Carry on.......

It'd be worth getting Jones just to get Owen back.

...And his Dad.

OK I'll continue......
The other more likely outcome if Jones does arrive at Wigan is that he'll be the Performance Director following Joe Lydon's departure.
That's of course if he does arrive here!

Farrell as house prop, Shane Williams as fullback, Dan Carter as the replacement 6, and Luke McCallister at centre please.

Be worth breaking the celery cap to see the results!

With the current wage structure mate, I don't think that would break the cap, but it may run it close.

Obviously that would be the entire squad listed above, but hey!!!!!

I'd take McCallister in a flash though - weren't we linked with him a few years ago when he was breaking through?

According to the Guardian, this may not be something that Brian Noble will welcome, and I may be interpreting this wrongly, but my first read of this was Eddie Jones going to be a direct replacement for Brian. Either way, this will cause disruption to the Wigan camp. I hope they put these rumours to bed quickly!

timesonline.typepad.com/rugby_league/

timesonline.typepad.com/rugby_league/

I would surmise NO. He would cost too much.

Owen Farrel would be our best signing from Saracens anyhow.

Check the signings / rumour thread.

We can only wait and see, but if these stories first emerged over Christmas - as The Guardian claims - then it doesn't seem to have affected BN's and IL's relationship much. They were nattering away quite happily at the last couple of friendlies.

If Jones and Brian can work together positively without creating tension or cliques, then this could be a really good move for us. I just get nervous when I hear that Brian and Ian aren't getting along and a third party is being introduced.

On the other hand the press often misinterpret creative tension for the good of a team, as a bust up scenario. Just because two people have different views, doesn't mean they don't work well together.

Up until now I was very positive about this season, feeling that we were coming out of the tunnel and only lacked a few signings off of being a really good team again. I just hope this is not a sign of discord in the camp otherwise we will go backwards again.

As if the press were ever going to put an rosey and positive outlook in regards to another successful coach joining the Wigan staff.

Stuff like this is a reporters dream.

I'm not looking into it too much.

I would not read anything into it. Brian Noble surrounds himself with 'friends' He would not work with Jones and Lenagan will never sack a coach because he will have to pay compensation.

If IL wants to hire him in some capacity though there is not much Noble can say, there is no way he can come in as the senior coach, but possibly as a player performance manager which most clubs now have but i am not sure if we do.

Its hard to say what IL has in mind really as Noble is into the last year of his contract maybe IL is looking longer term beyond the Noble era. IL must certainly have started thinking about the coaching position next year. I am sure if he is sacked (which will not happen in my opinion) he will be due compensation, but if he choses to walk away that is another matter.

As i said on the other thread IF he comes it will be very interesting to see in what capacity and Nobles reaction to it. I agree with Alex though to be fair, i would be suprised if the move did happen, as even if he leaves Sarries there must be other clubs in Union that would covet his signature and be able to offer more financially to recruit him.

Your last point is the more valid IMO. If we can't attract RU players how can we attract coaches? The gulf between the 2 sports is widening daily, with Sky showing up to 8 live games a week. There is simply no way we can compete, I'm afraid.

The only thing that may be of interest to him is that it for his own personal development.

The bloke will not be short of a bob or 2 in fact he is probably financially very comfortable and could retire tomorrow, he does seem to have an interest in League and as has been mentioned on some of the articles is a keen student of the game, if his motivation is purely financial i would doubt we could compete, or would want to given he has no experience of League, but if he is looking at the possibility for intrinsic reasons then there could be a chance.

Its all speculation though and paper talk, i personally would like to see it happen in a Player Performance Management roll, but i just cannot see it.

Don't all Superleague Clubs HAVE to have a player performance manager in place?

I'm sure I've seen in mentioned before.

Yes they do which is why i thought we may be being linked with him, as i am not aware anyone has that position at Wigan.

I take it that you mean 8 games including matches played in the Southern Hemesphere as well.

Union has a problem coming. Over the last decade most clubs have been proped up by the so called sugar daddies. First of these clubs was the Newcastle Falcons which was ran by the former Newcaastle Fotball club owner. Now its becoming a very expensive game to run and its rumored they can not keep Johny Wilkinson when his contract expires. Bristol is another feeling the crunch. Though teams like Leicster, London Irish do flourish well. Over half the union clubs are now facing a financial problem. The Welsh WRU were forced over 6-7 years ago to go to regional rugby of the clubs would have gone bust.

Almost half the union are clubs are facing a similar dilema in England. A good number of clubs have poor standard stadia compared to what most SL clubs will have and football stadiums in the country.

Re: Eddie Jones there is no chance of him going to another union club in England as that would mean a coach getting sacked for him to get a job in the first place. Apart from Wasps no other side at the bottom of the table would be able to afford his wage demand. Id be surprised if he took the Bristol job given that they are odds on to go down. Newcastle are broke and Worcster has no chance of achieving anything in the next few years. That only leaves Wasps as the only place he could go and that means Ian Mcgechan and Edwards getting sacked, and i cant see that happening.

Eddie Jones is the best union coach over the last decade or so if he does come it will benefit the club in getting it professionally set up. But it cant be at the expense of Nobles authority.

Good post, and a good point regarding the televised games as League runs up 5 games a week if you include Setanta.

I think he may have options in Union world wide, given his reputation, which is why i still doubt it will happen although i agree with you i think it would be a very good addition to the clubs set up.

I think a few coaches are now setting themselves up as "rugby" coahes rather than League or Union coaches, the likes of Edwards, Jones, Hanley, Kelly to name a few, i feel we may well see this become more and more of a trend over the years.

A job in France is a real option given how poor they did in the Heineken cup

France would be a major lure and financially they would have the clout, although it seems to me they are moving somewhat away from the foreign invasion they have run with in the past few years and the emphasis has changed somewhat to a more French based player and coach set up, or at least the shft seems to be starting and there is a bit of a backlash on the foreigners involved in the game over there, still for a proven coach like Jones i am not sure this would be too much of an issue to any prospective employers in France.

IF it did happen and he did come to Wigan i would expect there to be a bit of a media frenzy about it especially in Union circles/press which would be nice to see.

I assume the usual suspects have already contacted the club about this Jones rumour like they did about the playing games at LSV one. I mean what's more important:

1. The coaching set-up with its direct effect on the players and the performance of the team throughout the season.

or

2. Playing two games at Leigh.

Re the number of games I was referring to Heinken cup weekends. They have regularly shown 1 Thursday, 1 Friday, a choice of 2 via the red button Saturday at 1 pm, then games at 3, 5, 7 pm then 2 live games Sunday. Incl the red button game (though you can't watch both) they show 9 live games. If you want to include Setanta they also show French and Irish league games. We do not compete unfortunately.