McAnuff- New captain

[Ian Royal]

It does make me wonder whether the promise of being an ever present and the club captain was used as a carrot to keep Jobi - maybe he'd made noises that he was looking to go? I don't know - in fact, if THAT was the reason, we were stupid to make him captain - but I actually cannot see any other reason why he would be chosen as captain. I have NEVER seen him gee up the boys, shout instructions, lead by example. He should have been told he was Acting Captain - if he did a good for the first 5-10 games, he'd keep the arm band, if he didn't he'd be relinquishing it - and then it should have been given to Gorkss.

Our best ever captain in recent years has been Murty - even when his legs were giving up on him,his passion and his voice didn't. It's a pity we don't have anyone in his mould at the club anymore. He wasn't even Reading born and bred, but you got the impression he'd die for this club when he was playing.

I've seen McAnuff talk to the players countless times. A good example of this is from throw ins. He joins the striker, has a word and then they both move at the same time in opposite directions creating space to receive the ball. As soon as he moved inside yesterday and was replaced by HRK that stopped and we were utterly static and clueless from them.

People need to get it through their heads that shouting doesn't make a good captain. Most people wanted either him or Leigertwood as captain in the summer. Well Leigertwood was no better yseterday and IMO offered significantly less.

[moonwalklikebas]

A good captain doesnt shout. A good captain goes about his business with his heart on his sleeve and in Jobi i dont see that.
The thing that annoys me is when he looses the ball from a pathetic dribble or rubbish pass he drops his head and just jogs back when the likes of Jem are busting a gut to get back and help the team.

[LoyalRoyal22]

I would keep Jobi as club captain definatly, but i think maybe he needs to be dropped for a week

[Ian Royal]

A good captain doesnt shout. A good captain goes about his business with his heart on his sleeve and in Jobi i dont see that.
The thing that annoys me is when he looses the ball from a pathetic dribble or rubbish pass he drops his head and just jogs back when the likes of Jem are busting a gut to get back and help the team.

He's been like that a bit the last game or so, but I've seen him bust a gut to get back plenty of times this season, let alone in general. I'm not saying he had a good game, he didn't. But he's being scapegoated here with no acknowledgement that there's bugger all he can do with no movement from team mates and being sat on by two or three defenders the whole time.

[Royal Lady]

A good captain doesnt shout. A good captain goes about his business with his heart on his sleeve and in Jobi i dont see that.
The thing that annoys me is when he looses the ball from a pathetic dribble or rubbish pass he drops his head and just jogs back when the likes of Jem are busting a gut to get back and help the team.

He's been like that a bit the last game or so, but I've seen him bust a gut to get back plenty of times this season, let alone in general. I'm not saying he had a good game, he didn't. But he's being scapegoated here with no acknowledgement that there's bugger all he can do with no movement from team mates and being sat on by two or three defenders the whole time.

Plenty of times??

If his team mates aren't doing their job and there is no movement from them - he should be bloody well telling them to move. I don't have anything against him, personally, but he's not a "captain" in the sense that these players need one at the moment. I noticed Gorkss getting more and more frustrated throughout the game, where he'd pass to someone and they wouldn't get to the ball etc - shades of Matejovsky actually - Brian needs to be having a long word with Jobi and get him to be a proper leader and captain - all is not lost - but something needs to be done now to stop the rot and it can start with the players playing to their best capabilities and Brian letting them know, in no uncertain terms, that anyone who is not pulling their weight is dropped - however indispensable they think they might be. Brian has got to be tough.

[Ian Royal]

Personally I'd rather we focussed on the team's weaknesses than McAnuff's captaincy.

And yes, plenty of times, no matter how bold and big you make the quoted bit. Most of us are quite capable of spotting the bit you are talking about without the need for that.

[Royal Lady]

Just LOL.

We haven't played "plenty" of games - let alone that you've seen all of them.

[Simon's Church]

I think yesterday proved McAnuff isn't a good captain. If Mills was still here he would have been telling the players they have to shoot on target, Jobi obviously wasn't doing that.

[handbags_harris]

It does make me wonder whether the promise of being an ever present and the club captain was used as a carrot to keep Jobi...

What, the club trying to KEEP a player by offering him incentives to stay? Whatever next?!

