Quite right and while the stock answer to this is he was always using Wigan as a stepping stone it was supposed to be a three season stepping stone not one where he looks for another job after less than 16 months. All this its OK and he isn't doing anything wrong because he may technically be able to get out of his commitment is just bonkers. He has screwed things up for the club by doing so, so he is in the wrong.

Hold on Dave he hasn't screwed anything up yet! I've voiced my concerns too but let's wait and see how we go from here shall we?

If he does indeed leave then it's with my best wishes. He's come in and done and great job, and hopefully has set us on the road to even more success in the future. However what I don't want is the uncertainty of what's happening having a negative impact on the players, and ruining any chances of silverware this year. I'd like to see an announcement made declaring either Madge will be here in 2012 or he won't be. It end's all the speculation and allows the players and fans to get on with this season ahead.

As for all this other stuff about him honoring his contract. Madge has always seemed an honest bloke to me, and I'd find it hard to believe that he'd do anything out of order. And the truth of the matter is we don't really no the intricacies of his contract, and I sure as hell ain't gonna start berating the man over something he or may not have done.

If he has a two year contract with the option of a further year (or a three year contract with the option of a move if an NRL club comes in) then IL has known the position all along and MM has far from "screwed things up for the club" - he's done precisely what his contract says whilst winning you (at least) one SL title in the process.

Not only that, he appears to be giving IL oodles of time to find a replacement by sorting something out early.

Hasn't screwed anything up yet ? have you seen our last 4 results? Its not just a coincidence !!

I have led you to a categoric statement from the club, not press rumour, on Maguire's contract terms and you prefer to believe the rumours and go on to say in another post its actually a fact he has a two year contract when you have absolutely no proof that is the case. Quite clearly you believe what you want to believe to suit your argument despite having club statements to the contrary shoved under your nose.

I can almost guess the response

I thought we had given up paraphrasing everything with "if he does leave" and the discussion was based on the assumption he was gone already. I'd be more than happy if this thread was a complete waste of time.

Well that is the pint isn't it "IF" he only has a two year deal but would you expect any club to put out the statement I have linked to if he didn't have a three year deal?



Well given the Souths vacancy needs filling now that is inevitable so I don't think he can earn browney points for that. I doubt he would have resigned now with no job to go to just to give IL pplenty of time to find a new coach.

What's the difference between a 3 year deal with the option to leave after 2 and a 2 year deal with the option to stay for a third year?

If he has the former then Wigan were perfectly entitled to announce it as a 3 year deal I reckon.

Look at football - lots of players have buy out / sale clauses but they don't get announced when they sign the contract; they only come up if someone looks to exercise one of these clauses. That's what I reckon has happened here.

Sorry Dave you misunderstand me. I believe it is a done deal but I don't believe it has to lead to the ruination of this season. I'm concerned about his ability to continue to give 100% but as Cruncher says he has certainly earned the right to have a crack at it. Also, whilst I take on board the Surgeon's comments it is still only April and we have plenty of time to turn things around. His impending move is just one factor we have had to contend with this season along with the WCC, injuries, Gleeson, etc.

All this talk of 2 years or 3 years is a little off the mark.

He has effectively served 1 year because year 2 will be disrupted by his impending departure (if it's not already).

Correct, dear me.

Only if the players are unprofessional, unless you're saying he'd have to quit at the end of the 2nd year of a 3 year contract because the players would know he was leaving then too?

You know for a fact he's been looking do you? Maybe as with all the best people he's been headhunted because of the works he done and been given an offer he couldn't refuse.

I haven't seen anything screwed up for the club, the knee-jerks rants are getting a bit OTT.

It could also have the other effect in that the players have become such a tight knit group under Maguire that they will want to send him out on a high, which is what I think will happen.

I'd be inclined to agree.

"seems like theres some sort of rumor here"




not to mention the grammatical & spelling errors of course ?

sorry,couldn't resist...

So now that it's more or less established Madge is going what is the favourite scenario for 2012?
Does SW get the job full time and someone gets promoted to No.2
Or
Do they look to Oz again
Or
They look to bring in one of your old boys Edwards/Hanley/Farrell
Or
Big money offer for a current SL coach?

No its different. Year 3 was always going to be a transition year - we know Wane is lined up to play a prominent role (probably head coach) and plans would have been made to handover responsibility throughout the 3rd year.

There were no such plans in place for this (2nd year)..Wigan now need to act quickly:-

Sort out his successor
Implement a transition plan (ASAP)
Ensure this season is a productive one building on last years triumph

This situation will be a difficult one to handle this year - mark my words.

If Maguire did go I am not sure I want Wane to take over the Head coach role.

I think Wane plays a vital role now at the club and we should be all means let him continue his role and bring in a head coach who is more a tactical thinker with fresh ideas to take us forward.

I don't believe anything yet, and even if I did it wouldn't matter a jot because I know no more and no less than you. There is minimal factual information in the public domain about this matter from which any of us can draw any firm conclusions. There are almost certainly numerous factors which did not make it into that old press release you're hanging onto for grim death, which could have created various alternative outcomes. You don't know about them, and likely as not you never will.

You'd better chill out, Dave. There's a hint of trouble in the camp and yet again it's you who's leading the witch hunt. Frankly, it's making you look a right prat.

Having read through all 13 pages of this thread, I think I'll put my oar in.

I personally don't know how anyone can be 'angry', 'disappointed', or 'upset' at Maguire. Or how anyone can say, "well he's clearly been talking to other clubs, he's not interested, sack him now!". Mick Potter whilst at Saints signed for Bradford after confirming his departure weeks earlier, he ended up taking them to the GF. Does that ring of non-commitment/interest? It's the same thing more or less to the situation here!

Michael Maguire, whilst at Melbourne, announced he'd be leaving to coach us - yet helped steer them to a GF success. Again, where is the non-commitment/interest?

Aside from that, no announcement has been made by the club. It's [inewspaper[/i speculation!! It's no more believable than Jordan's marriage's.

Should Maguire agree to go to Souths, I wouldn't be 'angry', 'disappointed' or 'upset'. He will of achieved his life's aim - to coach in the NRL. Wigan as a club will move on, and achieve many successes, with or without Maguire.

As a replacement for Maguire, I would love to see Shaun Edwards back in RL but the question is would he leave the mega bucks in RU?

No, you 'hope' it will happen.

As do I.

But recent form doesn't suggest that does it ?

I agree, and it looks more likely now that he was receiving offers as soon as we won the match at Old Trafford.