Maybe the club have not yet decided/ agreed what to do with Hock. Maybe they have been waiting for the new coach to come in? Cant announce anything if there is nothing to announce.

Don't you think our little Millward might have a few things to say about Wigan in the months and years ahead?
If there's a hole in our bucket anywhere Millward will be trying to find it.
Probably through blind faith I trust the people at Wigan to handle Gaz Hock and his situation with the delicate nature it needs. The club will be trying to help him as far as they can and are able to, I'm sure.
I hope Hock is successful in turning it all around, the last thing he needs is Millward mouthing off and giving him the dubious benefit of his opinion.

Wrong. He bears the club no ill will whatsoever.

This is the impression I was given too. Saints on the other hand....

Plenty of announcements were made before the new coach arrived. Deals were given to players as contracts expired throughout last season for example both before and after Hock's ban IIRC. This happened six months ago so plenty of time to decide on his future especially given most players in Hock's position just get sacked. A club doesn't cease to function while it waits for a new coach it wasn't certain of getting.

Dave

As usual in these matters, all bile is being directed at the club.... Have any of you who are considered that the club may be trying to help Gareth Hock, but he is undecided what he wants to do.... I am getting really fed up with all this speculation just because people who don't need to know the personal dealings twixt the club and Gareth Hock, think they should..

If Wigan announce that Hock is re-signing after his ban, Millward could just as easily comment that going to Aus would be a better move. Likewise, if Wigan announce that Hock is signing for another British club, he could say the same thing. In fact he may have MORE reason to say it under these circs, as he could then argue that Hock had made a mistake rather than just speculate.

It would be an "extraordinarily thing" for a coach to indirectly criticise another club's chairman????

Are you serious?

What's going to happen - is IL so powerful that he can get Millward's chairman to sack him purely for expressing a viewpoint?

Even in the highly unlikely event that holding this view was actually seen as criticism, it would most likely be seen as criticism of Hock for not making the correct decision about his own future. Accusing IL of making a deal that favours Wigan can hardly be seen as criticism.

You really are on dodgy ground with this one, Dave. I'd stick to just complaining that we haven't been told anything.

Quite right things started to happen weeks and months ago. But they have been announced because they had been sorted/ agreed by all parties. We have had nothing announced about our new sponsor yet because there is nothing to announce. Like wise Hock. Should they call a press conference regarding Hock, sit the press down and announce that there is nothing to announce? Maybe Hock wants time and space away from the sport while he sorts his personal life. Maybe he does not like what has been to put him? Who cares? In time when all concerned sit down and agree on something, then it will be announced.

Rubbish.

Dave wants to know NOW.

Absolutely. If he's piddled off at anyone, it is the Saints management. I say management because the fans were shocked and protested much at his departure and so I don't think he will feel similarly about the Saints fans. He should never have moved to Wigan but gone straight back home as he was clearly somewhat bothered by whatever it was that happened here. I'm glad he's back in the country and I hope he shakes and stirs it because things have become way too bland in recent times.

Press Conference:
IL: As you are all aware Gareth Hock's registration was terminated by the RFL for taking a banned substance.
Reporter: Can you tell us if you'll be re-signing him after his ban?
IL: Dunno
Reporter: Thanks for your time Ian.

Well he's also advocating that James Graham and James Roby head for Australia, so maybe the Saints fans may change their mind about him.

I might be in a minority but I wouldn't be too bothered if we didn't re-sign Hock. For all his natural talent he brings at least as many negatives to the club, both on and off the pitch. That said if he demonstrates to the new management that he has sorted himself out and they think him worthy of a new contract, I'd be happy to see if he can finish his career more positively.

Totally agree.

I'd personally like the club to end the Hock situation once and for all by detailing the plans for him! If there are none in place then sort some out or put an updated club view point out there!

Untill this happens we will see threads like this every three or four weeks asking what's happening regarding Hock.

The club doesn't need the same old crap popping up week after week when it's trying to start a fresh new chapter.

Get it sorted once and for all and let's be done with it

Prepare to get shot down pal. Common sense isn't usually accepted on here.

Its not the case that fans feel they need to know everything that goes on in the club as some people accuse, just that it would benefit the club and player by releasing a statement, stopping speculation and at the same time letting the fans know what's happening with one of our best players.

Nah. We all know what Basil is like. I doubt any Saints fan would object in principle to James Graham going to Australia in that we all think he could make it there, no problem. Obviously, we'd all be a tad upset if he did decide to up sticks because from a selfish POV we'd much rather have him here at Saints.

The thing is though mate in any walk of life it never stops speculation, there's always people who will want more regardless of what is said. Maybe they haven't announced anything because it's still under discussion (it is after-all a 2 way thing and not just a case of the club unilaterally deciding Hock's future).

Maybe you also don't put out in the public domain what you feel about a person and their private discussions with you until it's all done and dusted and you reach a mutual agreement and issue a statement that both parties are happy with.

Seriously what other walk of life has this unilateral dictatorship that can just make the result it wants happen whenever it wants. They aren't Obi-Wan Kenobi using the Jedi mind trick



See!





Not the same!, though there maybe some similarities

Hock will be at the DW tomorrow to discuss his future with the club. By all accounts IL has been crossing the i's and dotting the t's with the RL over what exactly he can and cannot do.

For me the Gareth Hock issue is a test for Micheal Mcguire and one that i hope he will handle correctly.

Hock is like you say a very naturally gifted player and in the right environment can reach his full potential with some smart coaching and some obvious adjustments to his lifestyle.

Listening to Ian Lenagan, Micheal Mcguire and Shaun Wane gives me confidence that we are working towards a winning culture and an envonment that promotes a proffesional apprach to the business, both on and off the pitch.

Any player that doesnt subscribe to this can expect to join Basil at Leigh Sports Village.

Really fail to understand what anyone will gain from a club anouncement, other than the opportunity to discuss the anouncement and speculate some more about something else.

Unless some fans have got some long term strategic planning to do and Gaz Hock's future is central to it. No, thought not.

As I see it.

Wigan will be doing their recruitment planning for 2011.
THEY need to know (us speccies don't) if Gareth Hock is part of those plans.

They will then know what their budget is, and what positions need to be targeted.

I suspect IL and MM will want answers and reasonably quickly so that they can make their plans.

Spot on.

It needs sorting now because the club need to know what positions they're looking for and how much will be in the budget. Hock is only going to be available for half a season and they may be able to arrange a staggered deal where he gets paid very little for the 2011 season and gets an increase there after.

I think one thing is for sure after his mistake and that is he shouldn't be on the same money as before. His wages should reflect the errors he's made and that basically he's starting out again(i know it can't be ultra low because other clubs will outbid us).

As he earns peoples trust he earns money cash and it's as simple as that for me.

The reason why there is still so much speculation is entirely the club's fault.



The last bit is the relevant bit, the club has still to do something it said it would, which is adding to the speculation it could have sorted out months ago.

The investigation by UK Sport was completed months ago and months before this Hock did make comment before the investigation was complete by selling his story to the Screws of the World and admitted his guilt before the B sample test was confirmed.

So not only did Hock screw the club by taking a banned substance, he screwed them again by making a quick buck by going to the papers and not keeping his mouth shut as stated.

A certain scrum half was rightly kicked out the club for mouthing to the papers a few years back. If Hock is kept on by the club he should consider himself extremely lucky. I'd have kicked him out for going to the papers after the fe[ic[/ikwit failed the test.

Can't disagree.

I would sooner all relevant parties take the time necessary to make the right decision in the interests of Wigan R.L.

Simple as that.