Spot on.

I'm a little worried as to what the reaction will be if we lose say 6 or 7 games out of our first 10. Will people show the guy some patience? When expectations are so high and everybody is so positive a bad start will only be magnified and the dissapointment will make some people go way overboard.

I just want to see improvment accross the board in time. That time could be aslong as 2 or 3 years but the guy has to be given a crack of the whip like that to really stamp his mark on the place. He may be able to bring some short term success but if he wants to change the whole culture of the place back to what it once was he'll need more then a few months.

In what way does losing a player of Tim Smith's calibre possibly make us stronger ?????

The problem for Smith was that he was last year's "Calderwood" - You know, the guy that Noble had to blame and drop whenever things went wrong for the team (usually due to Nobby's complete lack of tactics and subbing by the clock).

If Tim Smith was playing under Madge, I have absolutely no doubt that we would have the top half-back in the competition, as he'd be fitter, faster and (with Shaun Wane riding him) *much* more positively motivated to come up with the goods.

I actually feel sorry for Tim Smith. He came here to get his career back on track and unfortunately became the coach's scapegoat (as well as half of the fans).

Wigan has set him back a long way.

Feel free to disagree and try to convince me that he was as bad as Denis Moran though.

Id expect someone will have a swipe at Mcguire even if we lose our first 2 games, Some people expect instant success, it doesnt work that way in the real world of RL

Dave K speaks sense, although i expect we will be more consistent this season, its important we get a good start to the season i dont think we have had a good start since 2002 am i correct?

We have an extremely talented bunch of players (despite what some on here would have you believe)

BUT they simply aren't (or haven't been) playing to the best of their ability in the last few seasons and only showing glimpses of what they can do (wins against Saints and Leeds for example)

Now we have a new coaching set up who will demand nothing less than 100% so they will have no choice but to pull their fingers out, they will also be a lot mentally stronger when it comes to these big games we have struggled in.

This is not me saying we're going to win trophies straight away but I do expect improvement.

...That's me! Because I 'evolve' but I don't 'revolve'....*


* Courtesy of Alan Partridge. All rights reserved.

Far too defensively suspect for me. I still can't believe Noble kept him in the team after he was embarrassed down in Wales against Celtic. They ran over him three times! And it wasn't the only time it happened last season.

He was improving in fairness but not a loss in my view.

IMO there are alot of positive vibes coming from the club at the moment. New training methods, new coach, assistant coach and conditioner i suppose that is rubbing off on the fans as we all have high expectations. I just hope the positive vibes can be turned into performances. I do not know why but even with almost the same squad as last year , i actualy think we will be a better team. Like i said i am not sure why but am certainly looking forward to seeing the team run out in a competative game where points are at stake. Fingers crossed we dont get the wind taken out of our sails.

I agree there are positive signs and the set up throughout the club as an organisation seems the most professional and focused in a long time. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. The team isn't going to change over night and we can't really have a full view of what we can achieve until we've seen the team play.

Every year we get excited and filled with huge expectations. I'm not being pessimistic but don't want to set myself up for a major disappointment.

On balance we have every reason to be optimistic. The side we had last year wasn't a million miles away from Leeds and Saints.

It is possible of course that the new coaching team won't gel with each other or the players, that we'll have an injury crisism, that the young players who have broken through will take backward steps or that other youngsters won't develop into real first team players or that fitness levels won't improve.

But the glass is not half empty; in fact its more than half full. We have people in place now who understand what the Wigan club means and what we need to do to get this club back to the top.

I don't expect us to win a trophy next season or even necessarily to finish higher in the play-offs than we did last year, though I have a sneaking suspicion we might just surprise a few people, particularly if we get off to a good start.

What I do expect is two things: firstly to feel like the club is moving in the right direction but secondly and most importantly for the players to look like they understand what it means to wear that cherry and white shirt.

Everything about Maguire's record and background suggests he is not a man to accept anything other than the very highest standards and I think we all know where Messrs Wane and Radlinski stand on issues like pride, discipline and effort.

Whatever happens, win or lose, I don't expect we'll be seeing many gutless performances or unfit players next season.

Personally I can't wait for next season. Bring it on!

As long as the team turn up for first game fit and ready to play, with a look like they have actually done something in the offseason, ill be happy.

We all know we can do it when they want, its doing it when they dont want to that needs to be changed. If i hear out enthused one more time im going to have and aneurysm

We've been nearly-rans for the last three years, with a similar squad, so we're optimistic that even with the same players, we expect them to be faster, stronger and playing to a higher standard.
If it turns out Nobby was getting the best out of the same guys, then I can see a lot of depression settling in and Wigan/Leeds Andy to be the first for the 'Maguire Out' campaign.

Lets hope a certain prop is not bigger and the rumours not to be true.

We won something though? In all honesty I expect us and you to be seriously pushing Saints and Leeds. I think with the addition of Deacon you have got that player who will guide you round the field and leave young prodigy Sam Tomkins to work his magic, Who will be doing the goalkicking?

What rumours?

PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT

Deacon is surely a better opton though? Saying that, at least he will take a bit of pressure of him.

We've nowt to worry about next season.

We'll $hit um!!

Doubt Deacon will be playing everyweek, we've signed him as cover for the halves.

Pats better anyway IMO has landed so many pressure kicks for us

Don't ask me why , but I have the feeling that Deacon will get the number 7 jersey next year , and may well play the year after , if he has a good season.

By bigger I mean Muscle wise. Some of our backs compared to the aussie backs is embarrasing.

Yes maybe Feka needs to slim down but if he is fit, he could still be a great player at that size, but fitness and size go hand in hand in some ways.

TL to hooker and Deacon at 7 surely?

Nah, pretty sure the pig will play 6 Sam 7 TL 9 pig bench hooker mcirlorum

I wouldn't play Deacon at all bar injuries and very bad form, but that's just me.

He's not the player he was by a long way and some might argue that even in his prime he had major flaws in his game.

Good squad player to have, but that's all IMO.

100% Agree

I'd agree, however problems arise because we don't have the ideal player at 7 to match Tomkins at 6.

For me Leuluai is at his best at 9 which at present leaves only Deacon for the 7 shirt, but by moving Tommy to 9 we automatically then have to choose between McIlorum or Piggy for the bench spot.

To start the season I think we'll see:

6 Tomkins
7 Deacon
9 Leuluai
McIlorum

With Piggy in the background until he's proved himself worthy.

I would imagine that in the long run Lenegan and McGuire are planing on partnering Mellor with Tomkins.

6 Tomkins
7 Mellor
9 Leuluai
McIlorum

Deacon has after all been brought into supposedly mentor the young halfbacks within the club such as Tomkins and Mellor.