I don't think Madge does coach 'exciting rugby' that's different to saying you don't play it, in the same vein Smith doesn't do anything in attack, zero, he said that at a fans forum he only works on defence and lets the players come up with the plays in attack

Wire fans will say Smith all day long and for good reason, he took a side which was more or less the same side both Cullen and Lowes under achieved with and turned them in to the league leaders, he's won us Silverware that alluded us for years and the fans absolutely adore him, he's fair and honest and a great sportsman.

Wigan fans will say Madge but obviously this is were i will sound biased, Madge took over a sleeping giant, the numero uno sleeping giant but he had a lot more at his disposal, you have the best training facilities, play in the biggest stadium, most fans, best youth system, all Wigan needed was a shot in the arm, if Smith had taken over Wigan instead of Wire i think you'd have won the same amount of trophies that Madge managed, the job in hand wasn't as big as the Wire job.

Both great coaches

And I'll add a final point to the 'NO CLUBS IN THE NRL COME FOR SMITH' comments

Smith has taken up residency here and has gone on record saying he has no interest in going back to Aus, the agents and club owners are aware of this, besides how do you know he hasn't been approached? Are you privy to all his communication?

If a coach of Smiths stature was approached by an NRL club you WOULD hear about it, even you know that.

Why would you, not all signings and enquires are public knowledge, especially when the said party isn't interested.

Complete rubbish and you know it, his brother is a big name in the NRL for a start, if his younger brother was approached by an NRL club, especially a Sydney club we would hear about it no problem.

It's like your wife asking you if you think her best friend is pretty.

Game, Set and Match...........

TS has said that England is his home and the home of his family, his children go to school here. I think but not sure he has actually taken up a UK passport. I also think but again not sure that he has bought a small holding in Yorkshire and cultivates that.

He sounds homesick, if only an NRL club would come in for him.

The easiest way to compare is off the 2 seasons Maguire has been here.

Madge has a super league crown, League leaders & Challenge cup.

Smith has League leaders & Challenge cup.

If Smith & Wire win the super league this season then they are equal, if not Madge is better.

Bear in mind Smith has spent more money over the last two seasons also.

Yeah, that's a great way to measure it. Smith took over a team near the bottom of the league, Madge a team that had made the previous two eliminators. Why do fans have to resort to knob measuring over coaches now we have finished top of the league. Is it because you can't have a pop at our team of oldies anymore? Sorry...Gareth Thomas. Try and look at it sensibly and with an open mind. Both are great coaches with different styles. Madge has had the good fortune of a Mr Samuel Tomkins breaking through the season before he came, where as Smith has a very generous chairman. Wigan have spent there fair share the past five years. Probably similar amount to us in fees.

They are both excellent coaches. Maguire though, just about takes it cos he never moans about ref's, supposed bad tackles etc. If Wigan have a poor game, he always admits it and says he will fix it and he generally does. Wire had better be prepared for a thumping the next time we play.

I don't really think that's a fair comparisson, Maguire has done really well at Wigan, really well. But at the same time I reckon Tony Smith would be a brilliant replacement. (That is ruling out the very slim chance that we will have Wayne Bennett as coach next year).

They are both superb rugby league coaches but you've got to remember Madge is still in the early years of being a head coach. After a few seasons coaching in the NRL I think he'll be head and shoulders above anyone we've got in Super League.

Tony Smith brought a team that had won nothing for the past 35 years to win back to back Challenge Cups and that was without making major squad changes, the squad that he won trophies with was basically one that had been assembled by Paul Cullen and James Lowes.

Other than one year when Wigan had a disaster season, Wigan had been ahead of Warrington every year.

In fact Maguire is only the second Wigan coach I can think of to have actually led Wigan to a league table finish below Warrington!

But I am not knocking him, if he was to take over at us after Smith leaves I would have no complaints and would expect him to win trophies with us.

Tony Smith