Wane and Harris contracts up at the end of the season.

Will they stay or will they go?

Will it just be the players whom the NRL clubs poach?

Intresting post... not pondered that one...

It's taken years for the NRL to finally admit that we've got players over here they could make use of. I think it'll be a few years more before they start taking notice of ours coaches as well (Mal Reilly excepted of course, though that was another era). I suppose assistant slots might be open.

The salary cap doesn't apply to coaches, so the NRL won't have the same draw as it does for the players. I can't see IL letting NRL teams outbid us for quality coaches

If Wigan offered Wane a lifetime contract on half decent money he'd sign it but Harris is obviously a different case.

Harris to the NRL would be good for his development at some point.

Dont be too sure of that.

I have head a pretty scary point yeaterday. Wane will be coaching at the warriors next year we can all count on that but will the tie up with our NZ counterparts include just swapping our players!!!

If Wane signed a lifetime contract, would Harris want to leave soon after...

I thought that the appointment of Long was odd when we have Harris, Deacon and Winder. Made me wonder if either Wane was going to move on and Harris move up to head coach (unlikely) or whether Harris had been looking at other opportunities, be it in SL or NRL

Cant see Wane moving on, he lives and breathes this club and is doing an excellent job. Win win for both sides.

Harris, would love to see him stay but would completely understand if he wanted to take on a head coaching challenge somewhere else.

Ultimately, Harris will want to get back into head-coaching, while Paul Deacon will have the same ambition. And as SL is awash with poor coaches at present, it seems to me that it won't be long before they get their chance.

But here's a thought - how safe is Shaun Wane?

I've been bigging him up in recent weeks. How can you not when he's won so many games? But if Wigan fail to win a pot this year, what will happen? I feel that IL was hoping to start a revolution with the appointment of Michael Maguire and yet, to some extent, felt honour-bound to take a risk and replace Madge with Wane simply because Wane had been here so long. But IL surely won't feel any obligation towards Waney now, especially not if we have another trophy-free season (and the revolution is, in effect, put on hold again).

And if Wane goes, will that create an opportunity for his underlings? In which case, will they be in a rush to leave, or will they hang around to see what's on offer at Wigan?

Dont rule out Wane to NZ Warriors. He is big mates with dean bell and its no coincidence bell and wayne surrah the NZ Warriors CEO stayed at wanes house for their trip here recently.

Harris to head coach

I agree that I think Harris will want a head coach role sometime in the future.

However weren't we all saying at the start of the season that this is a transition period for Wigan and that we weren't expecting any trophies for a couple of season.

Given the position we are in now and the way we have started the season, I'd be disappointed if we didn't at least make one of the two finals. Having said that I think it would be harsh to let go of Wane at the end of the season if we did end it trophyless.

No chance.

Perhaps one other way is that Wane will be here but Harris won't.

I think Harris might go else where and i think thats why we've brought Long in. If Harris goes, Long will be promoted to assistant with Deacon.

Which would be in effect, a 'dumbing down' process ?

Longs IQ is just about his shoe size.

When we had Maguire, we knew he was intelligent.

Hell, isn't he a graduate and a qualified teacher ?

As with players why would a young ambitious coach not want to go and learn from the best? We saw the advancement at wigan under madge would it not be a good idea to send a coach on a two year deal with a view to coming back a better head coach?

Lets actually start using these partnerships in the one place the rfl cant hold us back with rules that try to lower the standards to that of the ones who cant be d and thats coaching.

IMO will depend on of they deliver silverware this season, if they do they will get an extension if not again IMHO they will not be retained

I'd be stunned if an NRL side came looking for head coaches in the UK. Why do they need to be looking over here for coaches? Particularly Wane who is still unproven as a head coach as the NRL won't view winning the league once and leading it at the moment as proving anything much at all.

I am also not sure why they would want to take a UK coach as an assistant so they could learn from working in the NRL because what is in it for the NRL team?

