Welcome back Brian!

[Nameless]

Could they have a real 'manage off' tonight ?
Brian picks a team and manages it for the first half then Dennis's team come out for the second half. Best result gets the job.
Possibly a few issues with some FA regulations but I'm sure we could work round that.

[RoyalRuss86]

Fair enough. Who do you consider a better option than BM. Would be interested to know your first choice.[/quote]

My heart says I'd love to see Mark Warburton here. The football he had Brentford playing last year was a joy to watch.

My head says Nigel Pearson. To me the obvious choice. Experienced and successful at this level and in the PL. Whether the Thais will go for him is another matter.

My gut feeling is that the Thais want a 'name' and that BM would not be the preferred appointment.

As somebody else has quoted, I fear for BM if he's appointed as the expectation for him to succeed and get to the PL will be massive. A bad run of form and the dissenters will be calling for his head and I fear we'll be doing all of this again within a year. I also think that if, as rumoured, some of the Thais are unsure of appointing him, I fear he'll be a dead man walking.[/quote]



Not sure if Nigel Pearson will be welcomed by Thai's especially not his son, maybe they will know about Leicesters trip to Thailand and think twice.

[Forbury Lion]

Could they have a real 'manage off' tonight ?
Brian picks a team and manages it for the first half then Dennis's team come out for the second half. Best result gets the job.
Possibly a few issues with some FA regulations but I'm sure we could work round that.

Brian could use all 3 subs in the first half and leave the team going into the break with no goalkeeper on the field to secure the job.

I'd prefer a Reading v Reading friendly with two manager contenders picking teams one at a time school playground style and then the two facing off against each other.

[Royalwaster]

Followed by a poll on Hobnob and a final decision by Dave!

[East Grinstead Royal]

If anyone else has already said this, then I apologise, but what if the #1 target is engaged on a short term project that he has to fulfil before he can take the job? What if it's such a short term project that it will only take ten days? What if that project involves him watching Reading tonight?

[Rollerbob]

Wonder how long he'll get in charge.

I personally think it's too late for playoffs now - we'd need a serious uplift in performances and results.

So if Brian just misses out on playoffs, is he given until January next year? What are his targets for this season? Is he sacked if he doesn't make the playoffs this year?

Mr. Watts needs to be asking him these questions.

[Vision]

I'd prefer a Reading v Reading friendly with two manager contenders picking teams one at a time school playground style and then the two facing off against each other.

Hurtado still wouldn't get a game.

[Silver Fox]

I personally think it's too late for playoffs now.

Jesus, we're not even half way through the season yet

[genome]

Wonder how long he'll get in charge.

I personally think it's too late for playoffs now - we'd need a serious uplift in performances and results.

Don't be stupid, we're 7 points away with over half the season to go. If we win tonight (which admittedly, we probably won't) we'll be 8th and 4 points away. The last time we made the play-offs in 2010/11, we were 14th with 27 points after 20 games. When we won the league in 2011/12, we were 11th with 27 points after 20 games.

We are currently 13th after 20 games, with... ooh, 27 points!

[Rollerbob]

I personally think it's too late for playoffs now.

Jesus, we're not even half way through the season yet

Well... Usually 76 points gets you playoffs safely.

In other words.. we need around 49 points from 26 games. Need quite a few wins to get there!

[West Stand Man]

Expect the announcement soon. We have simply been waiting for Salford City to exit the FA Cup before confirming their 2 managers as the new team to take us on to greatness.

[tidus_mi2]

I personally think it's too late for playoffs now.

Jesus, we're not even half way through the season yet

Well... Usually 76 points gets you playoffs safely.

In other words.. we need around 49 points from 26 games. Need quite a few wins to get there!

What you usually need is irrelevant, since the Championship was rebranded 78pts has been the most needed to get into the play-offs but it has also been as low as 68pts, this season, 6th place is currently on course for 74pts.

Regardless of our goals this season results need to pick up, either to stop ourselves sliding into a relegation scrap, or to re-ignite a promotion push.

[West Stand Man]

What you usually need is irrelevant, since the Championship was rebranded 78pts has been the most needed to get into the play-offs but it has also been as low as 68pts, this season, 6th place is currently on course for 74pts.

Regardless of our goals this season results need to pick up, either to stop ourselves sliding into a relegation scrap, or to re-ignite a promotion push.

True. More relevant is that the play offs are not achieved by reaching an absolute score, it is a relative score. The importance is to be one of either the 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th best points totals (with GD coming in as usual if required). Should we win tonight we'd be in 8th place and only just 4 pts behind the current 6th placed team. So, we only need to do 5 points better than them to sneak in above them. That is eminently achievable in 25 games.

Do we look like doing that at the moment? No. In fact it would be a huge (and very pleasant) surprise if we got even a point tonight. However, we are still comfortably in touch with the top 6 at this stage and a significant improvement in results could see us get in there.

[McDermolenko]

MAJOR BETTING UPDATE:

Brian McDermott comes down from a 1/8 shot this morning into a 3/10 one, with OSCAR GARCIA coming from 8/1 to EVS!

Something is going on, guys.

[Coppelled_Streets]

Have the last two weeks taught you nothing about betting odds? Ignore them.

[genome]

Jos Luhukay's Barmy Army!

[McDermolenko]

Have the last two weeks taught you nothing about betting odds? Ignore them.

Exchange odds mean a lot more than bookies.

[Coppelled_Streets]

Have the last two weeks taught you nothing about betting odds? Ignore them.

Exchange odds mean a lot more than bookies.

Then you'll be a very rich man in no time.

[genome]

Have the last two weeks taught you nothing about betting odds? Ignore them.

Exchange odds mean a lot more than bookies.

Di Canio was 1/100 a couple of days ago

[McDermolenko]

Have the last two weeks taught you nothing about betting odds? Ignore them.

Exchange odds mean a lot more than bookies.

Di Canio was 1/100 a couple of days ago

That was an error, though - I contacted them myself, funny enough, and it's since been corrected to 25/1 (as it was meant to be).