Quote from Steve Mascord -

"Many believe the most vitriolic of criticism of Wigan in 2016, of their attack and of their players and of Wane himself, has come not from journalists, commentators and former stars but from among the ranks of the club’s own fans.

These are the few remaining voices who have one big vested interest – success – but no others. They don’t need to deal with the club to earn a living. They don’t feel bound by defamation laws. Many don’t even appear bound by common decency."

Spot on Steve. Couldn't have put it better. Some of the ridiculous criticism of Shaun Wane makes me sick and I was so happy for him on Saturday. As he himself said repeatedly "The MAJORITY of our fans understood"

I will hold my hands up I wrote the lads off after the defeat to widnes in the super 8s.I've never been a wane out though I just thought all the key 1st team absentees would take its tole...fantastic TEAM work rate since though!

Give over, it's sport and fans are entitled to an opinion. Many fans said our attack was dire, it was, Wane admitted it was, the players themselves admitted it was. Matty Smith stated last week they have gone away from the structure and its working, Tony Smith stated Wigan won because we were far less predictable and it's harder to coach his defence against play like that.

As far as I can see, the criticism was accurate, the players and Wane responded and changed how we attacked and teams struggled with it, hence the great finish to the season. I for one take my hat off to Wane and say well done, he changed things and it worked. All I ever called for was change, a change in what we did as the predictability was killing us, that change came and we improved and look where we ended up.

I criticised him for boring, ineffective attack, embarrassing exits in the Challenge Cup and not regularly winning major trophies. The team changed how they attack, and managed to win a major trophy, now I'm happy as a result. Wane deserved a lot of credit for winning the Grand Final in the face of the worst season I've known for us injury wise, but it doesn't mean the criticism of him was unjustified, and I still think the club should bring in an Attacking Coach or Director of Rugby.

There's nothing wrong with criticism and everyone is entitled to an opinion. In some cases it's how that opinion was voiced and the language used that is the problem.

I don't understand everything that went on at the club this year nor do I understand what the coach and players have been through. That's because I am not involved with the squad nor have I played the sport at a professional level. What I do understand is that the sheer number of injuries, particularly those to players in key positions would be very disruptive to the teams performance.

I voiced an opinion towards the end of the season that Wane's time was coming to an end and that I thought he should be replaced providing a suitable replacement could be found. I'm delighted to say that opinion was wrong. I still feel to bring in an attack focused assistant would be beneficial but if the club don't feel that is necessary then I'm happy to bow to their superior knowledge.

I think you have missed the point. Of course everyone is entitled to an opinion. But how that opinion is expressed is what I'm on about.

Fans calling for the coach to be sacked when you are in the middle of an injury crisis when the team drops no lower than third all season might be construed as a little unfair wouldn't you say?

Anyway success is all the more sweet this morning knowing that Wane's Wigan have not just beaten Wire (twice), Saints and Hull (twice) in the last month or so having been written off on here time after time earlier in the season. And I'd say we have a pretty fair chance of beating the Sharks in February to become World Champions.

It might be nice if Wane's many detractors (and this isn't aimed at you by the way as you seem pretty even handed) had the decency to apologise. I won't hold my breath though.

Having read this site all year and sporadically on twitter I wouldn't say it was ever vitriolic.

There is a certain other forum where it was beyond vitriolic.

On the whole, though, I don't think that applies to this one.

Most of the criticism on here has been fair, though-out and justified. And mainly as a result of frustration knowing that we could produce better as a team even with the injuries we've had. I always felt we had it in us to lift the big prize, mainly because I don't rate the rest of the comp. it is now up to Wane and the staff to produce an entertaining brand of rugby next year and build a true dynasty that we have threatened to do for 6 years now.

It definitely has been on here at certain points, but that was mainly knee jerk stuff after a big defeat (Warrington and Wakefield earlier in the year, Hull CC semi-final etc.) when emotions where still high. It says a lot though that it's always busier on here after a defeat; we've just won Super League yet it's been dead on here.

A few have to be fair. Ziggy Stardust was one of the worst yet he was the first on here after the win to give credit to Wane and the team so fair play.

The other forum hurts my head at times!

I go on it and occasionally post but there seems to be a number of fans on there who really don't like each other and some who seem to have a dislike for people at the club.

Wane kept it classy on Saturday night. There was no vindication, no bitterness, he said.
“People don’t know the half of it, of what’s gone on,” he started off, mysteriously.
“Without boring you, I could go into detail about people not training. I’m talking daily. I’m not talking month to month.
“We’ve had four or five people not training all week and the first time they’ve run is when they’ve shown up on game day.

“It’s hard for me to listen to us getting hammered about our attack and I’ve got a scrum-half playing at nine and playing lots of minutes.