Harris and Deacon may want to move on should a head coaching opportunity arise in the UK but they do IMO need to be careful where they go. It's got to be harder working as a coach at some of the lesser SL teams. Look how Brown is struggling at Saints.

As to Wane's position being safe it is hard to say. IL doesn't view this as a rebuilding year.

I remember an interview from IL early in the season where he said he felt if the young players performed in SL well then he saw no reason why we would not contest finals. Well the young players have done very well so I expect IL sees no reason to alter that view.

He may be generous and give Wane the third year option (he has a two year deal with the option of a third) if we don't do that and even though I am not 100% convinced by Wane myself it would seem harsh not to do so especially if we win the LLS again.

Then again IL may do as Wigan did years ago and replace a pair of successful coaches because there is an even better one available. Clarke and McInnes won the cup in 1985 but were replaced by Graham Lowe not long after.

Finally there is always the chance Wane may feel an extra year isn't enough if that is all that is on the table. I doubt it though and if he is given another year and takes it I think it will definitely be win a CC or GF or he will be gone.

Harris will be the one leaving, this is why Long was brought in. I've been told Harris is going to Salford as a result of a shake up at the end of the season. My thought would be Deacon steps up to assistant as I can't see Long leapfrogging Deacon straight to assistant

Just out of interest, as someone who is "not 100% convinced by Wane," if this season goes down a similar route to last year, who would you view as a better, realistic option as a head coach?

FWIW I think IL is looking to build the squad around a coaching team of Wane, Harris and Deacs and unless there is a major disaster he'll get another contract at the end of this year for sure, IMO.

I don't think the question will arise as I reckon Wane will get the years option anyway and I think he will take it.

As to who is better whoever IL feels he needs to employ to take the team forward. I never saw Madge coming. I don't think anyone did, did they? I can't see him going for anyone currently coaching in the UK so it could literally be any highly thought of coach from down under. I don't think we need to qualify it with "realistic" either. Money isn't an object as far as coaches go and given Madge came out of the blue it would not surprise me if something similar happened again. But this is hypothetical because as I said I think Wane will be offered and will take another year.



He won't persist with them if they don't bring success. As far as IL is concerned I don't think this is a long term project at all in that he isn't thinking of waiting for several years before we win a CC or GF. IMO Wane will have three years to deliver it.

IL had a plan for success when Madge came here which included trophies toward the end of Madge's (supposed) three year deal. Madge delivered early but why would he give the current coaching set up any longer? IL's patience ran out with Noble after just over 4 years so how long do you think Wane should be given to deliver success compared to his two predecessors?

I wonder if Harris would be tempted for a move to union? Edwards has been in Union for a while now, Ford was there for a long time too. At his age it may be his best move has it seems to offer better long term career prospects. Look at league and the coaches change each month.. also we have a dummy for a national coach. Harris must have contemplated studing the dark arts for a second time...

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ie-3306747 "Noble also has to find a new assistant coach with Sean Long standing down after Friday’s clash with Wigan. And he may have to look beyond the current Wigan duo of Paul Deacon and Iestyn Harris despite working with both in the past. According to Warriors bosses, both Harris and Deacon are happy and are set to honour their existing contracts alongside head coach Shaun Wane." Looks like none of them are leaving after all.

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ie-3306747 "Noble also has to find a new assistant coach with Sean Long standing down after Friday’s clash with Wigan. And he may have to look beyond the current Wigan duo of Paul Deacon and Iestyn Harris despite working with both in the past. According to Warriors bosses, both Harris and Deacon are happy and are set to honour their existing contracts alongside head coach Shaun Wane." Looks like none of them are leaving after all.

The only real reason they would leave Wigan is for more money, no doubt the success of the current Wigan squad is doing no harm to their coaching CV's and they have a good chance of being part of a trophy winning team whereas Salford are 5+ years of that scenario.