Extended-Phenotype I'm an Adkins supporter (mainly because I'm a supporter of time, patience and generally just a cracking guy) but I basically agree with the premise that that, if we fail to make the play-offs then Adkins has failed and should go - though only if we have someone to replace him!
But why has he failed? Surely the prime reason is because he has not received the backing he needed from the owners and which you can be pretty sure he was promised when they were trying to talk him into taking the job.
First there was Anton's treachery and then there was Madejski's unfulfilled assurances of transfer funding for the last window. Yet again Madejki's cost cutting is looking like it will destroy the best chance we had to bounce back whilst we were still receiving parachute payments.
glass half full This is really bizarre. How can we play 'like Brazil' against QPR and, with fundamentally the same core of players, be so poor against Blackburn and Yeovil?
Because the team had a bit of a psychological lift when it became clear, following Madejski's broken assurances re funding, that they were the ones who would be playing for us for the rest of the campaign. Now we are sliding backwards, a large number of them will be realising that their future doesn't lie with Reading FC. No doubt the best players will have already been told by their agents that if Madejski remains in charge they will be sold/offloaded come the end of the season to help fill the black hole. Sadly, unless new ownership arrives very quickly, the only way is down for the rest of this season and at least the beginning of next.
brighton_royal I also think that Adkins needs another season. He could conceivably turn this squad into a formidable Championship side and with a few additions (decent RW, decent striker, decent CB) one that could survive a season in the Prem. Hope to god we don't fluke a promotion this year though.
Sack him if we're in the bottom half this time next year.
But if Madejski remains in charge, he won't be provided with the opportunity to make those additions.
I really wouldn't blame Adkins if he walks away blaming the ownership fiasco and absence of the backing he was promised when he took the job. Regardless of what his critics think, he will be very quickly snapped up by another club.
marlowuk People bemoaning our lack of investment have, imho, got it wrong. With the quality of the players we have we should be gaining a play-off place at least! The fact that less talented sides can hold us (and turn us over) is a matter of concern; the fact that our players have failed to score a goal in 3 consecutive home games against 'lesser' opposition is a cause for concern; the fact that we have reverted to hoof-ball after playing so well without it is a cause for concern. We should be doing better and the buck stops with NA.
Got it wrong??? You have got to be joking. We may have quality players but, thanks to Anton and Madejski pulling the plug, the balance of the squad is completely wrong. We only have two proven strikers at this level FFS!!! Other members of the squad may have quality but they are clearly not the type of player that fits what the manager wants.
ALF missed some guilt edged chances yesterday. Apart from the penalty the worst was when he blazed over an easy chance from the edge of the six yard box. Strikers have days like that but had Madejski delivered on his assurance of funding, Adkins would have been able to have switched ALF for Sharp who I am pretty damn sure would have found an opening at some point in yesterday's game.
As for the reversion to hoofball - that is not down to Adkins. That is clearly down to players reverting to type when the pressure is on. Adkins worked really hard to try to get them to change their style, and got a lot of criticism from some sections of our supporters for doing so. It had started to work but those players can't help but to revert to what they are most used to and comfortable with when they come under pressure.
