So another abysmal home defeat and performance. Progress has been made this season, but that was from an incredibly low base. The days of Pardew, Coppell and McDermott seem a million miles away. We are seeing clubs like Brentford take over the mantle of smaller clubs punching above their weight, playing exciting football.
I'm going to stick my neck out and say I want Bowen to stay. There are issues bigger than him. But there are some big issues holding us back, which have been for years.
1) Inconsistency and woeful performances. Games like Boro no longer come along every week, but they are often enough. The squad has consistently shown its capacity for wretched performances over 5 years or so, even in 16/17. The sort of performance that players earning £10k+ a week simply shouldn't make.
2) Soft underbelly. Not as bad as above, but we've also turned in plenty of pretty, nice performances where we come away with nothing because of soft goals. See Stoke and Derby post lockdown. Players and managers have changed, but we have never kicked the habit.
3) Recruitment and squad planning. We've spent a shit load on players who aren't good enough. Meanwhile, the likes of Cooper, Fosu, Stacey and Dickie are flourishing elsewhere. It seems we have no strategy or long term plan with recruiting. Who is leading this? What is Joorabchian's role? This leads us nicely into the next point.
4) Finances. It's not good. We've sold our stadium and training ground for FFP; there's nothing left. This will improve soon. It's not unreasonable to expect that Mannone, Popa, McCleary, Blackett, Gunter, Moore, Baldock, Swift and Barrow will all be off the books in a couple of months. But they will need to be replaced, which will cost money. Please see point 3) for concerns over this.
So back to the original question, how do we become good again? I have 2 rays of hope.
We have improved under Bowen. We're still not particularly good, but we're not as piss poor as we were and it's good to see progress.
I'd also say recruitment has improved in the past 18 months, though jury is definitely out on the fees spent on Joao and Puscas.
But it's a long road. What do we need to start doing differently?
How do we become good again?
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From Despair To Where?
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I think we need to stop chopping and changing manager every 9 months, find a settled formation and tactics and aim to build a squad of 22 with 2 players for every position by having faith in the academy and recruiting smarter, according to need and personality. If it's a recruitment policy good enough for Liverpool it's good enough for us.
Last edited by From Despair To Where? on 15 Jul 2020 16:52, edited 1 time in total.
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linkenholtroyal
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Change the mentality and the type of player we are buying.
We are never going to buy our way out of this by bringing in massive stars.
The best playing teams I have seen in recent years have bought players from the lower leagues , (Sheffield Utd, Bournemouth) or scoured the more obscure leagues such as the Scandinavian league with Brentford. The reason they have been so successful is they have a core of players who want to play for that club because they are being given a chance same as the 106 side. That side should not have got promoted or done aswell as they did but they were a team of prem rejects, lower league talent, players that were not thought good enough for other champ clubs and a raid of the Irish leagues best talent. What this lot had was a want to prove themselves and within reason the pay check didn’t matter they were all equals.
So in short bin all the overpayed wannabes who think they have a god given right to a big wage and a place in the team due to the amount they are worth and have been payed for them and replace with up and coming talent that want a chance and players that have been written off. This is why my favourite 2 players this year have been Rafael a goalkeeper that no one wanted and had been written off rotting as reserve keeper at a low level Serie A club. And Morrison a player we all laughed at a bit when we signed him as he was past it and has proven to be the best and most consistent cab all season. More of players like these 2 and we will do better.
Players that want to play for Reading.
We are never going to buy our way out of this by bringing in massive stars.
The best playing teams I have seen in recent years have bought players from the lower leagues , (Sheffield Utd, Bournemouth) or scoured the more obscure leagues such as the Scandinavian league with Brentford. The reason they have been so successful is they have a core of players who want to play for that club because they are being given a chance same as the 106 side. That side should not have got promoted or done aswell as they did but they were a team of prem rejects, lower league talent, players that were not thought good enough for other champ clubs and a raid of the Irish leagues best talent. What this lot had was a want to prove themselves and within reason the pay check didn’t matter they were all equals.
