Informative and interesting www.wiganwarriors.com/news/2016- ... e-decision

Informative and interesting www.wiganwarriors.com/news/2016- ... e-decision

Can't listen to it at work, can anyone surmise?

23 minute video.

Wigan anticipated 7 clashes, and requested this be bared in mind. Five accommodated, Salford and Hull KR at Easter were the exceptions.
Salford playing on the WCS weekend to cover the early entry into the Challenge Cup.
Main problem from IL's point of view is fixture congestion, and an understanding that a four day turnaround in fixtures is not advisable.

Talks about this have been ongoing for several weeks, and that relations with Wigan Athletic excellent.
Widnes, Blackpool, and Rochdale suggested as alternative venues, IL didn't want to take a league game away from Wigan, and hinted at pressure being put to do so.

Calls the solution the least bad, and understands frustration and anger, and asks for trust that the club know what they're doing.

Reversing fixture a non-starter, due to the pitch relaying that is usually anticipated in early June (3) when the Salford away is scheduled.
Agree with Rogues, but the main thing is to watch it in full, as I'm sure I've missed out relevant point in the debate.

Mentioned the Easter problem but did not expand on a solution .

Regards , EW

Why does he always explain the situation after the dirty work has been done? We never get to hear anything leading up to problems. Still a disgraceful way to treat the fans and people are and will continue to vote with their feet for aslong as it continues.

All well & good, however as this has been going on since September (we're now told) somebody [ishould[/i have flagged up the issue certainly when the fixtures were announced to begin with. A simple "TBC" next to the date with an explaining footnote somewhere wouldn't have hurt would it?
This "not our fault guv" talking-head routine wouldn't have been necessary and a lot of opprobrium (mine included) would have been avoided if they'd actually TOLD US IN THE FIRST FKN CASE!

Off for a lie down & get ready to cheer on Sydney.

As usual IL delivers the message well. 2 questions: If relations between the 2 clubs are so good why is only he saying it? There was another solution, the football club play on Sunday, why was this not explored?

The turnaround thing is poorly executed. At Leeds we played Cas on a Thursday after a Sunday game and then again we played them in the super 8's on a Thursday after playing Catalans away on Saturday night....yes technically a 5 day turnaround but still stupid to play the Thursday after Catalans away. Even next week we play Catalans away 6 days after a WCC, as stupid a schedule post WCC you could think of.

To be fair the Latics match was scheduled first. In my opinion, after watching the interview, the blame lies at the door of the RFL for ignoring our requests not to schedule a home match on the 26th and then coming up with ludicrous suggestions about moving the fixture to different ground. The next best solution has finally been agreed on after IL played hardball but too late in the day for fans of both Wigan and Salford due to the RFL fannying about making stupid suggestions for months. This could and should all have been dealt with before Xmas.

I thought he was going to use it as a bit of good news at the end of the interview to soften the blow, but it's still unresolved.

I get that it's out of the club's hands BUT I thought long and hard about renewing my STs this year. I can't make the Salford game on Thursday. Another late change on Easter Monday (I booked all my holidays around this) and it will be a very easy decision next year

RFL in "unable to organise a -up in a brewery" shocker. They're the worst governing body in all of sport. Including FIFA.

I'm not sure who's to blame for this.

I know who isn't to blame for this. The fans.

This is an appalling shambles and for it not to have been sorted out until now is a disgrace.

It must never be allowed to happen again and all those responsible need to get their act together.

Clearly there's been a lot of obstacles that couldn't be overcome but I take two main points from it.

1-We're not allowed to play home games on a Friday night anymore if Latics play Saturday (presume that may just be between the start of our season and end of there's though as the pitch is always fine in Aug/Sept which is the other cross over period)

2-We refused to move a home league game away from the town of Wigan and would rather lose two points (unless we can move it 200+ miles to London).