IL has been on a number of fact-finding trips to Australia, the purpose of which only now are we really learning about.

The initial assumption was that he was looking for players, but it also sounds as though he had several lengthy sessions with Wayne Bannett and Craig Bellamy about the best way forward for a club like Wigan, who are a massive name but have underperformed badly in recent years. They were the ones who directed him to Maguire, but he's clearly very impressed with the overall set-up at the Storm, which he may well be looking to emulate over here.

Just to add to what cruncher has written Lenegan has also received help from both Tony Rea and an unnamed agent in his search for the right coach.

What I found significant was the fact that Lenegan had earmarked potential signings for the future only for McGuire to see them and disprove of them.

Makes a change from our chairman signing players behind the coach's back.

When Lenegan said that McGuire had disapproved of his targets I just thought to myself good, who better than McGuire to select are overseas signings from now on. He's only just now leaving the NRL, he'l know every player inside out and with a little time over hear realising are weaknesses when it does come time to recruit I'm sure that are overseas player recruitment will improve ten fold.

8-2 wasn't it?

I'm also encouraged to hear that players 'want to play for Maguire'. That will definitely mean something when we next look Down Under.

After reading all this I will take back everything I said on Wednesday, looks like a coach that we are in need of and can look forward to watching our team again without thinking, "god do we have to go today" because sometimes over the last couple of years is how I've felt and I know many others have. Hopefully Maguire will get some passion back into the fans aswell as the players.

You're probably right. Even the fondest memories fade ...

It's a bit like when Noble came.. he was the saviour who was going to wave his magic wand. I guess we'll have to see how MM gets on but am I missing something here? This is the guys first head coach job and no matter how highly rated he is.. he will still have a learning curve. It'll be interested to see how long the Club and fans stay behind him.

I think the reason because everyone is so optimistic is because before Noble came the whole club setup was just a bit messed up, the structure within the club throughout the 1st team down to the academy is much better, the squad depth is better, and the players coming off contract next year all make it the perfect time for a new coach to come in.

Nobles set the base of the club for a new innovative coach to come in, put the finishing touches and hopefully take the team up to the next level which it just didn't look like doing under noble.

Although Maguire hasn't had a head coaching position before, 2 of the best coaches in the game rate him extremely highly and thats good enough for me.

Of course thats true, but I think it's becoming clear that the role of an assistant coach in the NRL has been far more than an assistant in SL. Thats why I think the guy will make the transition well.

About 3 seconds I'd say

Glad you have said that, we need everyone behind the new coaching set up!

Yes, one of the leading coaches from the NRL had no chance of success without Mini Rogues backing.

Noble was the saviour and he did wave a magic wand.

We were relegation certainties when he arrived, and in the end we only just missed the play-offs.

As others have said, however. He reached the apparent limit of his capabilities not long after that. The club can't do any more than look for the next man in the place that has become a by-word for modern RL thinking.

I still think the turning point of that season was the sacking of Millward not the appointment of Noble, but as I have said in other thread on the playing side we have not progressed enough but he has certainly laid the foundations by introducing some great systems to the club.

Now is the time to kick on Maguire in my opinion is the perfect coach for us to do that.

Pleased that a change has been made and to get one of the most highly rated young coaches in Australia should be very significant for Wigan, his knowledge of the NRL could be crucial in terms of signing oversea's quality players.

I hope now that we can strenghthen the squad in the right areas in time for the 2010 season. I dont feel that we did that in 2008/09 under Noble.

Its great to get a new coach in 'peace times' instead of in a crisis (as has been the case for so many years)

Noble has put he club in a much better position than when he arrived and he whould be thanked for that, this season has been positive if inconsistent with a number of young player establishing themsevles in the side

Looking forward to the coaches getting an off season with the squad instead of coming in 1/2 way though a season.

Its obvious from hearing Wane speak that thes will not only be expected to perform to high standards but also improve themselves, if not they will be gone

Are you mystic meg, its practically 12 months to the day. I got ever so confused reading page 19. Then realised its actually 2010 not 2009.

But my god everything Norweb said is practically true.

I got a tad confused too, then realised there must be a very good reason for resurrecting this thread. Perhaps it was to give end of season awards to mini rouge and flying kelvin?

It's not always great saying I told you so

Fair play, you could see something some of our own fans couldn't.

and that he did....what an incredible year! It was clear to see from the off that Maguire was the right man for the job. I just hope we can keep him for as long as possible.