So in short bin all the overpayed wannabes who think they have a god given right to a big wage and a place in the team due to the amount they are worth and have been payed for them and replace with up and coming talent that want a chance and players that have been written off. This is why my favourite 2 players this year have been Rafael a goalkeeper that no one wanted and had been written off rotting as reserve keeper at a low level Serie A club. And Morrison a player we all laughed at a bit when we signed him as he was past it and has proven to be the best and most consistent cab all season. More of players like these 2 and we will do better.
Players that want to play for Reading.
From Despair To Where? I think we need to stop chopping and changing manager every 9 months, find a settled formation and tactics and aim to build a squad of 22 with 2 players for every position by having faith in the academy and recruiting smarter, according to need and personality. If it's a recruitment policy good enough for Liverpool it's good enough for us.
This pretty much
Imbalances in the squad have been evident throughout, too many players without a defined role/position, Ejaria, Aluko, Olise, Barrett, Loader, Boye etc
With the top teams, you know exactly how they’re going to play and each different player has a different role and responsibility to carry out. Evident under McDermott, Stam, periods of Clarke/Adkins, however struggled with this aspect in recent years (aside from a brief part under Bowen)
And as you allude to, squad depth is an issue, I find it difficult to believe a first team squad of 27/28 is beneficiary in any way
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Snowflake Royal
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What I'd like to see is our creative players drilled into focusing on, say, two different balls to mainly play in specific circumstances.
So everyone knows where the ball is going and when mostly. No more strikers static because they don't know when to move waiting for some improvisation. No more strikers not knowing where the ball is going to lose their marker No more hopeful crosses to empty boxes or delayed through balls. No more midfielder hesitation looking for the run and missing it.
So what if the defenders know what we'll do. Do it well and it won't matter that much.
So everyone knows where the ball is going and when mostly. No more strikers static because they don't know when to move waiting for some improvisation. No more strikers not knowing where the ball is going to lose their marker No more hopeful crosses to empty boxes or delayed through balls. No more midfielder hesitation looking for the run and missing it.
So what if the defenders know what we'll do. Do it well and it won't matter that much.
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NewCorkSeth
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First step must be to become financially secure. Wage caps or something. Our scouting department is clearly shagged. So for both of those a director of football makes sense as long as the manager is given a proper amount of time.
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Getthebeerens
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First of all we need to stick with a manager for more than 9 months. None of our past success has ever happened within 1 season of a new manager taking charge. It’s been built over a longer period of time. I’m pretty sure under Pardew , McDermott and Coppell there was times they could of been sacked due to expectations not being met but we came good in the end.
I actually think Bowen has put some good foundations in place to build a decent side moving forward. He isn’t chopping and changing the lineup too much and he is sticking to a formation. (This is what frustrates me when fans say why isn’t he playing two upfront & Puscas can’t play up front on his own) He is trying to coach players to play the roles he wants. There is no magic quick fix and it will take time.
Squad wise we need to shrink the size of the squad and this wage bill, I expect to see some player sales but not overly concerned with whom we sell. Ultimately you would like to think Nigel Howe will know what is needed to bring success as it’s basically going back to what we have done in the past. The club losts it’s way with expensive signings and in search for a style of play our players did not have the ability to pull off.
I actually think Bowen has put some good foundations in place to build a decent side moving forward. He isn’t chopping and changing the lineup too much and he is sticking to a formation. (This is what frustrates me when fans say why isn’t he playing two upfront & Puscas can’t play up front on his own) He is trying to coach players to play the roles he wants. There is no magic quick fix and it will take time.
Squad wise we need to shrink the size of the squad and this wage bill, I expect to see some player sales but not overly concerned with whom we sell. Ultimately you would like to think Nigel Howe will know what is needed to bring success as it’s basically going back to what we have done in the past. The club losts it’s way with expensive signings and in search for a style of play our players did not have the ability to pull off.