[Friday's Legacy]

A good captain doesnt shout. A good captain goes about his business with his heart on his sleeve and in Jobi i dont see that.

what nonsense. a good captain not only performs to his maximum every game but he communicates with his team mates to jeer them up and if need be point out where they're going wrong and offer instruction. a poor captain stays quiet and just plays his game. that if anything is an individual.

[moonwalklikebas]

None of which Jobi does!!!

-He doesnt play to his maxium (Doesnt wear his heart on his sleeve one bit)
-He doesnt Jeer anyone up
-He never points out things to players
-
His mouth is 98% shut
His passing = poor
Cant beat a man for toffee
The only thing he changes on the field throughout the game is the height of his armband

[Ian Royal]

Just LOL.

We haven't played "plenty" of games - let alone that you've seen all of them.

Are you illiterate? I never said plenty of games. And actually, I've seen 5 out of 7. How about you?

[Ian Royal]

A good captain doesnt shout. A good captain goes about his business with his heart on his sleeve and in Jobi i dont see that.

what nonsense. a good captain not only performs to his maximum every game but he communicates with his team mates to jeer them up and if need be point out where they're going wrong and offer instruction. a poor captain stays quiet and just plays his game. that if anything is an individual.

communicating =/= shouting. McAnuff was communicating.

[Royal Lady]

Just LOL.

We haven't played "plenty" of games - let alone that you've seen all of them.

Are you illiterate? I never said plenty of games. And actually, I've seen 5 out of 7. How about you?

There is no way that you've seen McAnuff talking to players and geeing them up PLENTY OF TIMES THIS SEASON. And well done you for going to 5 out of 7 already - you didn't go to the Charlton cup game by any chance did you? Only I don't think you've mentioned it.

[Royal Lady]

It does make me wonder whether the promise of being an ever present and the club captain was used as a carrot to keep Jobi...

What, the club trying to KEEP a player by offering him incentives to stay? Whatever next?!

Yes and by doing that McD is going to have to make him an ever-present - you rarely drop your captain (though I know Leicester dropped Mills) - and if he's dropped for any length of time, he'll be off in January and we'll replace him with some bloke from Kettering. Or something.

[Schards#2]

Anyone who has seen much of McAnuff knows that when the going gets tough, he does not get going.

He simply doesn't have the character and personality that is needed in a captain and I think McDermott should put his hands up to making a mistake on this one and rectify it sooner rather than later.

[Hoop Blah]

I don't think there's any chance that McDermott has told McAnuff that he's undroppable or given him the captaincy in order to make him stay.

Those things don't make a lot of difference if a club comes in with a good offer (see Mills or any other of plenty of captains that move on every window as examples) and I just don't see McDermott going down that route. He seems far too straight and honest a guy to do that and short change the rest of the players in the squad.

The crux of it is that McAnuff is, by all accounts from those close to the squad, the best character (one of the best at worst) for the job. He's also one of our most consistent and hard working players (even if he doesn't always create enough or dazzle us with his attacking play) and so is pretty much a certain starter.

[Hoop Blah]

Anyone who has seen much of McAnuff knows that when the going gets tough, he does not get going.

He simply doesn't have the character and personality that is needed in a captain and I think McDermott should put his hands up to making a mistake on this one and rectify it sooner rather than later.

I disagree, he's basically been played out of position for most of his Reading career and just gets on with it. He works very hard down that wing each and every game.

Admittedly he sometimes doesn't create enough or score enough or dominate games, but he doesn't go hiding. He'll always take posession and offer an option and that's not the traits of a player who doesn't want to dig in under pressure.

His game, and role in the team, isn't one that lends itself to being the one who grabs the game by the scruff of the neck because, as a winger, you rely so much on decent possession from those around you.

[Big Foot]

His game, and role in the team, isn't one that lends itself to being the one who grabs the game by the scruff of the neck because, as a winger, you rely so much on decent possession from those around you.

Which makes it all the more bizarre that Brian picked him as captain

[Hoop Blah]

His game, and role in the team, isn't one that lends itself to being the one who grabs the game by the scruff of the neck because, as a winger, you rely so much on decent possession from those around you.

Which makes it all the more bizarre that Brian picked him as captain

Agree BF. I think the reason is that his character around the squad for the rest of the week and all the other stuff that a captain does makes him the best candidate.

I don't think he's as quiet on the pitch as many are making out, although he definitely isn't a ranter and raver, and I don't think that's half as important as others seem to think either.

The upshot is that, there doesn't seem to be anyone better in the squad to do the job. Who else would've been better?