Watched highlights of Wigan on YouTube today and saw Mike Cooper playing. Was under the opinion he was staying till the end of the season but saw an article saying his leaving was becoming very toxic so they let him go immediately. Reading Wigans forum they are chuffed to death with having him and can't understand why we let him go.

It's all a bit of a mystery. Coops has given sterling service for many years and this was a sad end to his Warrington adventure. My cousin and her husband, both Wigan season ticket holders, are delighted with their acquisition and equally baffled by the whole affair.

No mystery about it. He had decided to leave next season, Warrington needed space on cap now so come to agreement with Wigan for him to join early. Wigan had space on cap after letting Hardaker go.

Discussed to the nth degree on here previously, on a different thread.

Just look up that thread and you will find find a lot of healthy discussions, opinions and maybe even some facts.

He hasn't started well at Wigan. Not sure Wire are losing anything, you'll have a much better pack next season.

We’re not biting.

Biting?

Granted HKR were in a right mess team wise on Thursday but Cooper ran for 136m from 16 carries, just what we’ve been missing from our props

Wish he averaged 8.5m gain for us this season.

Utter rubbish. Mike Cooper did not decide he wanted to leave next season. When Powell came in this season, he told Mike that he would not be offered a new contract for next season.

Mike did not want to leave Warrington, nor did he want extra time out to run his business, as has been said.

His leaving is down solely to Powell, who, for some reason had a downer on Mike from day one.

Pretty much this. They simply didn't get on.
Mike isn’t a bad apple but the cold relationship could have been a factor is discord within the playing group.
The bottom line is one of them had to go. Wether the right one went, we’ll see within the next 12 months.

One of them will almost certainly win something this season, the other is lucky he isn't presiding over a relegated squad.

100% support this view. Despite the inaccurate rumours Mike has maintained his dignity and said nothing because of his respect and love for the club.

IMO Powell has gone about this all the wrong way and ruined this club in 12 months. he has taken the enjoy and enthusiasm out of going the game for me and I know a lot of people will agree. I just hope the board have backed the right horse and I will be the first to acknowledge I was wrong if they are proved right.

Really good tonight - such a reliable front rower.

Apparently (in the early days of DP's tenure) when having discussions with the team and MC was having difficulty getting on board with DP's methods, MC was asked by DP if he had won a Grand Final, MC said no and DP said I'm here to change that.

DP has given MC the best chance by moving him to Wigan.

You say here that MC was having difficulty getting on board with DPs methods. If this is true (it would be handy if this could be confirmed ir not), then I can quite understand why Powell would want rid. As a coach, you can't be trying to accommodate influential players who are resisting change.

What right do any of our players have, during the pre-season, to question a manager who is trying to attempt to change things for the better, despite those players displaying complacency, year upon year, and in doing so showing a lack of respect for the club and the fans. Whether it be Powell, or any other coach brought in for that matter, I know who's side I'm on - and it certainly isn't our players.

Its amazing the info you can get on the golf course, social golf game over the weekend with an ex Wigan stand off.

Can you enlighten us anymore Snaggletooth?

Right now I can't enlighten any further, these guys let info go and then clam up when asked further, which is annoying. I'll let you know if I find out more, which I will try next time I see him.

Mike well may have replied - 'Well have you won one Daryl?' Maybe the team would've all got on board had the man telling him he was there to take them to GF glory had he also experienced it as either a player or coach.

I like Mike, tough lad, but the bottom line is, he’ll be 35 before the end of the 2023 season. We still think of him as an academy player who’s just stepped up.
There can’t be many more players older than him next season. Hill being one, Roby another?

I doubt it. Tony had won one and they stopped playing for him after a while.

At the risk of going over old ground, these comments land differently from a serial winner. If (for example, not suggesting he would have taken the job) Craig Bellamy had said this, and Cooper objected, it’s completely inappropriate. Bellamy has the credentials to back up the arrogant approach. Given that Powell can’t evidence that he can back up the comment, I think I would have taken that with a pinch of salt if I’m honest, especially if I’d have been at a more successful club over the past 10 years than the guy self appointed as the oracle.

You can also sort of turn this on its head though (and I’m not taking taking sides here) by asking certain players how many times they’ve been on the losing side in grand finals. We have had a lot of those players in recent years. Whether it’s the coach or the players, who knows? But let’s remember that Smith lost 3 finals with a very good squad on paper.

Every coach, even the greatest coaches, at some point in their careers haven't won anything of note. Club boards will have identified potential in a coach and given them the gig. We're all hoping this is the club where he'll have the resources to win the big one, where at Castleford, he over-achieved.

Cooper is nearing the end of his career where he's spent most of his time at Warrington, probably the highest spending club, yet hasn't won the big one along with many other 'renowned' players. So I think Powell has every right to justify making changes given that we've fallen short due to, in part, complacency.

Cooper has always been a top performer for us and at the start of the season, I'd guess, he'd hold more influence over the other players than anyone else, given his Warrington roots and his pedigree. Rather than make it difficult for the new coach and undermine him with regards to the proposed changes, he should have gotten on board out of respect to the club and its fans. Cooper is a top player but he isn't coach. What right has he to question the credentials and coaching methods of Powell.

The other major issue is that; which coach could we have potentially recruited with Grand Final winning experience - Brian Noble, Brian Mcdermot, Iain Millward? The only other possibility was Shaun Wayne who stated on Sky Sports at the beginning of the season that 'its a tough job Warrington'. I wonder why that is? Did he foresee the same problems Powell is encountering now? We're the biggest spenders and have been for years, yet Shaun Wayne said this. I don't think he would gave come anyway.

Who else would have been a realistic appointment given that the fans wanted 'entertaining' rugby with a coach who has a track record of improving teams and individual players? if the club were to sack him now, who would we bring in?