It was Dave Woods 5live interview podcast.

Could it be along the lines of ?

Edwards " Mr Lenegan I think we need to sign some world class players for when I become coach, I talked about it when I was announced as coach and know exactly how I would like to develop the team"

Lenegan. " Sorry Shaun, no money"

Edwards " If I become coach"

Hypothetical of course.

Hard to say whether the blame for this uncertainty lies with Edwards himself or the club management at the moment, but the longer it goes on, the more poorly it reflects on both parties.

The most cynical interpretation is either the club hyping a possibility in the hope of increased season ticket sales or an ex-club legend trading on his reputation to bolster options in the other code.

I'm not prepared to go there yet - but one side or the other ought to nip this in the bud and clarify the actual situation.

Edwards comments certainly don't seem like the comments of someone who is committed to the cause and looking forward to the challenge. It's almost as if he sees coming to Wigan as a brief hiatus from his proper job - the job that he really wants to get back to. Maybe I'm being cynical, but I can't help but think these comments are more of a 'come and tempt me' plea to England rugby union.

We might as well forget this charade now before it goes on any further. Lam 'doing a year' at Wigan is fine because he's the interim coach, but a so called permanent head coach who sees it as 'doing a year or two' (he supposedly has a 3 year contract??) isn't really taking the whole thing seriously at all.

We already pretty much know that Lenagan was lying when he said he was searching all over for our next head coach because he then said he always wanted Edwards. He's basically gone out of his way to try to tempt Edwards regardless of the suitability of other coaches available - and it seems like he's really had to sell it to him and still Edwards isn't fully buying it.

I concur with most posters; the more I hear about this, the less I like it. Surely a statement by the Club is needed sooner rather than later?

In all honesty im not that fussed if he comes or not. I would like to see what he can do as head coach but im less than certain that he would be the major success that most people think he would. 20 years away from the game is a long time and he has no RL coaching experience. The whole thing is a gamble to start with that could go either way.

We should have got him for this season and next fine coach who is doing miracles with next to money at Salford

This combined with a slow start is all very demoralising.

I said it before and I’ll say it again, I don’t know what all the fuss is about Edwards. It’s like people are thinking he’s the second coming. If he coaches us fine, if he doesn’t then I won’t be losing any sleep over it.

He's certainly making himself a less attractive proposition. Even if he arrived, how long would he last? Could we ever trust him to put the club's interests ahead of his next big gig in Union?

I've said all along that Shaun's decisions will be heavily weighted by the health of his parents, who are now probably both in their late 70's or early 80's.

Won't Shaun be the most decorated player and coach to ever take up the position?

The problem is that we have all been very clearly told that the decision has been made, only to hear time and again statements by Edwards that are causing some of us to ask what the hell is going on. I’m with Cruncher here. The whole thing is beginning to portray the club in a poor light.

If he doesnt come IL needs to go

Still won’t have coached in RL for the last 20 years,for me I think it’s a poor appointment that’ll last a couple of years at best even if it does come off

This is absolutely embarrassing.

Williams to NRL
Bateman is coming back, but not according to Bateman.
Points docked
Bad start

Now this

ILs obsession with getting Edwards as coach has forced Wane out.

I’m normally a happy clapper but this is a joke.

This.

Again I’m traditionally a glass 3/4 full type when it comes to IL. He has sorted pretty much every facet of the club in his tenure and deserves HUGE credit

However..

This is bloody embarrassing

Annoyed at Edwards too, especially after giving video interviews inside the stadium with a bloody Wigan staff polo shirt on!

Comical and damaging not just to Wigan but to the whole sport, if he changes his mind and stays in onion with Wasps (as is rumoured)

Lenegan has done a brilliant job up until 2017/2018. Ever since then he’s made bad decision after bad decision imo and we’re starting to look like a laughing stick, minimal investment into the first 17 and now this coaching debacle, both choices were wrong and we should have just got someone like Watson/Furner for 3/4 years

I still think Edwards will come in 2020, how long for remains to be seen. I think it’s pretty obvious and has been for a while that he will go back to RU, probably with Wales.

But just for the sake of debate; who else could we look at? Ian Watson would be a good shout IMO but as a bolt from the blue what about James Ford? If not as head coach as assistant head coach to learn his trade in Super League. He is a fantastic coach, taking an unfancied and uninspiring York squad up from L1 as champions and now flirting with the top of the Championship. When Edwards does come in I wouldn’t mind him appointing Ford as an assistant.

