Life as a Warrington fan has been very up and down over the past few seasons. Regular visits to Old Trafford that have promised so much and have only ended with 25,000 fans on the train home drowning their sorrows with watered down lager and kebabs.

The truth is, it seems Mr Smith has surpassed his shelf life with the club. Yes, we must be thankful for the three Challenge Cup victories, however; to put in a performance that was on display on Friday night is quite frankly unacceptable. How can a team go from 2nd and 3rd place Old Trafford appearances, to potentially playing at Leigh Sports Village in the near future???

Tony came out on Friday and said that if players weren't committed to the club, they can walk through the doors of the HJ. I hope there was a mirror in the room when he said this because the same must apply to him. Week after week we hear a different excuse from the man.... "It was Danny Brough's kicking game that cost us, lKevin Brown was in a league of his own tonight, we switched off at times...." The list is endless. It seems all Tony has done for the past few weeks is sit in his little birds nest and keep the employees at Wrigleys chewing gum in a job.

It seems like I am being harsh but just like a player, a coach has to move in at some point, and I feel Me Smith has done all he can for the club. All to do now is find a newbie for 2016 but for now.... Mr Briers, take the reins.

#2016theyearofthewolf

I beg of you (the rest of the punters on this forum), DO NOT REPLY TO THIS (.)

Truth hurts sometimes Wire fan of 16 years

Since he took over, we have won 3 challenge cups, 1 LLS, and made 2 Grand final appearances as well as being in the semi final of both the play offs and challenge cup last year. Sure, this year is a decline, but I find it laughable how people are calling for Tony's head after one painfully average season (so far) in which we still have a pretty good chance of winning the CC, again.

It'll be 2 seasons come November.

To be fair does anyone really believe we will win SL in this year or next?

We won`t finish in the top four this year, so there will be no play-off games, for Wire in 2015,

Not this year. As for next year - a lot can happen. I never though during the Lowes games we would do a CC double either.

Agree with wirewirewire. Lets keep the fath in TS.

I'm more concerned about you dropping the "H" and the word spacings, from the thread title, the spelling on these forums is atrocious.

So you've supported Wire for 16 years..... so what ?

If you think there's a better option to TS out there waiting to come and take us forward then I'm very interested to hear who you think it is ?

In the meantime, go and give your head a wobble.

Tony needs to stay. Lee Briers as his assistant. Learn the ropes from a top coach with the plan of taking over in 1/2 years. It's the players who are garbage and our recruitment policy. Fresh start in 2016. 7/8 to go and be replaced. End of.

The recruitment over the last couple of years has been a bit hit and miss. For me the crucial recruitment period is the next one readying the team hopefully for a climb back up to the top. I think the TS mantra of evolution rather than revolution needs to be put to one side for the moment because the team needs a shake up. I don't know if the players we wanted either went somewhere else, were too expensive or were just not available. Only TS and the board know that. Next season will show if the current set up up can take us forward or not. I really hope they can.

People that come on here and all they do is pick up on spelling and grammar... What is the matter with you??? It's a fan forum your not marking a GCSE exam paper.

I am not saying that we need to spend big money on n Aussie, just a fresh pair of eyes that can manage the team with some level of enthusiasm.

Can I also add, there was no disrespect towards Leigh in regards to the comment regarding the wire playing at the LSV. Leigh are a great team that will have a real chance next weekend.

You're*

D-
Please see me after class.

Now then, now then.

Wright that's hit I ham puttin you hall in Detention this evening.....

D- is still a pass

Jesus wept.....

I'm still undecided on the whole Tony Smith situation.

On one hand he took us from perennial underachievers to genuine grand final contenders, but on the other hand he did that with the backbone of a team assembled by Paul Cullen, at least in the earlier years (2009 / 10 / 11). He simply got the best from an already good bunch of players. There were always big named signings under Cullen in the form of Gleeson, Johns, Fa'afili, Rauhihi, Anderson x 2, Morley, Carvell, Higham, Monaghan etc etc. Every one of them having experience of winning trophies or haven proved they they can do a job and often did. If Smith had these guys to work with I'm 100% sure we'd have won Superleague at least once.

