I wouldn't say it's panic. The bigger issue here is the rampant speculation from all parts of the media. It has to be distracting to the players if every time they open a newspaper or view anything RL-related online and they see an article saying that the coach at their club is leaving. That's my biggest concern, especially seeing as all these rumours starting has coincided with our recent dip in form

Given Maguire's reputation in Oz before he came and has been proved last season it was a risk worth taking. To trigger the clause he was always going to have to do well (so it was still going to be in Wigan's interests to agree), he just did much better than anyone could have hoped in the first year. Yes it's disappointing but it looks like he'll be here for two years to help hand over the reins to Wane who deserves his chance.

It was obvious he was using Wigan as a stepping stone to get a NRL job, and it looks like he's got a high profile "project" to make his mark. He's ambitious and I'm not going to criticise him for that as I'd have done exactly the same in his position.

Get Real - He has made a bigger pedestal for himself and will return to Aus at the end of his contract - either due to an release clause at the end of this year, or at the end of the 3 year period.

Where is the point in him leaving half way through a season when the Souths coach is not due to go until the end of the season.

As for double his money - Why, an incentive maybe both for him and the team, but to leave as a Double grand Final Winner will raise his stock even higher then he could name his price?

www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sp ... 6038143646 www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 1dcp8.html I know IL doesn't comment on rumours but i think its time to talk

www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sp ... 6038143646 www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 1dcp8.html I know IL doesn't comment on rumours but i think its time to talk

The intricacies of his contract with the club should not put us in a position were he can walk out 2/3 the way through the agreement. I dont buy the point about us not being able to lure him to come here unless we offered him a range of get out clauses...that is not the sort of contract we should be offering our head coach.

IL appointed him, then let him have the cheque book to go out and shape the team - why would he do that if he was running the risk that madge could up sticks at a moments notice?

I for one will be gutted if he leaves the club. Its typical of our luck...just as we've got things moving in the right direction it all starts to go a bit Pete Tongue!

As unpopular as it may be...I dont believe Shaun Wane is ready for this job yet. Whilst I dont doubt his motivational skills and the aggression he brings to the team...I worry about the tactical side of things.

First link - FROM NEXT YEAR

So lets send him out with a bang -Double Grand Final Winners

This is a bad day for the club i think fair enough he was gonna go back sometime but after a few years is abit sh*t on us i was sick of how lenegan handled the gleeson incident as so were the players ive been told. If nothing is said in a few days i think lenegan wants a bollocking for putting his head in the sand also were is our fans forum he promised every year i think it would be very interesting night if it was soon.

And how would you have handled the Gleeson incident?

Dont about with like we have done i think it has disrupted the team alot agar didnt take aslong gettin rid of tansey did he

Yep, there's a solution to a complex, legally binding contract termination.

"Don't mickey about with it."

I wonder why IL and the other Wigan directors never thought of that?

Mind you, it comes to something when we've got a Wigan fan actually looking to Richard Agar for inspiration. Talk about a short bloody memory.

He did not have a reputation as a first grade coach. He was an assistant who was looking for his first 1st grade job so to paint him as someone with a big rep who was in a position to make the demands you might expect of Bennett himself is overstating his standing in the game by quite a bit.



I doubt there was a clause that said "if Wigan win a title I can leave if I get an offer" but if there was that would be mind numbingly stupid put such a clause in. Rather if there was a clause it would more likely simply be an NRL club making an offer but however the clause was phrased, it would not matter unless Madge had decided to leave a mere 16 months into his deal.



We are supposed not to want a rapid turnover in coaches but we will get it if we accept contracts or formulate contracts that can be so easily walked away from. His ambitions would be served quite well enough by staying here and looking to the NRL at the end of his deal as its inevitable a position will arise. He might even gain some kudos by seeing his deal out here first.

I think we all accepted it was most likely to be just the three years and that was fair enough but ambitious or not I don't think its good enough to walk out of contracts so quickly and cause the inevitable disruption to plans. I don't care what his ambitions are but how what he does affects Wigan and Wigan ought not to be in the position of offering such weak contracts there is a risk that they can be terminated early all because we got success a bit sooner than expected.

I always thought Maguire was here on a 2 year contract anyway. I only discovered when news broke over his departure that he was on a 3 year deal. I hoped when we got him that within his 2 years he'd get the club back challenging for honours and seeing as we won the league in his first year I'd say job done. Maybe a get out clause in the contract was put there in Wigan's interest too should it have turned out that he was bobbins.

I think it's important to stay on topic here. There is a reality to be faced here IMO and that is that MM simply will not be able to fully focus all of his attention on Wigan. One of the stories from Aus named Souths players coming OOC after this season - surely Madge isn't going to ignore this? He will be talking to Souths players and staff throughout the season if you ask me - and that will have an adverse effect.

I must admit I have been puzzled by our form all season - it now seems obvious what the problem is.

I doubt there will be much Mikey-ing about over this one because if Madge signs it will be all over the Aussie press and Souths won't keep quiet about it for long. No complex legal issues to get in the way if a coach decides to leave and take another job.

I suppose if the clubs really wanted to pull the wool over our eyes they could put a gagging order on until the end of the season but that would be ridiculous as there would be endless and disruptive speculation and it probably would not work anyway.

He had a reputation as one of the best potential coaches in the game, hence why he was recommended by both Bennett and Bellamy. Given this reputation and our need for new NRL type thinking it was still a risk worth taking, even with what we know now. He's helped us win our first title in 10 years and completely changed the culture of the club for the better.

Of course some people will still want a whinge about it.



It was pretty obvious the clause would be if an NRL coaching job came up, I can't imagine anyone would be thick enough to suggest otherwise. It's just unfortunately it's happened at this time. But like I've already said he wants an NRL gig and we'd have know that when he signed, and they don't come much bigger than the Rabbitohs.



Yes his ambition and drive have won us the title and changed the club for the better - that's how it's affected Wigan. If it's handled right there's no reason why we can't build on what he's achieved. If you employ up and coming talent there's always a risk they'll be in demand, and they know it.

I'm obviously a glass half full person.