Now our season is over, am I right that Phil Bailey is now out of contract with the club? Not seen an announcement either way for him.

I get a feeling he will go and his wage (and quota spot) will be used on a new player signed with the blessing of our new coach.

I'm sure someone said he'd signed a year extension on a reduced wage? Not sure, I could just be making things up again.

Don't know how true this is, but heard that he has signed for another year. Its just no announcement has been made yet. IMO Bailey is a decent squad player but his money could be utilised better on someone else.

Reduced pay and knowing hes behind Tomkins and Mossop i'm ok with the decision for a extra year.


Decent squad player and seems to be a big influence with the youngsters.

Utilised on who? Bailey is our best 2nd rower now that Hock is out and I don't see many decent 2nd rowers available for next year..

Utilised on a prop, for me which we need more than anything at the moment. The second row at Wigan is quite healthy at the moment with the likes of Hansen,Tomkins,Mossop and with Liam Farrell deserving a shot next year too. Its not that i don't like Bailey we just need to strenghen other areas now.

He is a great guy but we need a big forward in his place and we can sign quality with the money left by him Smith and Flash.

The trouble is that he was injured quite seriously. A one-year extension is not justified if he's going to be in rehab for the next four or five months, which is one amazing figure I was given.

However, he is a very popular guy at the club and apparently he's well settled here. I'm wondering if some kind of coaching position could be found for him.

Ive heard Phil Bailey and numerous other squad members are due to start a university course at UCLAN next year so for this reason alone I think its safe to say Bailey will still be a wigan player next year.

Id imagine he will be on a reduced contract though!

Yeah seven first teamers are doing a strength and conditioning course.

By all accounts according to IL at the shareholders meeting they want to keep bailey because he is a player everyone looks up to and respects in the changing room.

Suits me, I just hope the new coach put his focus on bringing the likes of Farrell through rather than playing safe with Bailey week in week out like what Noble would have done!

Bailey for me can go, he's nothing but excess baggage and we've got to much of that already.

If we wish to progress there's no point in being ruthless with the coaching staff and not with the players, we've got to be cut throat with the squad members and get rid of the weak links.

I think bailey is out best 2nd rower, I can't understand how ppl are so critical of him. We're rock solid when he is in there talking us through defending.

However, I suffered same injury as bailey a few days before him and can't see him returning to light training any time soon. For that reason and risk of re rupture I'd hope he is on the suggest 50% wage decrease. My hamstring and calf seem to takes a hammering everytime I walk so I'd worry his season could be injury plagued.

Worth the risk as he is a very good versatile player.

I was speaking to Bailey at end of season dinner awards and he said he had sorted a year extention that week with Lenagan.

I think he has signed a one year extension but I hope that he hasn't and our new coach can make the final decision.

We can all make judgements on players onfield preformences but what we can't judge is their influence behind the scenes and thats something that Bailey is meant to be. Everytime one of the young lads like Tomkins, O'Carroll, Goulding etc gets interviewed they will normally mention the influence Bailey has on them in training and i suppose thats something we can't afford to let go due to us having so many young players in and around the squad.

I'm happy enough with him being kept on but would like to see him used in a role where he'll get rests from time to time to give the likes of Farrell and Mossop an opportunity. They will then get his experience in training and some gametime to show what they're made of.

Well it depends how long its been arranged that whoever takes over will be our coach. If it was decided and agreed a while ago maybe it was his decision.

Could be and I hope it is.

I heard his contract depends on how he recovers from injury.

Couldn't Bailey be employed as 'Assistant Reserves Coach' whilst he is injured he would be kept on off the salary cap therefore still having him around the club to influence the young lads coming through. (Hope IL and MH are reading I can be the clubs ideas man).



And then maybe when he is ready for training/playing towards the end of the season defer his wages as a coach and only sign him on a low contract as he has made his wage as a coach for the couple of months therefore allowing more cap space to be utilised on essentials starting with a hous3 prop.

I think all announcements about coaches / players will be made on weds.

Any wages a coach earns in a season he then starts playing in get counted as part of his salary cap value as a player.

Dave

id be more than happy with bailey staying next year, tomkins and mossop are nowhere near the finished articles yet so bailey around with a bit of guidance would be an extremely good thing. id perhaps use him in more of a prop role.

He doesnt offer anything more than the 2 though?...he is well paid and a quota player.

Are you seriously saying Hansen and Tomkins are better than Bailey?