The key steps when faced with this announcement are:
- point out what a loss he is and how you've always rated him (no need to point to any prior evidence such as threads protesting when he was dropped);
- point out how this shows that the club simply cannot retain any players of note (ignore any suggestions that we have 9 current England squad members, astonishingly not including Goulding);
- point out that it is a sign of penny pinching (ignore any suggestion HKR may have thrown loads of money at him as they may consider him marquee while we consider him squad player);
- point out that we won't even be able to raise a team as we will simply let our players go (ignore any suggestion that we have no idea yet and won't have for 6 months who the club is going to bring in and turn a particular blind eye to bringing Joel back, for a fee, which also needs to ignored for the purposes of the preceding paragraph);
- point out that IL and SW are driving the club into the ground and oblivion (ignore the trophy laden last 4 years); and
- point out anything in any public announcements that either accords with the above or, where it doesn't, lambast it and the person saying it, especially Rads (ignore the cherry and white blood that flows through Rads' veins and the purpose of all such PR, to say anything vaguely "good" and positive, regardless of the truth).
Have I missed anything?
Once mastered, with a couple of tweaks, the above approach can be applied to pretty much any comings (not good enough) or goings (far too good), rumours, injuries, even the club shop.

I think there's no question that Wigan's Academy isn't as strong this season. However you don't need all of the team to come through to first team, just needs 3-4 who are real class to step up which I'm sure will happen at Wigan. At any club it's rare to find more than that number within a squad, making it at first team level


Your scholars are very strong which will form the basis of your next Academy

These things can also be mitigated with smart signings (like we've done with Walters), but it's much cheaper to bring someone through though.  

Seems like plenty of our rivals are making moves to bring in new bodies before the end of the season.

We’re desperately in need of a freshen-up, but we’re not even being linked with anyone. Radlinski seems hell-bent on watching the season go down the toilet.


I’d have taken Shorrocks on loan – even if it meant giving Ellis a week off, or moving him up to prop for a week or two. A fresh body, a bit of a lift for the squad, something different.


And before anyone starts with “what about the cap” – how is it that other sides seem able to move players on, yet we can’t? Could Chan not have been shifted? Did we really need to carry Hurst’s contract for a season knowing he wouldn’t play? Saints are being linked with a new signing, but before he can come in someone needs to vacate a quota spot. What are the odds on them actually getting it done?

We probably don't have any cap space. So many players have had their contracts renewed it's bound to affect the salary cap.


Trouble is our two highest paid players and them being two of our three marquee players haven't played for months. French has been out for a couple of months and Thompson since the Catalans game when we also lost Walters.  Although Walters has returned he was out for around 10-11 weeks Thompson still hasn't played.  That is just too much talent missing from the squad  not to have an adverse effect on performance..


If there was a shake up needed then Forber to be bench 9 instead of Leeming.  Walters right 2nd row and Junior off the bench. Maybe also Eckersley to replace Wardle for a couple of weeks so get Jake rested and fit again.


IMO our first 17-20 is the best in SL and by some distance. For that to be reflected in performance they all have to play especially our best players which they plainly have not.  


 

Not a bad shout that but for me it would be Forber instead of O Neil