Recruitment has been dire for a long time now, not just for multiple managers but even multiple owners. Clearly something needs to change structurally. I don’t have the answer.
yeah don't think its anything massively original or revolutionary needed
Get rid of the high earners wherever possible, reduce the squad significantly. Only bring in players for positions where we are short.
The shape and discipline under Bowen are good. We set up nicely away from home. We need to work on how to create chances when we are in position and forcing the game. Find a replacement system/player for Joao when he is inevitably injured
I'm fairly confident we'll do quite well next year.
Get rid of the high earners wherever possible, reduce the squad significantly. Only bring in players for positions where we are short.
The shape and discipline under Bowen are good. We set up nicely away from home. We need to work on how to create chances when we are in position and forcing the game. Find a replacement system/player for Joao when he is inevitably injured
I'm fairly confident we'll do quite well next year.
Lots of good comments above.
My view is that success isn't a certain formula, it's partly luck of having the right people at the right time with the right momentum as I've said before when suggesting that there are very few genius managers, and it's more a question of circumstance.
I don't know what the magic circumstance is except for this vague guess: a young/hungry group players and a good atmosphere around the ground with non-obstructive owners and a half decent manager.
But I do what what is toxic is: players who aren't trying for whatever reason, loss of momentum, massive wage discrepancies, poor fitness/injury resliience levels, loss of confidence, misguided transfer dealings, a mishmash of players from different styles/regimes, a clueless manager.
Covid has obviously rocked the boat massively but may also be a blessing in disguise to get us out of stagnant waters, get rid of deadwood and reboot into something young and positive.
I remember thinking Sidwell and Harper are just kids, what are they going to do for us, before they shocked me with 106.
I really think the likes of Olise, Ejaria, Osho etc could end up being huge stars and if we can build a team around the passion and energy and talents of young foilk like this we'll easily be good again.
My view is that success isn't a certain formula, it's partly luck of having the right people at the right time with the right momentum as I've said before when suggesting that there are very few genius managers, and it's more a question of circumstance.
I don't know what the magic circumstance is except for this vague guess: a young/hungry group players and a good atmosphere around the ground with non-obstructive owners and a half decent manager.
But I do what what is toxic is: players who aren't trying for whatever reason, loss of momentum, massive wage discrepancies, poor fitness/injury resliience levels, loss of confidence, misguided transfer dealings, a mishmash of players from different styles/regimes, a clueless manager.
Covid has obviously rocked the boat massively but may also be a blessing in disguise to get us out of stagnant waters, get rid of deadwood and reboot into something young and positive.
I remember thinking Sidwell and Harper are just kids, what are they going to do for us, before they shocked me with 106.
I really think the likes of Olise, Ejaria, Osho etc could end up being huge stars and if we can build a team around the passion and energy and talents of young foilk like this we'll easily be good again.
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Snowflake Royal
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In terms of signings, we absolutely need to change our policy.
Stop trying to sign talented failures and nearly men in the hope we can coach them to their potential. They're failures for a reason and cost more than the risk is worth. Chances are if Real Madrid has cast someone off it's because they've got too much talent for us, but not enough application.
Cut back on foreign players who looked good in shit leagues and might make it. The culture and pace changes should not be underestimated as hurdles to success.
Use the Academy as much as possible. Making it in football is as much about time and opportunity as it is about raw talent. Rino isn't the prettiest or technically brilliant of players but he's effective, and was largely unheralded as the next big thing. There may be more like him if they get the chance.
Ignore eye catchers and go Mr reliable's from the lower leagues. Don't be impressed by a couple of great goals and exciting performances...
It may be harsh, but our track record just suggests we're going for the wrong people. Popa, Aluko etc.
And it's not worth holding on to players who want to go. Cash in. We need the money and we can't deal with sulking or commitment issues.
Stop trying to sign talented failures and nearly men in the hope we can coach them to their potential. They're failures for a reason and cost more than the risk is worth. Chances are if Real Madrid has cast someone off it's because they've got too much talent for us, but not enough application.
