: Tue Mar 17, 2009 7:37 am  

- There will be a press release later this week about how we have added significantly to the number and quality of the full time staff, part time staff, coaches and scouts over the last few weeks.

- We have already begun our plans for 2010. We pretty much know now which players are staying, those that are being released and the positions in the squad that will need replacing.


Direct quotes from Mick Hogan

rl : Tue Mar 17, 2009 2:26 pm  

If Mick Hogan reckons that they know who's going and staying then they must be on the look out by now for replacements.
It is also important that the players arriving are considerably better than those leaving as that is the only to improve the squad.
So what are our needs?
Everyone on here, including me, believes that Mathers, Phelps, Coley & Smith will leave. Tommy & Bailey are maybe's to go yet still could be retained on reduced salaries. Pryce will be offered a new deal.
Can't see Lockyer or Petro coming over here. Glen Hall neither as he's just won the WCC.
An intersting few months ahead.

Re: rl : Tue Mar 17, 2009 2:28 pm  

Father Ted wrote:

If Mick Hogan reckons that they know who's going and staying then they must be on the look out by now for replacements.
It is also important that the players arriving are considerably better than those leaving as that is the only to improve the squad.
So what are our needs?
Everyone on here, including me, believes that Mathers, Phelps, Coley & Smith will leave. Tommy & Bailey are maybe's to go yet still could be retained on reduced salaries. Pryce will be offered a new deal.
Can't see Lockyer or Petro coming over here. Glen Hall neither as he's just won the WCC.
An intersting few months ahead.

If we retain Bailey i will dispare, i do hope TL gets a deal though.

If we stick with Bailey it means we have not managed to sign even a half centre and also have no faith in the lads coming through in the second row. Mossop has to move forward to first team in 2010.

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 2:34 pm  

Sadly the phrase of 'quality recruitment' inevitably means looking overseas. There are very few opportunities to both recruit British and improve the squad at the same time.

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 2:58 pm  

MadDogg wrote:

Sadly the phrase of 'quality recruitment' inevitably means looking overseas. There are very few opportunities to both recruit British and improve the squad at the same time.

This is one of the big problems that those who regularly shout about Wigan failing to promote British players cheefully ignore.

If you lined up the recent England squad, I think I can honestly say I'd only be interested in about half of them, and as none of those are available it would be a bit of a lost cause.

We are desperate in this country for every club - not just Wigan - to start bringing through young British talent that they've developed themselves. Until that happens, those clubs who want to keep their fanbase, and therefore must keep competing at a reasonable level, will have no option but to bolster their ranks with overseas recruits.

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 3:05 pm  

I'm sure the club recognise the medium to long term future of the club is based on producing our own talent from the accademy

Also i guess Noble is now safe in his role as i'm sure he was consulted in the new recruitment.

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:13 pm  

thepriestman85 wrote:

The only problem tho is there aren’t any British SH’s out there are there who are good enough for what we need? Danny Brough is probably top of the pile but is he really that good? So I guess we will have to look overseas and the problem there is you hardly get any continuity as they don’t tend to stay for extended lengths of time which is what we need.

Sadly thats the problem, Brough probably is top of the pile. Is he really that good? Not IMO, but some people will disagree.

This is what the RFL expansion is trying to achieve, quality British talent being signed and/or considered before any Aussie, which doesn't exist much ATM. You only have to look to the NRL and if a half-back is injured, straight away he's replaced by another fantastic talent from the same club. The fact that when it comes to HB partnerships the majority of teams have to look to Australia to find a replacement is IMO very sad.

Dobson still seems like the best option out there as he ticks all the boxes and is IMO a step up from Tommy at HB.

It's an option and one I'm sure many on here would welcome if we signed him again. He coped exceedingly well under the Wigan pressure cooker and organized our team very efficiently. One Noble should consider.

Who realistically else can we get? Serious question for those that say Dobbo isn’t good enough? Are Orford or Lockyer the answer then?

Realistically, Briers or Brough. I wouldn't want Briers at Wigan because I think he's average at best but to mind he is possibly the only realistic British HB that would sign.

If Orford were to stay for the 'long-haul' I'd gladly take him, but at 30/31 it's not likely.

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:20 pm  

cadoo wrote:

- There will be a press release later this week about how we have added significantly to the number and quality of the full time staff, part time staff, coaches and scouts over the last few weeks.

- We have already begun our plans for 2010. We pretty much know now which players are staying, those that are being released and the positions in the squad that will need replacing.


Direct quotes from Mick Hogan

If true this is excellent news

Mathers, Phelps, Smith, Coley, Bailey with Tommy (unfortunately) and Goudling as maybe's I reckon

What positions will they be targetting though?

Prop Centre Half back? Or maybe 2 of the 3 mentioned <<?

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:26 pm  

It is true I sent an email a few days ago - similar to the massive post I made earlier in the thread and got a response within 24 hours. Top bloke and great public relations from the club.

Everything in that post are direct quotes from Mick Hogan.

: Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:42 pm  

cadoo wrote:

It is true I sent an email a few days ago - similar to the massive post I made earlier in the thread and got a response within 24 hours. Top bloke and great public relations from the club.

Everything in that post are direct quotes from Mick Hogan.