one would love Edwards to be in charge, despite the fact that he has been out of rugby league for a decade. He is a proven winner, has a fantastic rugby brain and understands what it is to be a Wiganer (and a winner) probably more than anyone else.
And I also think he would sort out our "problems" at half back quickly - he was playing 6 at Wigan and also captain in 1988 when only 21, more or less the same age as Hampshire and Williams!

I remember an interview with Shaun saying he almost quit Union for a return to League after leaving Wasps. Said he considered going to the NRL to 'retrain' in League. Perhaps Shaun doesn't feel ready enough to be a head coach in League just yet. The game has moved on significantly since he was part of our game.

I agree, but surely Edwards would have assistants to guide him and help him, just as Wane has. In all honesty, what does Wane ( a prop forward from the 1980's) understand about half back play in 2015?
Or is this the crux of the problem - he does think he knows what makes a good half back combination and in his eyes Smith and Powell are that - primarily because of the old mantra that they are "solid" in defence).....!

Shaun Edwards contract with Wales is up at the end of the present 6 nations and according to the Union press he is not expected to renew, maybe this is the reason that Wane is getting a bit tetchy this last few weeks.

That's interesting. If Wigan's indifferent form continues and they lose their next few matches, including Saints on Good Friday, the knives may well be out. If that happens, IL should "splash the cash" and get Edwards on board. I believe I am right in thinking there is no salary cap limit on what a club spends on its coaching and backroom staff. I remember Edwards saying quite a few years ago he wouldn't come "home" until his son had finished his schooling in London. Presume that day must be very close now.

SW may know or may not know much about half back play - I don't know which it is - but I'd be very surprised if Paul Deacon doesn't know a thing or two about it and so at the very least he can advise on that area. Many a good coach once plied their trade in the front row so it doesn't follow that any former prop turned coach would be too tactically naïve.

As far as the choice of Smith and Powell in the halves goes maybe, just maybe the selection of a second steady Eddie beside Smith was seen as the best thing right now for the team. In previous weeks we had been hindered by (and criticised for) two things, poor discipline and a lack of composure/slickness in attack (leading to poor completion rates and a lack of pressure on opponents defences).

Much as I like many others would like to see Hampshire get a chance in the halves maybe the coaches thought that a misfiring team that is not at its best cohesively in attack would benefit more right now from a more back to basics approach and that a couple of steady Eddies at half back could better execute a more safety first game plan. This approach could then be employed whilst the rest of the team get into the groove of the attacking combinations which should happen sooner with fewer flamboyant/risky moves being attempted. By the same token a disjointed error ridden attacking side wouldn't exactly be the best place to utilise the talents of an explosive half like Hampshire or Williams. Once the rest of the team start to click and the passes start to stick (and go backwards) then may be the time when we see Williams back into the halves for a sustained run and hopefully Hampshire getting a run of games there too.

Sorry about taking the thread a bit O/T.