Cut back on foreign players who looked good in shit leagues and might make it. The culture and pace changes should not be underestimated as hurdles to success.
Use the Academy as much as possible. Making it in football is as much about time and opportunity as it is about raw talent. Rino isn't the prettiest or technically brilliant of players but he's effective, and was largely unheralded as the next big thing. There may be more like him if they get the chance.
Ignore eye catchers and go Mr reliable's from the lower leagues. Don't be impressed by a couple of great goals and exciting performances...
It may be harsh, but our track record just suggests we're going for the wrong people. Popa, Aluko etc.
And it's not worth holding on to players who want to go. Cash in. We need the money and we can't deal with sulking or commitment issues.
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Old Man Andrews
I call being a midtable Championship club pretty good for a club of our size and fanbase, we are far better off than most all things considered.
I think what isn't good is our lack of identity, we have no idea what we are anymore and that really comes from the ownership and questionable business decisions over the past few years with the Thai's coming in, to Gourlay and to the Chinese owners who by their own admission have no real idea about football so hire people like Kia Joorabchian to look after the transfer dealings of the club. Decisions like that have essentially killed off the "Reading Way" which we all know and love and which was the thing that got us promoted with 106 points. We need to change our business model, we need to get rid of people like Joorabchian who is a self-serving conman who is only involved with the club to gain financially, he has no interest in our success.
We need to get our academy back to the sort of level it was when Eamonn Dolan ran it, invest in that rather than taking punts on players from abroad with no clue about our club who only come here to put themselves on the map. We have started to see this happening with McIntyre, Olise and Osho coming through but I fear in the summer we will be picking up free/cheap players from abroad who will take their places. This simply cannot be allowed to happen but I get the impression that if the club bring in more established players then Bowen will be made to play them, I don't have faith that Bowen makes all the team decisions himself.
We need to get a lot better at scouting. How many players are we missing out on from the lower leagues or players at Premier League sides deemed not good enough. Look at sides like Peterborough for example. They pick up really good young players from non-league/League 1 and they go on to be excellent players who get sold on for huge profit and make the club financially secure. They also pick up players like Ivan Toney who scored buckets of goals this season and is now valued at well over £7m. They got him for just over 600k, scouts identified him. Where are our scouts? What do they do exactly? Lets go back to basics and try to follow a similar model to Brentford and Peterborough.
I think what isn't good is our lack of identity, we have no idea what we are anymore and that really comes from the ownership and questionable business decisions over the past few years with the Thai's coming in, to Gourlay and to the Chinese owners who by their own admission have no real idea about football so hire people like Kia Joorabchian to look after the transfer dealings of the club. Decisions like that have essentially killed off the "Reading Way" which we all know and love and which was the thing that got us promoted with 106 points. We need to change our business model, we need to get rid of people like Joorabchian who is a self-serving conman who is only involved with the club to gain financially, he has no interest in our success.
We need to get our academy back to the sort of level it was when Eamonn Dolan ran it, invest in that rather than taking punts on players from abroad with no clue about our club who only come here to put themselves on the map. We have started to see this happening with McIntyre, Olise and Osho coming through but I fear in the summer we will be picking up free/cheap players from abroad who will take their places. This simply cannot be allowed to happen but I get the impression that if the club bring in more established players then Bowen will be made to play them, I don't have faith that Bowen makes all the team decisions himself.
We need to get a lot better at scouting. How many players are we missing out on from the lower leagues or players at Premier League sides deemed not good enough. Look at sides like Peterborough for example. They pick up really good young players from non-league/League 1 and they go on to be excellent players who get sold on for huge profit and make the club financially secure. They also pick up players like Ivan Toney who scored buckets of goals this season and is now valued at well over £7m. They got him for just over 600k, scouts identified him. Where are our scouts? What do they do exactly? Lets go back to basics and try to follow a similar model to Brentford and Peterborough.