“There’ve been dark, dark days where I know we’re being hammered. We’ve had a really poor performance and I understand the reasons why and nobody else does.
“We’ll win a game, win it ugly, get hammered, win again
“I see the 17 we put out (in the grand final) and we’ve no right to win the game, if truth be known. It’s the best feeling I’ve ever known.
“I don’t want to be bitter about it. You’ve got your jobs to do and we’ve got our jobs. No satisfaction, I’m just happy.”


But here’s what’s different from before, embedded in this quote: “The majority of our fans understand what we’ve been through and got behind us.”

“The majority”.

As traditional media continues to lose influence in society, as big sports clubs and athletes bypass the press and speak directly to their fans, there’ll be fewer and fewer clippings to pin to the dressingroom wall.
Fewer and fewer of the commentators whose job it is to criticise will have jobs.

Many believe the most vitriolic of criticism of Wigan in 2016, of their attack and of their players and of Wane himself, has come not from journalists, commentators and former stars but from among the ranks of the club’s own fans.

These are the few remaining voices who have one big vested interest – success – but no others. They don’t need to deal with the club to earn a living. They don’t feel bound by defamation laws. Many don’t even appear bound by common decency.

Somehow, the amateur psychologists with which professional sport is awash are going to have to negotiate a new paradigm in the motivation stakes. How can we admit to ourselves we are trying to prove wrong our own supporters?

I just noticed on Twitter that Tomkins has had a dig at Bilko which has kicked up a bit of a storm.

A tad petty on Sam's behalf IMO at a time when he should be enjoying himself with his team mates. Those comments by Bilko clearly hit a nerve amougst the squad and you sense they used it as motivation.

Those comments by Bilko has ultimately played a pretty big part in the squad getting its act together by the looks of things. I'd say that's something he should be proud of.

You Wiganers love yer humble pie, that's for sure.

It was certainly an 'awful, awful, awful' performance against Widnes that night.

Got to say I am absolutely disgusted in Sam for his comments. Come across like the lowest of the low. He needs to take a long hard look at himself.

What's wrong with what Sam has said? Bilko is being a bit of a bellend with his comments tbh. How the f*ck has it been an "awful season"?

Was it an awful season up to the Widnes game? Yes.

Bilko is Wigan through and through and said it how he saw it at the time. If fans can't have an opinion without players questioning it then we might as well give up watching.

It's petulant and childish tbh. I presume he didn't know the back story to Bilkos frustrations (with his dad's illness) but that's no excuse.

Sam is very well paid (in rugby league terms) to turn out for a rugby league club that has very high expectations. The club talk about having high expectations of itself and the drive to succeed is clearly there for all to see. They looked frustrated with themselves around the time of Bilkos comments and by their own very high standards they couldn't have been chuffed with how things were going. If a fan who clearly loves the club makes points to that effect they should be big enough to take it on the chin.

In fairness to Tomkins he wished Bilkos father all the best but then seemed to carry it on with a couple more people. I think the club should give him some guidance on the matter tbh.

No it wasn't. I actually agreed with him when he was kicking off after the Widnes game but given what we've done since then he's coming across as a cock.

He's entitled to his opinion of course he is, but then why can't Sam try and defend himself and his team mates?

At a time when the club are looking to improve the relationship with supporters following the fan survey his post is petty & careless.

Bilko is well respected amongst Wigan fans for his balanced views and his comments about it being an awful, awful season was spot on at the time. He was definitely not on his own with that and it was a view shared by many supporters. Hindsight is a wonderful thing as he has quite rightly pointed out. The bloke has given up his free time to commentate games on Wish FM, countless hours on the brilliant Cherry & White site and has submitted videos for Wigan TV too IIRC. No-one pays the guy a dime for it either.

Ian Lenagan should have a word in the ear of him for that. Stay professional and enjoy the success.

I take it back actually, I didn't realise the date of Bilko's comments I thought he'd said it after the final. Definitely a bit petty from Sam.

Agreed.

Ian Lenagan/Kris Radlinski should have a quick word with him.

Edited-I can see you didn't realise it was post Widnes.

I've been with you for a lot of the season and tried my best to back the club but things were really poor that night when Bilko made his comments. The comments were after the Widnes game so made some sense at the time. I think Bilko himself would say they were possibly a little OTT but he clearly had other things on his mind (which he's since explained in full and fair play because it's a very private matter).

Poor on Sam's part to go trying to points score against a fan who like us clearly loves the club. It's part and parcel of being a professional sportsman. Your work is there for all to see and people have opinions. There's a time and a place for Sam to have a word if he wants and that's not on social media for everyone to see.

It's left a bit of a sour taste in the mouth after a fabulous weekend to be truthful and I don't know Bilko from Adam.