Have to disagree stongly with this. You would not run any business on the basis you describe.

The job isnt done - we're 1 and a bit years into a 3 year programme - one successful season is not what we appointed him for.
The 'get out of jail clause' renders the contract useless - if as you say it was in wigans interest too then why have a contract at all? Think about it, if either party can call it quits at any point in time - whats the use of a contract? Dont forget Madge has been out recruiting his co-horts from Melbourne 'building a team' - its like laying the foundations of the house and buggering off without laying a brick.

IL is a shrewd business man - I cannot believe he has entered into an agreement such as the one being discussed on here.

while its disappointing he may leave early, if hes got a better offer back home you cant force the guy and his family to stay here if they dont want to!

This is all very, very disappointing.

The speculation has reached a level where it is now damaging the club. While I agree with IL's general policy of not commenting on rumours, this now needs dealing with and he can't simply hunker down and hope this all goes away.

I agree, and I fully expect Maguire now to go rather quickly. Certainly if our performances on the pitch continue, the fans will themselves let their opinions known. Even the ones who 'hope' for the best, will see the reality, if results fail.

Unfortunately, I don't think Wane is intellectual enough for the Wigan coaching job in todays game. In Australia their coaches are pretty articulate, but here in the UK we fall a little short in that department. The use of 'brain power' is a factor in tactics.

I have mentioned this before, that I am getting a little fed- up of the Australian attitude to contracts in this country.

If I'm not sick of hearing this one...he entrered into a contractual agreement (the precise basis of which none of us know) all we do know is the club announced we had signed him on a three year deal - no mention of any leaving early clauses / optional extra year etc.

Leaving 2 years into a 3 year deal is bad...but worse than that is the prospect of him managing the club through the rest of the season when we all know he's leaving, including the players. If our performances carry on the way they have been going I dont think you'll find many on here supporting your view that we should just let him drift off home! He'll rightly come under a lot of pressure.

You always seem to work on this basis, Dave - namely that there are no complex legal issues to delay developments.

Are you absolutely sure about this?

do you not think it would be worse having him here next season if he doesnt want to be here?? the way your going on its like this is the first time something like this has happened at the club.. coaches come and go!

Doctor I need to lay down, I agree with Wigan/Leeds Andy.

I know I remember all of them 'coming and going'..
Frank Endecott
Stuart Raper
Dennis Betts
Ian Milward
Brian Nobble

Happy days...we'd better hope we get his successor right because as we know from bitter experience its not easy choosing a winner.

you missed off graham lowe and john monie!

absolutly agree his successor has to be the right man!

I have a very annoyed stance on this issue. Not just with Madge though. Fair play to the man, it's the decision any of us would have taken. A three bed room semi in Hindley overlooking the bowling green. Or a river side mansion in Sydney overlooking the harbour. Erm tough one?

However, this was exactly the predicament we did not want. Although he "failed" Noble brought back stability to the club. He was coach for a long time. We were consistent in the league and cup and we were secure.

We replaced him for a coach who won us the league but is possibly leaving. So do we employ Wane and take the risk of bringing him in too early? Or do we bring someone in completely different, Edwards. Either way, the players will have another new set up, two years after it had changed previously.

I just hope we haven't traded security and development for success. I could quite easily see us doing what we did 15 years ago. If we don't win any trophies in the first few seasons of the new coach, we will buy overseas players, sack coaches and ignore the youth like last time. Just hope this doesn't happen.

When Madge does go, IL is going to have to think very carefully about who he gives he job to. Wane's 1st team coaching career could be over before it begins if he gets off to a bad start. On the plus side I assume Souths will have to buy out the remaining 12mths of his contract which will could mean a little extra cash in the transfer kitty. Unfortunately i'm more concerned with the psychological effect on the team in the short term for this season. There's been a bit of a mental blip over the last few weeks and it's going to take some strong characters to motivate the players...

I've underlined the bit which IMO completely nullifies your argument. That simply wasn't true.

In fact, there is no comparison in terms of league form between Noble and Maguire. Under Noble our league form was patchy at best.

From this point on, I think some of us ought to think very carefully before we post anything.

There is no way in the memory of man that continuing with Brian Noble, and not appointing a coach of Michael Maguire's calibre, would have been a responsible way to run Wigan RL. And trying to claim that it might have been because though we never won anything at least we were secure, is pure self-delusion.

If you sign a contract I'd like to think you could or as Giz says they are worthless bits of paper and you can't run the club like that. And lets not bring his family into this. There has been no suggestion his family is unsettled here and if he takes the South's job it will be purely mercenary decision on his part. He doesn't need excuses making for him.

With this thread in full flow is there any mileage in the Express story about an un-named super league club talking to Bennett?