The biggest thing for me is we lack drive, power, pace, strength
We miss rough-house strike partnerships like Long-Hunt. We miss raw speed. Kebe for example. Our only truly fast winger is out on loan and basically finished.
Strikers and fast wingers are not just about the goals they score, but about chasing and harrying defenders, especially centre backs so in the last 15 minutes, those defender are tiring, have lumps on their legs.
I remember the CB for Everton saying of Hunt & Long, "They never gave us a second's rest for the whole game."
How often did Hunt get knocked out, or Long, blasting through get chopped? Where is the rough-housing, the aggression?
Most of the time we sort of get the ball, wander up field "waiting for something to happen". We're SOFT, have little character.
Morrison will run through walls, Rhino some, but in general the malaise started when we began to go for more technical players and keep-ball so if/when we went up we might stay there.
It wasn't about skill-levels when Coppell managed, it was attitude, high-tempo, lots of pressure. Games were f---- EXCITING.
When McDermott did so well, it was far more about guts, work-rate and power than airy-fairy skills
We miss rough-house strike partnerships like Long-Hunt. We miss raw speed. Kebe for example. Our only truly fast winger is out on loan and basically finished.
Strikers and fast wingers are not just about the goals they score, but about chasing and harrying defenders, especially centre backs so in the last 15 minutes, those defender are tiring, have lumps on their legs.
I remember the CB for Everton saying of Hunt & Long, "They never gave us a second's rest for the whole game."
How often did Hunt get knocked out, or Long, blasting through get chopped? Where is the rough-housing, the aggression?
Most of the time we sort of get the ball, wander up field "waiting for something to happen". We're SOFT, have little character.
Morrison will run through walls, Rhino some, but in general the malaise started when we began to go for more technical players and keep-ball so if/when we went up we might stay there.
It wasn't about skill-levels when Coppell managed, it was attitude, high-tempo, lots of pressure. Games were f---- EXCITING.
When McDermott did so well, it was far more about guts, work-rate and power than airy-fairy skills
Last edited by Snowball on 16 Jul 2020 10:43, edited 1 time in total.
Old Man Andrews I call being a midtable Championship club pretty good for a club of our size and fanbase, we are far better off than most all things considered.
I am also fine with this. Happy enough to be sitting around mid-table for a few years with a chance of getting into the play-offs going into the last couple of weeks of the season.
Yes we can be a bit rubbish at times, but we do have it better than a lot of other clubs.
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WestYorksRoyal
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Old Man Andrews I call being a midtable Championship club pretty good for a club of our size and fanbase, we are far better off than most all things considered.
I think what isn't good is our lack of identity, we have no idea what we are anymore and that really comes from the ownership and questionable business decisions over the past few years with the Thai's coming in, to Gourlay and to the Chinese owners who by their own admission have no real idea about football so hire people like Kia Joorabchian to look after the transfer dealings of the club. Decisions like that have essentially killed off the "Reading Way" which we all know and love and which was the thing that got us promoted with 106 points. We need to change our business model, we need to get rid of people like Joorabchian who is a self-serving conman who is only involved with the club to gain financially, he has no interest in our success.
We need to get our academy back to the sort of level it was when Eamonn Dolan ran it, invest in that rather than taking punts on players from abroad with no clue about our club who only come here to put themselves on the map. We have started to see this happening with McIntyre, Olise and Osho coming through but I fear in the summer we will be picking up free/cheap players from abroad who will take their places. This simply cannot be allowed to happen but I get the impression that if the club bring in more established players then Bowen will be made to play them, I don't have faith that Bowen makes all the team decisions himself.
We need to get a lot better at scouting. How many players are we missing out on from the lower leagues or players at Premier League sides deemed not good enough. Look at sides like Peterborough for example. They pick up really good young players from non-league/League 1 and they go on to be excellent players who get sold on for huge profit and make the club financially secure. They also pick up players like Ivan Toney who scored buckets of goals this season and is now valued at well over £7m. They got him for just over 600k, scouts identified him. Where are our scouts? What do they do exactly? Lets go back to basics and try to follow a similar model to Brentford and Peterborough.
