We're playing ourselves?

Yes, in those days we were so good we had to play ourselves to have any decent opposition

Don’t get me wrong I think there’s better coaches out there such as Jason Demetriou but I don’t think that appointing Tony Smith would be a bad idea. I think he’d steady the ship, get us playing to some form of logical game plan, improve our defence and recruit players we need whilst simultaneously firing off those who are patently not good enough (TT, Isa, Clubb, Shorrocks for example).

Its not as simple as firing players off. If they are under contract you need another club to take them on or their wage still counts on the cap simply just saying your going wont work

I’m not getting this, have a missed something?

We are spaced too wide around the ruck when defending our line, also, we don’t seem to want to get off our line, up and out when defending it too. These are rugby league basics when defending your line.

Reconstruct? Lam inherited a champion team who was on an unbeaten run. We lost a few key players which were already replaced.

We won, take the positives and stop moaning. Yes there’s huge room for improvement but we got the two points on offer. Don’t forget Salford dismantled Warrington, they’re not a bad side.

by inferior players

I'm talking long term, as in losing SOL, Tommy and Williams. There's more to a discussion than just the present... Whoever is appointed has to deal with that situation. Your "champion team" will be missing Sam, Bateman, Tommy, Williams and Lockers. The next manager, whoever is appointed has work to do with all this in mind. Burgess is out of contract, Dom may not come back the player he was. Gildart is rumoured to interesting the NRL. So yes our next coach has a hell of a lot to do. Or do you not agree?

Spot on post Mr A
It really doesn't really matter who we bring in as the next coach Wane, Smith or the lord god almighty as long as we have an owner who is on a mission to cut costs, we will struggle.
All successful teams are built around star players in pivotal positions. IL has overseen a period where our star players consistently want away from the club, why ?
Sam probably would still have been here had IL not wanted to cut his wages, its no secret that this, along with the non signing of Liam Watts was instrumental in SW saying he had enough.
When George goes next season who are we going to replace him with ? apparently Joe Greenwood isn't overly happy with life at the DW and Budgie wont be around for the long term, take those three out and we will struggle even in the Championship
Pedigree players don't come along that often and whilst you cant have a situation where the tail is wagging the dog you cant fill your yard with mongrels and expect to win Crufts.

So is this for real, or have you just made that bit up because it sounds good?

I'd say made up Greenwood looked happy enough to me yesterday !!

Quote ="Cruncher"So is this for real, or have you just made that bit up because it sounds good?'" https://www.facebook.com/groups/1632222510433603/

Quote ="Cruncher"So is this for real, or have you just made that bit up because it sounds good?'" https://www.facebook.com/groups/1632222510433603/

Joe Greenwood is one of the shining lights of the team and one for the future, we need to keep hold of him.

First things first, we need a coach with experience but still fresh, someone to start the rebuilding process like Maguire did in 2010.

Someone who knows how to win (not as a player but as a coach) and plays an attractive brand of rugby or inspires the players to do so.

Someone who will come in and get rid of all the hangers on within the club and stop the jobs for the boys culture and get the right back room staff in.

It needs to be someone with their finger on the pulse, I’m not too sure Lammy does with regards Superleague before he came, but whoever gets the jobs needs to know Superleague well.

Then we need to back him financially, the core of the team is 1, 7 and 9 and this is where money should be spent as a priority with at least 2 international (1st tier nations) props as a minimum. We have Hardaker at 1 but if true then be told it’s only a matter of time before he drops a b****ck and leaves the club, harsh but true. 7 and 9 are a must.

If it was up to me, I’d draw up a short list of Daryl Powell and Chris Chester from Superleague, both have built their squads up and play attractive rugby, Tim Sheens would be on there too but for his age, I don’t think he’d have the hunger to be honest.

Then add in former SL coaches Tony Smith and Justin Morgan, with the latter being the favourite mainly due to the added experience he’s gained, he would have the hunger to go at it again, Smith I’m not so sure of.

Then the Overseas coaches, Shane Flanagan, would he shoot back of to the NRL once given a chance? Jason Demetriou? Lacks experience and it’s essy to get a good name as an assistant coach on the back of another coaches or teams name but saying that he’s been successful in the reserve grades coaching by winning titles, if successful at Wigan he’d be off like a shot to the NRL.

Answers on a postcard.

Not moaning. Really no need for that.
I wasn't referring to the Salford game.

Lam signed a 1 year contract with Wigan. His job was to lead a champion side to more success within a small time period. The 'champion team' is a reference to this season, as currently we are defending champions, which means we aren't missing Tommy George or Lockers. We're missing 3 players Tomkins, Bateman and Sutton. Which were replaced with Hardaker, Greenwood and Bullock. Are they as good as the 3 departing? Perhaps, perhaps not. But lets face it, each team will lose players, difference is, we are a team/squad which are defending champions minus a few which have been replaced.

For a new coach, or if Lam does end up coaching long term; it's exciting, to review, Tommy is an average 7 and a decent/good 9, not superb or outstanding. Lockers is class; one of my favs, but in recent years his games per season aren't great, and George, I rate George but his departure opens up a marquee spot, next season we'll have more money under cap and marquee spots to build, exciting times...

That's if of course, going along with your hypotheticals... Lockers and Tommy do retire and George does leave. All are very possible, especially George, but as far as I'm aware nothing's been confirmed on any of the 3 you mentioned.

But if the marquee comes from overseas we are in a worse position cap wise as 150k will count on the cap opposed to George's 75k. So before we start we are worse off

I’m not disagreeing for the sake of it but whilst the club would never say it, Lam was not brought in to bring us success. He was brought in to have an average season with Edwards taking over the year after. Lam was a stop gap, but that dynamic has obviously changed.

Let’s face it, George is gone. It’s a matter of when not if it is announced. But as the other poster said, him going only frees up £75k on the cap. I think we will miss him massively.

Almost right. It does free up £75k on the cap but it also frees up a marquee spot, should Mr Lenegan choose to use it. Now I’m a huge fan of Williams but the prospect of a marquee halfback from Australia or NZ excites me a lot. Assuming Williams has gone, I only hope we do bring in a marquee player because if the rumours are to be believed, Chris Aitkin from Hull KR is lined up to replace him and I’d honestly shed tears if that happened.

I wonder how many more fans it would lose, Surely Lenagan can't be that tight or stupid

We already have a marquee spot free though?! Funny Lenagan was one of the main voices to get two but now only has one (to be zero).

What makes you think we've only got one?
Any Wigan trained player on over 75k will immediately be worthy of a marquee spot
Farrell
Lockers
Gildart
Budgie
Etc
Whichever one of those earns the most will be the 2nd marquee behind with Williams
Unless one of the non trained players earns more over 150k than any of the above do over 75k
You k ow
Players like
Hardaker
Sarginson
Tommy
Greenwood
Etc

I'd be right next to you on that one.
But... I can see it happening.

I think that people are assuming we only have George as marquee because we were told by the club that Sam T was our first marquee and that George was our second. When Sam T left they did not announce that any existing player (or the subsequently signed Hardaker, Bullock or Sammut) had replaced him as a marquee player. In the lack of any declaration on the club's part we can only assume that they have kept the marquee slot vacated by Sam unused.

It may be a vain hope but if by not using the £75k Sam T had cost (in terms of the cap) this season it allows us to bring in one marquee player costing £150k for next year once George leaves and his £75k becomes available, without needing to lose yet another player worth 75k+ next year to make space, then that may be the reason it is seemingly not being used this year.