Best Ever Managers

[SCIAG]

Bit of a random bump there, explains why McDermott wasn't being talked about so much I suppose.

Pards "successful despite Madejski"? Oh please. Madejski was bankrolling us for a period there, not as much as under Burns, but we were still competing for excellent players and we built a new stadium. Speak to anyone who supported a Division 2 team at the time and they'll probably still say we're buying success. See also: Wigan.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Agree - Pardew was given more money than any other league 1 manager at that time - £800K Butler, Cureton, Rougier etc - they were all big money signings for that league at that time.

[Pete10]

Burns , Taxi , Well where shocking . Mansell, Was years ahead of his time . Perhaps other teams sussed him out . Because they could not live
With the pass and move football .

[AthleticoSpizz]

In addition to the obvious Maurice Evans, Steve Coppell and our current MaccyD

The original and probably the best chanted("blue and white army") Charlie Hurley

Branfoot for THAT SEASON and THAT first Wembley trip!!

FSB, for changing our beliefs and showing just how to play from the defence

Mick and Jim (briefly) for leading from the front on the pitch.

Thinking about it, with one or two exceptions, and for the small provincial team that we were, we have had some decent leaders

[Pete10]

Ok so what are peoples memories of Jack Mansell's Pass and move team .
Where they that good or just a light weight bunch .

[Mid Sussex Royal]

In a way its hard to compare Elm Park managers to the recent ones.

If you look at for example what Maurice Evans did from 1977-1984 its quite impressive - one promotion and a second likely one if he hadnt been sacked when we were 3rd. he had no financial support at all and managed the club during a time when Waller the chairman had lost all interest and gates were down below 3000 due to a general decline in public interest. He also signed Senior and Dixon and brought through players like Sanchez and Webb. The 78/79 season is still one of my favourites.

[paultheroyal]

For pure footballing reasons - Mark McGee.

Ian Branfoot gave me my first real taste of success with that 13 game winning run.

Coppell for first taste of Premier League football and that first season in the prem.

McDermott for what he has achieved so far and giving me 2 of the best away wins ever aka West Ham and Southampton.

If I was to pick a winner from that..... Ask me in May!

[Wimb]

As pea has mentioned on the blogs thread!

For anyone interested there is an interview with Jack Mansell on my own site - http://royalsrendezvous.co.uk/topic/9821472/1/

Don't know who he is, book five hours out your day to read his biography put together by our members that follows

[percyisfreeman]

Coppell , by a mile. First manager when I watched Reading Charlie Hurley. Had to good to put up with Friday.

[blueroyals]

1. Coppell
2. McDermott

/thread

[Millsy]

Coppell without a doubt as he produced our strongest ever team and got us to our highest ever league position all under Sir Johns wage structure. The biggest accolade has to be that he's the father of Kebeism by signing him for only £420k (iirc).

Now of course wage structure will change so who knows.

Other good managers for us:

McGhee - for starting the whole thing off.
Quinn/Gooding - 4 minutes away from top fight and took us to our highest league position at the time.
Pardew - picking up the pieces and building us up again into a decent side.

KING BRIAN though is my favourite though and the only one who matters right now. Comes second to Coppell but may well beat him with a new board outlook. And he, like Coppell, is just a top top guy.

ALL HAIL BRIAN!!!

[Woodcote Royal]

Any conscientious mod would have renamed this thread "The Coppell W@nk Fest"

There's only one thing that might prevent Brian McDermott becoming the best manager this club has ever had, by a country mile, and that would be our inability to hang onto him.

Throughout his managerial career, Coppell displayed a huge talent for building good sides on a shoestring and that brought this club the 2 best seasons it has ever known . Coppells achilles heel, that which prevented him from establishing himself at the highest level, was getting too attached to players and teams that needed to be broken up. That, as ever, doesn't sit well with those who think the sun shines out of his backside but, ultimately, it will be the reason why others will achieve greater success here.

[Royal Biscuitman]

It's easy to say Steve Coppell, but by his own admission he couldn't explain why we kept winning games in the 106 season, I actually believe McDermott's championship title was a greater achievement as he had to show managerial strength to turn a season around, this after selling our most effective players two seasons running. He effectively got the job done a season quicker than Coppell.

The extra season in the Championship benefited Coppell, He built a stronger side which would hold it's own in the premiership, If McDermott hadn't got us promoted I imagine we would be up next season with a stronger team and off to a flyer instead of having to fight back. I personally couldn't see Coppell motivating his Reading side to bounce back from bottom of the league in the way McDermott has.

So in summary, Best Ever Manager - In terms of achievement, Steve Coppell, In terms of managerial ability.... McDermott has to be in with a shout.

[soggy biscuit]

McGhee - best football I have ever seen us play and done on a shoestring.

Coppell obviously did brilliantly but he had money. We were nowhere near the biggest spenders but £1M for Lita shows that we were no longer the poor relation in the 2nd tier.

[rhroyal]

More to the question; what does McD have to do to settle this debate? If we're still in the league in 5 years time with him at the helm, there won't be much space for debate in my view.

[SLAMMED]

helm

lol

[Ian Royal]

More to the question; what does McD have to do to settle this debate? If we're still in the league in 5 years time with him at the helm, there won't be much space for debate in my view.

1a) keep us up
1b) take us back up
2) start a season well
3) keep us up in a second PL season.

Not leaving on the back of two seasons of ultimately failure would help as well.

[Millsy]

Any conscientious mod would have renamed this thread "The Coppell W@nk Fest"

There's only one thing that might prevent Brian McDermott becoming the best manager this club has ever had, by a country mile, and that would be our inability to hang onto him.

Throughout his managerial career, Coppell displayed a huge talent for building good sides on a shoestring and that brought this club the 2 best seasons it has ever known . Coppells achilles heel, that which prevented him from establishing himself at the highest level, was getting too attached to players and teams that needed to be broken up. That, as ever, doesn't sit well with those who think the sun shines out of his backside but, ultimately, it will be the reason why others will achieve greater success here.

They will, but they haven't yet so Coppell is a no brainer number one.

So once again, calm down mate.

[Waylenstreet]

Coppell without a doubt as he produced our strongest ever team and got us to our highest ever league position all under Sir Johns wage structure. The biggest accolade has to be that he's the father of Kebeism by signing him for only £420k (iirc).

Now of course wage structure will change so who knows.

Other good managers for us:

McGhee - for starting the whole thing off.
Quinn/Gooding - 4 minutes away from top fight and took us to our highest league position at the time.
Pardew - picking up the pieces and building us up again into a decent side.

KING BRIAN though is my favourite though and the only one who matters right now. Comes second to Coppell but may well beat him with a new board outlook. And he, like Coppell, is just a top top guy.

ALL HAIL BRIAN!!!

I wouldnt argue with any of that.

[Ian Royal]

I'd say McDermott's comparative lack of experience versus Coppell has really showed this season. But I think he could well become a better manager, he seems to have learnt from some of Coppell's mistakes already - though he's made a few of his own. Lets not forget Coppell did the business at more than one club, McDermott is untested elsewhere.

Coppell is edging it right now. but McDermott's snapping at his heels. Honourable mentions to McGhee and Pardew. That's it for the managers of my time, although I guess McGhee was ever so slightly before my time.