Firstly I will say I have a huge amount of respect for IL and what he has done for the club. The turnaround from when he took over to where we are now is nothing short of miraculous.

We cannot let a poor start to the season and this issue cloud our judgement on what he has brought to the club.

I do however get the feeling that he or someone at the club attempts to spin stitustions with a view of taking a negative and turning it into either a positive or moreover an attempt to soften the blow in an attempt to reduce the impact of revenue streams into the club, such as merchandise and attendance figures.

I think this is a somewhat short sighted policy. We as fans cannot and should not expect to know the ins and outs of what goes on at the club, however I’m of the opinion it is much better to rip the plaster off rather than peel it off slowly. People will get over things much quicker than having these now almost regular on going sagas when players leave of their future return or trying to outsmart the cap etc.

Basically deal with the issue and move on, if certain clauses are in players contracts for a potential return don’t publicise them as you are just creating expectation and storing problems for the future.

I don’t know who is accountable for some of the spin that we try to put on things and I’m not pointing the finger. What I do think however is that a World Class administrator should be running our club on a day to day basis. Rads due to his lack of experience in such a role really doesn’t fill me with confidence. That may be harsh but I just don’t see without experience elsewhere and understanding how other clubs run in our game and other sports he can I still a best practice culture as a top administrator.

Best thing we can do is simply stick to facts to the best of our ability, as a min review:

Positives:

Edwards-been announced as a coach from 2020, not the most welcoming dialogue from him, but from a factual standpoint he's still coming, this is a major signing.

We can only judge these at the time of signing or as of now:

Recent Signings:

GREEN/AMBER/RED

Greenwood (V happy with) GREEN
Hardaker (Happy with as a player, however there's a reason why we signed him) AMBER
Bullock (looks positive but untested in top flight competition AMBER
Hankinson used salary cap as cover, was this a good move? AMBER
Sammut; 31 going on 32 fallen short at SL level to date with lower standard clubs, was looking for a regular job after leaving London RED

Issues:

Bateman- claimed to be coming back to Wigan after 2 seasons in the NRL. Not accurate from the club. RED


Other information to consider, in ILs time we've seen a number of top players in their prime level our club for greener pastures.

TOMKINS NZW
TOMKINS CATS
TOMKINS (J) SARRIES
MOSSOP PARR
SARG GCT
BURGESS SYD
TOMMY NZW
SUTTON CAN
WILLIAMS?

Whilst under contract.

MM and FPN also

Every cloud has a silver lining somewhere.

never missed a game and very rarely a tackle. People called hisa go forward but he run to find the floor for a quick PTB, he played how his coach wanted him too

The words Edwards has used in interviews are not helpful and fuel speculation and speculation is what journalists thrive on. You only have to look at some of the headlines from various RL new sites which seemed to get more sensationalist by the day.

The idea Edwards will return to RU one day seems to have rubbed a few people up the wrong way. Why? No coach is ever going to be Wigan coach for life and all he has said is he wants a long career in coaching generally. Is this supposed to be news?

I am still of the opinion he will be coach next season. If he isn't, well that will go down in history as one of the most momentous balls ups in all my time watching Wigan. How can you parade such a high profile signing in front of the press and then not have it come off? What can that possibly do the reputations of all involved but trash them?

Edwards reputation is built on honouring his commitments which is why he's not head coach in 2019 so for him to go back on his word destroys that in an instant. If IL has decided he doesn't want him or has done something to make Edwards position untenable before he even gets here then his reputation is toast as well. As others have implied he's been economical with the truth over Bateman and I personally have never liked the way he spins things but lining up Edwards and then not employing him will be the last straw for many Wigan fans who rightly in my view are questioning how the club is being run recently particularly over recruitment of players.

The only way Edwards walks away from this with his reputation in tact is if IL shafts him and if so IL can expect a lot lower season ticket sales and I'd even go as far as saying calls for him to sell the club. If Edwards instigates not coming of his own bat then that's his reputation in Wigan destroyed but it won't do much for IL's either for being made a fool of.

So I go back to my original point of view which is he will be here as coach next season. I think there is too much to lose for both Edwards and IL for this not to happen. And in any case there is always the possibility he really does fancy the job!