IL has been like a breath of fresh air for Wigan RL, we are now profitable and have a strong squad that is more than capable for challenging for major honours and have one of if not the best academy set up. You can't fault him for putting Wigan back amongst the best in Super League but that is not the issue.

The issue is can we compete as a competition against the NRL and Union for the top players that are in the british game and the NRL. The only way to do that is to pay the top players what they are worth, which is determined by what the NRL and Union will throw at them. That unfortunately means paying higher than the current salary cap, which the clubs can't afford on the revenue streams that are generated. Like it or not we can't compete with the opposition and the creme de la creme of players are targets, will this affect Super league in the long run.????? that is the question which only time will tell......

Not read thread, but the problem is not IL but the RFL, and the bottom feeders in SL.

If that makes me a happy clapper, so be it. But at least i will see the train coming, and not have my head up my ass living in the past. Mind you, sounds a good idea...

IL OUT.... BOOOO!

You don't know his manner, and his actions have saved the club.

End of.

Does anybody know the actual purpose(s) of the SC? I'm not talking about the baloney that the RFL came out with when it was brought in a decade ago. I mean here and now, why does it actually exist?

"To stop clubs going bust" and "to create a level playing field" are not valid answers because it has failed catastrophically on both counts.

What positive impact does it actually have???

I remember Stevo sing "We have to find a way to stop this lot" while commentating at a Wigan game... Not that the RFL would think that way i'm sure.

Perhaps another way of looking at IL's remarks about the SC is that it is a blatant rebuff of Dr Koukash's view that a salary cap of £1.65m is "crazy".
IL does mention Dr K in saying he has to buy in players and coaches.
Dr K's view on raising the cap is so he can outbid the less well off clubs and build his club with players that other clubs have developed.
Maybe IL is just letting Dr K know that if the SC is to be raised it isn't just up to him but can only be done with the agreement of the other SL clubs. The statment by IL then can be interpreted as saying "the SC isn't going to be raised any time soon"!.

You've just squared the circle from the very first post, in which Famous said quite well in my opinion " I think that Koukash is just what the game needs to spice things up and smash the cosy old boys network of Lenegan, Hetherington, McManus and Moran but unfortunately one man isnt enough to change anything as I can see him being voted down constantly on anything that he wishes to change. I just hope he doesnt get bored banging his head against a brick wall and can make Salford a force in the game. "

Even the IMF think austerity is not the only option and sometimes the wrong one.

Do you not think Wigan would have been by somebody else from Whelan?

Even Bradford, Salford find buyers

Wigan RLFC did not require a saviour

You could even argue creating a successful RL club has become easier and easier when the quality of available players / standards have declined. I believe IL sees the present position as potentially beneficial for Wigan with the junior talent in the area etc. It costs IL nothing and he gets worshipped as a false idol by some

How many games of great competitive RL have we watched in 2013? I do see the vision of scrapping the Academy age groups now though. We will in the near future be watching our Academy team labelled first team.

Runcorn Highfield were a profitable RL club

Runcorn were NOT a profitable club.

Maybe the posters on here realise the clubs have to stand on their own two feet rather than hope that someone will play to their whims.

I don't have a problem with raising the salary cap IF there is enough money in the game, but the reality is that there isn't.

Would we as speccies be willing to pay 20% or 30% more to fund it. Bloody hell no. There were enough complaining at having to pay 70p per week to watch Wigan t.v. so why should we expect IL to put his money there?