Interesting point that actually mid table Championship, which is what we've achieved this year, is actually not bad for a club of our size. I think I agree with you; what has happened is we've lost our identity and fans don't feel connected anymore, hence lower attendances.
That being said, if we brought back the "Reading way" and a sense of identity through the changes you describe, I think we'd naturally punch above our weight anyway. Being a well run club brings success at this level.
So making the changes you describe and bringing back our identity could overlap with mid table finishes for a few transition seasons, but long term we'd be fighting for promotion again.
I could live with being a Yo-Yo club like West Brom
I just want to enjoy my football again
I just want to enjoy my football again
HendoOld Man Andrews I call being a midtable Championship club pretty good for a club of our size and fanbase, we are far better off than most all things considered.
I am also fine with this. Happy enough to be sitting around mid-table for a few years with a chance of getting into the play-offs going into the last couple of weeks of the season.
Yes we can be a bit rubbish at times, but we do have it better than a lot of other clubs.
yeah same really. What I'm not ok with is 210% wages to turnover and loads of overpaid wasters hanging around the club
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linkenholtroyal
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Does pose an interesting point this one do players that have come through our academy / free transfers play better as they have a hunger to prove themselves rather than big money signings.
Our best performers this year are -
Morrison - free transfer - consistent
Rafael - nominal fee - kept us in the league
Yiadom - Free transfer - consistent
Yakou Meite - believed to be nominal fee - top scorer so far
Swift - settlement from youth free transfer - best creative spark this year
Tom Mcintyre - youth product - amazing talent
Omar Richards - youth product - solid squad player
Osho - youth product -solid squad player
Olise Youth Product - another amazing talent if utilised correctly
Adam - free transfer - been the difference on many an occasion this season
Rinhomota- youth product - consistent performer
Blown hot and cold
Puscas - Big Fee - not bad return on goals but needs better hold up play.
Joao - big fee - opposite to Puscas injury prone
Moore - reasonable fee - just not sure whether he is going to turn up looks to have lost the love for the game somedays.
Blackett - reasonable fee for reading - can be amazing wing back but sometimes a bit light defensively.
Obita - youth product - like the guy and good wing back but permanently injured he could move up with a good run.
Chris Gunter - fee longtime ago - just Gunter somedays amazing others away with the fairies.
Mccleary - Fe longtime ago - good servant and will do well in league 1 next year just past his best for Reading.
Pele - Loan Fee - blows hot and cold is the best way of putting it.
Arurua - Fee - only here because noone knows what his position is and I just don't know.
Ovie Ejaria -to be a fee - amazing talent but at the moment been found out may turn out to be a bit lightweight for the champ. he could be above
Masika - Loan fee - a gamble that so far has not paid off not sure whether we will have a chance to see him improve
Baldock - Large fee - not a bad squad player and will pop up with the odd goal just seems to get lost on a long run of games.
Mcnulty - small fee - lower league gamble that was at his level nothing against the guy just a step too far.
Need to go
Barrow - reasonable fee - just a poor attitude and a real shame as he can cause damage just poison in a squad.
Sone Aluko - Massive fee - worst signing in Readings history poor attitude permenant head down footballer doesnt want to be here and yet again poison.
others will disagree with me but it does prove my theory on hunger to be wanted and wanting to prove a point, I think it is interesting when it is set out like this. That mind set worked for the 106 team. with a transfer policy of prem young free transfers wanting to prove a point, good champ free transfers and lower league starlets and our academy the way forward and best financially for us aswell
Also I would do everything to keep the top players on this list, take a decent fee if offered on the middle lot most of which are leaving anyway on free transfers and do everything to get the bottom 2 gone even paying up there contracts.
