The end is nigh for Noble
Wigan coach Brian Noble's three-year tenure as the coach of Warriors looks to be coming to an end.
In the same week it has been revealed England star Gareth Hock has tested positive for cocaine, Noble admitted it had not come as a surprise to him that chairman Ian Lenagan had tried to lure New Zealand's World Cup winning coach Stephen Kearney to the club in 2010.
Noble said: "I've a lot of friends in Australasia, so I've got a good grapevine of information, this wasn't a surprise to me.
"In fact, Stephen Kearney is a close friend of mine.
"It is not nice when you see those things in the press, but you just get on with it and that's what I'm doing.
"I'm fortunate enough to have a few silver hairs and have seen quite a few things in the game.
"I'm a tough individual, a bit of an oak tree, and these things are sent to try you. But all this is not about me – or speculation about players or coaches. My focus is about keeping this team together.
"It is about Wigan, making sure these last 10 league games are as good as they can be."
The former Great Britain boss is out of contract at the end of the
season and has been told by owner Lenagan he will only be offered a new one if results deserve it.
League form has been patchy this term – including a shocking defeat to Super League new boys Celtic Crusaders earlier this month – but some fans are increasingly unhappy about the treatment of Noble.
And Warriors, who go to Hull KR on Sunday, can still reach Wembley this season – they have a Challenge Cup semi-final tie against neighbours Warrington in August.
Noble said: "I spoke to the chairman to break the news to him about Gareth Hock, but before that it was a couple of weeks ago when we spoke. But we do have a good relationship.
"Whatever people say about us, who's going where and who's moving on, we are still in charge of what we can achieve this season.
"We've six players out of contract, so their form needs to be good. It is in our hands and I'm extremely confident we can still do well."
Hock faces a two-year RFL ban if his 'B' sample on Tuesday confirms the initial test results.
"The news we had this week was shocking to say the least, and I'm
saddened by it," added Noble.
"It will be a tragedy if the game loses a player of Gareth's calibre, if that does transpire to be the case.
"Let's hope it is a salutary lesson to our younger people in society, let alone the sport."
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Weather for Wigan
Friday 10 February 2012
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