Since TS arrived, a lot of the focus has been on bringing through the kids (which is right in a way) but there hasn't been the pre-season hype and talk of a Warrington team being the best team in the league....on paper. The correct management of 'the best team on paper' will result in trophies without doubt (which is why Cullen never achieved any silverware).

The problem now is that we simply don't have the best team on paper or on the field...and that is down to TS. There is never any pre-season hype as to who the next big name signing will be, no-one is unveiled these days. I'm not saying TS hasn't signed any big names but the ones he has signed have been awful or yet to earn their wages. Asotasi has been ok during the very minimal time he is actually on the pitch, Clark seems to be going backwards (I'd say that he wouldn't even be here is Castleford were better off at the time he signed), Russel is good when not injured and, other than Currie, none of the 'promising youngsters' are actually doing it on the pitch. TS can only get the best from the players he has available but the 'best' is no-where near enough to win trophies. The players he has available is down to him and Simon Moran so is at fault for the position we are currently in?

Yes he's brought us success with someone elses team, but can he get a bunch of players to perform well on a consistent basis who have less than half of the ability of players they have replaced.......clearly not.

Has anyone thought they have tried to sign the top players and they wouldn't come. Some sides have been lucky and signed average Aussie players that have been good this year (Ben Roberts, Albert Kelly) these players weren't wanted down under so came over here. I believe the club don't want to sign mediocre players they want top quality and they won't come. If this carries on we will sign average Aussies and everyone will still moan.
Do we all really think that the club have not tried to sign a top quality half during the last 18 months ?? course we have and they wont come regardless of the money. I know that Tomkins turned down a 50% increase on what Wigan have offered him, and the likes of Cronk, Thurston, Mitchell, don't want to play in a poor league just for money?

There might also be seeing potential in a player who you think will fit into your team. It cannot just be luck as you suggest. Kelly, Blair, Mantellato, Sio, Campese amongst others joined us this year. All have played better than their equivalents in your side this season. Kelly, Sio and Montellato are in the top 10 try scorers. Montellato is the top points scorer. Only Campese of those I mentioned is in the twilight of his career. Montellato and McCarthy, who I presume you know well, were not even NRL players. Maybe you should be looking for players who can perform well in Super League and not for "a top quality half". You are not a top quality team and in the pool you seem to feel you should be fishing in neither is any other Super League club.

I for one was disappointed when we didn't offer Tyke a deal. Wish he was still here. Always 100% even if he was a good average. Give me that over a <5% over the hill Ozzy any day.

I agree with a lot of that. But you only have to remember that we signed a world elite, 29 year old, Adrian Morley (that'd be like someone signing Sam Burgess when he's done with Union); Matt King who was the current Aus and NSW winger (the equivalent of someone signing Michael Jennings now); Michael Monaghan who was a NRL GF starting half back when we signed him (the equivalent of someone signing Josh Reynolds now)...Andrew Johns (although a brief stint, would be like someone signing Greg Inglis for three weeks now)...Alfie Langer was chosen to play for QLD when he was at Wire (that's like someone having Cameron Smith in their side now in SL and him being selected for QLD for Origin)...

We have a history of catching fish from that pool...maybe now though we have started to cast the line and aren't getting bites and as you say we should be aiming a little lower and even aiming lower would still being over players who would have a huge impact in this league.

And I agree with that. However that was quite a while ago. The financial situation is somewhat different now. The only Aussies that are likely to come now are young ones wanting to make a name for themselves or ageing ones wanting a last payday or hurrah. Not top performers as the contributor I was responding to was stating he thought you were looking for. Adrian M was slightly different as British players may well want to come home whilst still at or near their peak. The Wigan famous full back would also fall into this category.