Our best performers this year are -
Morrison - free transfer - consistent
Rafael - nominal fee - kept us in the league
Yiadom - Free transfer - consistent
Yakou Meite - believed to be nominal fee - top scorer so far
Swift - settlement from youth free transfer - best creative spark this year
Tom Mcintyre - youth product - amazing talent
Omar Richards - youth product - solid squad player
Osho - youth product -solid squad player
Olise Youth Product - another amazing talent if utilised correctly
Adam - free transfer - been the difference on many an occasion this season
Rinhomota- youth product - consistent performer
Blown hot and cold
Puscas - Big Fee - not bad return on goals but needs better hold up play.
Joao - big fee - opposite to Puscas injury prone
Moore - reasonable fee - just not sure whether he is going to turn up looks to have lost the love for the game somedays.
Blackett - reasonable fee for reading - can be amazing wing back but sometimes a bit light defensively.
Obita - youth product - like the guy and good wing back but permanently injured he could move up with a good run.
Chris Gunter - fee longtime ago - just Gunter somedays amazing others away with the fairies.
Mccleary - Fe longtime ago - good servant and will do well in league 1 next year just past his best for Reading.
Pele - Loan Fee - blows hot and cold is the best way of putting it.
Arurua - Fee - only here because noone knows what his position is and I just don't know.
Ovie Ejaria -to be a fee - amazing talent but at the moment been found out may turn out to be a bit lightweight for the champ. he could be above
Masika - Loan fee - a gamble that so far has not paid off not sure whether we will have a chance to see him improve
Baldock - Large fee - not a bad squad player and will pop up with the odd goal just seems to get lost on a long run of games.
Mcnulty - small fee - lower league gamble that was at his level nothing against the guy just a step too far.
Need to go
Barrow - reasonable fee - just a poor attitude and a real shame as he can cause damage just poison in a squad.
Sone Aluko - Massive fee - worst signing in Readings history poor attitude permenant head down footballer doesnt want to be here and yet again poison.
others will disagree with me but it does prove my theory on hunger to be wanted and wanting to prove a point, I think it is interesting when it is set out like this. That mind set worked for the 106 team. with a transfer policy of prem young free transfers wanting to prove a point, good champ free transfers and lower league starlets and our academy the way forward and best financially for us aswell
Also I would do everything to keep the top players on this list, take a decent fee if offered on the middle lot most of which are leaving anyway on free transfers and do everything to get the bottom 2 gone even paying up there contracts.
Last edited by linkenholtroyal on 16 Jul 2020 16:18, edited 1 time in total.
HoundHendoOld Man Andrews I call being a midtable Championship club pretty good for a club of our size and fanbase, we are far better off than most all things considered.
I am also fine with this. Happy enough to be sitting around mid-table for a few years with a chance of getting into the play-offs going into the last couple of weeks of the season.
Yes we can be a bit rubbish at times, but we do have it better than a lot of other clubs.
yeah same really. What I'm not ok with is 210% wages to turnover and loads of overpaid wasters hanging around the club
Agree with that. If we are in mid-table we need to pay mid-table wages and not have loads of under-performing players.
The Championship is a highly competitive league, in recent years we've under-achieved. Right now for a club of our size and stature we're probably in roughly the right spot. The only thing that will push us on is consistency that to be fair we couldn't afford as we have had consecutive managers now who were sacked for dragging us into a relegation scrap.
I think the record for Bowen is promising so far, even factoring in the God awful home form, I would absolutely take a few mid-table finishes if it gets us some stability, he already seems more open to giving our young players a chance, we'll have to see how he is with recruitment because you would think as Director of Football he was involved in some capacity with the transfer dealings at the start of the season.
I think the record for Bowen is promising so far, even factoring in the God awful home form, I would absolutely take a few mid-table finishes if it gets us some stability, he already seems more open to giving our young players a chance, we'll have to see how he is with recruitment because you would think as Director of Football he was involved in some capacity with the transfer dealings at the start of the season.
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