12 months before he arrived when Millward came, yes I did read the book.

wasnt out of contract had a year to run, remember St George and Wigan both paid him in his first year at Wigan.

Fielden would have come for that kind of money like he did, the NRL would not have been able to get anywhere near the cash thrown at him so dont be so naive.

I doubt very much radlinski would have come out of retirement for millward, I even doubt millward would have asked him he didn't seem to respect Kris.

Like I was saying Noble just didnt come in with the same team and it was fixed new signings came in and dead wood was removed, remember we smashed the salary cap that year.

As I have said before on this board we only changed the squad in 2006 by adding two players and a new coach. There can't have been that much wrong with it or we would have still got relegated. Noble got a bunch of demoralised players to play much more to their potential and we avoided the drop. So he gets credit for that.

If we get a new coach he may also get a couple of new players (I can't see it being any more and it may be none at all) and if he gets the rest of the current team to play to its potential then we will improve. So if he gets more out of this side than Noble has done (as Noble got more out of the side he inherited in 2006 than Millward did) I don't see why Noble would take any credit for that just as Millward didn't in 2006.

These sound very similar scenarios to me. A coach inherits an under performing side and improves it. If it annoys people this being pointed out that isn't my problem - it is only an opinion after all.

Dave

I don't think many people actually hate BN, do they?

I feel very strongly that we need to make changes in a number of areas, including head coach, but I have no personal animosity towards him or anyone else, we just need to change things if we are going to make progress.

And pretty much exactly what I was trying to say in a thread I created a couple of months ago entitled "Turning the Ship around".

I tried to point out that the change in fotunes didnt't happen overnight from relegation to Champions - It happened in small stages AND sometimes we had to take a backward step to get there i.e selling our best player in Fairbairn to create funds etc to strengthen the squad first.

Some poster say Graham Lowe!
I say Maurice Bamford, Alex Murphy, Clarke/McCinnes & Then Lowe!

Some say Andy Gregory
I say Jinkin Jimmy, Gary Stevens,Keith Holden, Mike Ford then Andy Gregory!

There are many other parallels but in essence the stories the same.

It Took Mo 6 years to win a CC and 8 to win a League title without the Hinderence of Salary Cap etc and he did it IMO in small steps!

It's strange the way support for Brian Noble seems to be crystalising the closer we get to his 'termination date'.

Is this just a Wigan thing, do you think?

I detected nothing but frustration with Noble early this season when we were losing every other match and looking like we weren't going to make the play-offs.

Why do some people feel that a poor start to the season and a strong finish is the way forward?

What I mean by hate, is calling for his head, saying he's been sacked and general whinging ... Ect

I've said previously that I think a lot of people are just too nice!

They are grateful to BN for helping save us from relegation and they think we should give him more time, probably feeling guilty about the way we have dispensed with coaches prior to BN. Sometimes, though, tough decisions need to be taken for the good of the club.

BN may be a smashing chap, but for me he's had his chance and whilst he will be remembered, together with Dobbo, for saving Wigan's bacon that season, his time as Wigan coach really hasn't been the success that we all (BN included I'm sure) had hoped for. Perhaps a fresh start at a new club would be the best thing for him, too.

That is the reason I think that noble should be given one more year, although it is looking more and more unlikely that it will happen.

To be honest Rogues (And certain posters will not believe me here!) I am not sure that Noble should be given another year as TBH if he does only want 1 more year then we would only have to go through this again! GOD FORBID!

If the right man in the eyes of IL is available now then I would go for him.

MY MAIN POINT

Is that I don't and didn't belive that sacking a coach Mid way through the season would achieve anything Long Term especially as it didn't seem like we had a replacement immediately available to step in!

I don't think there is a Majority (In fact I would say maybe a 3rd or less) who given a choice between Noble Staying or going would choose for him to stay.

However

I can't believe that some can't understand that defending Noble's record over the last 3 x seasons isn't the same as saying give him another contract for the next 2 x years as he's the best thing since sliced bread!

I think that Most believe that BN is/was an important Stepping stone on the road back to Major success, without him the club would/could have been weaker.

Is he the right man to do the next 3 years, probably not, but would the man who is going to do the next 3 years have been the right man to do what Noble has done over the last 3 years???

I think Noble was the steady, calming, honourable or whatever you want to call it influence that this club needed at that time and sticking with him for the length of his contract was/is the right thing to do.

I don't like However the way that some of those who did want him sacked or don't want him to stay attacked him and in a lot of instances found fault for finding fault's sake purely to try and ridicule the club into making a rash decision in an attempt to achieve short term success.

Well we could try the Hull route.

Seriously, as the IF thread shows we have missed so many opportunities early season.

However, how much of it was Nobles fault.
Roberts dropped ball, at Hull along with Gouldings two errors of judgment.
The deaf referee v HKR.

Ainscough not passing the ball inside v Cas, or not going closer to the posts.

Hock and Ainscough letting the ball go into touch from the kick off v Saints and Saints scoring in the next two sets (one a repeat).
Hocks disallowed try in the same game.


All incidents which could have turned the game, and in effect our season.

I accept that Noble must take ultimate responsibility, but apart from Quins away I don't think we have had much luck.

Fully agree with everything you've said here. Great post.