Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri Sep 15, 2023 7:17 am  

Clearwing wrote:

Do that and exactly the same will happen next season as has happened this time. Every single opposition makes easy metres around the ruck with the bonus of playing low risk rugby. Getting battered every game is why neither of the youngsters has made any kind of improvement. Let them be the game changers while someone else does the graft.

And btw, we don't get battered every game (before Christopher corrects you....)
O'Connor has been very good, but he has hit a wall these last few weeks.
But, just like Powell, he's not really a natural 9.
Why would Wigan bring in Leeming and let Powell go??
Go figure....

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri Sep 15, 2023 8:03 am  

Updated article with full Q&A https://twitter.com/jamesobyp/status/17 ... 43749?s=46

Updated article with full Q&A https://twitter.com/jamesobyp/status/17 ... 43749?s=46

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri Sep 15, 2023 8:19 am  

christopher wrote: Updated article with full Q&A https://twitter.com/jamesobyp/status/17 ... 43749?s=46 Really good in depth article, best I've seen in a long time. It's a little concerning that GH sees the picture as quite rosy, that h appears to be happy enough to come to the table very late for the new signings, although he is right about the two list thing. I think they understand the significance of getting the signings right for 2024 and beyond, but I still question the strategy of leaving it so late.

christopher wrote: Updated article with full Q&A https://twitter.com/jamesobyp/status/17 ... 43749?s=46 Really good in depth article, best I've seen in a long time. It's a little concerning that GH sees the picture as quite rosy, that h appears to be happy enough to come to the table very late for the new signings, although he is right about the two list thing. I think they understand the significance of getting the signings right for 2024 and beyond, but I still question the strategy of leaving it so late.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri Sep 15, 2023 8:27 am  

batleyrhino wrote:

Really good in depth article, best I've seen in a long time. It's a little concerning that GH sees the picture as quite rosy, that h appears to be happy enough to come to the table very late for the new signings, although he is right about the two list thing.

I think they understand the significance of getting the signings right for 2024 and beyond, but I still question the strategy of leaving it so late.

Agree. As I said above on this thread, on Smith's head be it. It was his strategy not to tell Austin, Sezer etc if they were getting a new contract or not which clearly upset both players which led to Austin leaving late in the day and leaving us in the mire, if he had been told earlier one way or the other he could have got sorted for next season and still would be here until season end.

Smith purposely leaving recruitment late leaves us playing a difficult and risky hand. It may come off, it may not. On his head be it.

I like much of what GH has said in the article and it answers a fair few questions we all had. As to whether some of his views/decisions will turn out to be the right ones only time will tell but we simply cannot have a repeat of this season.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri Sep 15, 2023 8:53 am  

Thought the article was an outstanding read, with GH being very honest.

Some of his answers certainly put things into perspective, and I can see why they let Austin go given his reasoning. I can also see why RS has delayed letting players know late in the day regarding retention.

It's encouraging to see they still plan to use the full cap allocation, inlcuding marquee, which suggests some more/big signings to come.

Why can't long form Q&A's be the norm in RL journalism like this? It would be great to get more tactical insight into coaches decisions and plans.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri Sep 15, 2023 8:56 am  

It's a great article.

I still think GH has more control than he suggests in some of those quotes. Smith seems to be out of the loop on most situations concerning the various players departing/disappearing and matters of player management. Austin's beef seemed to be directed at GH, first and foremost.

I never really thought GH was responsible for identifying players to sign (but he does identify coaches), but he must surely have a more direct role in contract negotiation (etc), something in which the coach has an input into but not direct control over.

If it's true that RS's dithering over the players out of contract is the main factor in our late recruitment, this is something that cannot be allowed to be repeated - we can't have this level of disruption mid-season while risking jeopardising next season's squad at the same time.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri Sep 15, 2023 9:04 am  

Thinking about it, whilst the coach may have the last word on which players to release / retain / recruit, he won’t have a say in their pay, that will be GH in negotiation, so practically, GH actually has the last word.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri Sep 15, 2023 9:19 am  

batleyrhino wrote:

Thinking about it, whilst the coach may have the last word on which players to release / retain / recruit, he won’t have a say in their pay, that will be GH in negotiation, so practically, GH actually has the last word.

That will be the same in most if not all clubs.

Im unsure what to think on the Austin situation, afterall Sezer was tge same snd he sorted himself something out, Austin as was said in the article was told after May 1st he was free to sort something out for himself, the club were well in their rights to see how it panned out, if Austin really wanted to go to Cas he could have sorted it before the last day of the transfer window, that was all down to him, I’m glad hes not with us anymore TBH

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri Sep 15, 2023 9:32 am  

Given how Austin behaved, I’m also glad he’s not here this season. I wouldn’t have wanted him for next season or beyond, and would have been upfront with him about that too. We’ve had plenty of time to sound out alternatives, but it seems we either chose not to (to wait) or those we tried said no. Either way we now need some rabbits out of hats.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Fri Sep 15, 2023 9:34 am  

It does seem like a risky tactic and one that made us lose Walters but from what GH says, Walters wants to play outwide and Smith sees him as a middle. So he may not have wanted to stay anyway if Wigan are offering him the chance to play his favoured position.