January Transfer Window

[WestYorksRoyal]

I also think ex players with experience of playing for clubs like Man Utd and Inter Milan don't understand clubs like Reading easily. Add to that CEOs who are used to Chelsea under Abramovich. So many poor decisions made over several years, and I'm fairly confident our academy graduates from around the time would have achieved more under the right management. But it's largely in the past now; if we can shift Aluko in the summer we'll be shot of overpaid, mediocre players. I suspect Baldock is on more than he's worth too, but at least he actually contributes to the team.

[Hound]

I also think ex players with experience of playing for clubs like Man Utd and Inter Milan don't understand clubs like Reading easily. Add to that CEOs who are used to Chelsea under Abramovich. So many poor decisions made over several years, and I'm fairly confident our academy graduates from around the time would have achieved more under the right management. But it's largely in the past now; if we can shift Aluko in the summer we'll be shot of overpaid, mediocre players. I suspect Baldock is on more than he's worth too, but at least he actually contributes to the team.

yeah indeed. Aluko is really the last of that group. I suspect only having 1 year left makes him much easier to shift. He'd be far more likely to go elsewhere if offered a couple of years by another club. Worst case, there's a pay up his contract option - maybe pay him 6 months or whatever.

No doubts Baldock and Moore are on good money, but can live with that. Again Baldock only has 1 year left as well. To me, the end of this season feels like the end of a particularly shit era

[WestYorksRoyal]

Moore's big contract was a response to a big PL bid, so I suspect it would have happened now too. Swift and Meite will be on good wages, but again I don't really begrudge that.

[From Despair To Where?]

I don't think the blame can entirely be laid at Stam's door. He was appointed in June 2016 and and most of the players bought in that first window made a contribution. It went to shit in his second season and that co-incided with Ron Gourlay being appointed in July 2017.

A successful football club is built on responsible ownership and we are getting back to responsible ownership. TSI was a shambles, the Thais were merely a stopgap but I do think the Dais a doing a decent job. They've make mistakes but seem quick to learn from them and they are making substantial investments where they can, particularly in the infrastructure of the club.

2021 will be a watershed when we are clear of the mess created in 2017.

[Hound]

I don't think the blame can entirely be laid at Stam's door. He was appointed in June 2016 and and most of the players bought in that first window made a contribution. It went to shit in his second season and that co-incided with Ron Gourlay being appointed in July 2017.

A successful football club is built on responsible ownership and we are getting back to responsible ownership. TSI was a shambles, the Thais were merely a stopgap but I do think the Dais a doing a decent job. They've make mistakes but seem quick to learn from them and they are making substantial investments where they can, particularly in the infrastructure of the club.

2021 will be a watershed when we are clear of the mess created in 2017.

yeah, realise its not totally Stam to blame, but he does share a big chunk of the responsibility

I'd say we're pretty much rid of it this summer. The Stam/Gourlay blow out will be off the books and we're only left with Aluko who is not earning his ridiculous wage. And as mentioned, if nothing else, he'll be paid off - can't imagine that will cost more than 500k

[From Despair To Where?]

Stam was tactically inflexible and relied heavily on key players coming up big. He knew Kermorgant was crocked so replacing him should have been the No 1 priority. Ironically, the one attacking player from his tenure who is making a decent fist of a career at Reading was sent out on loan to the French second tier that season.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I also blame Stam because of his arrogance and inability to accept responsibility. He said in an interview last year that the reason it fell apart after his 1st season is that the club didn't back him in the transfer market. Utter bollocks. We spent more than we've ever spent and we're still feeling the cost now. The reason your second season was shit was because we spent a load of money on rubbish. If he was involved in those signings, he takes responsibility. He certainly can't accuse the club of not spending.

[From Despair To Where?]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Stam is blameless, at the end of the day, he's the one responsible for putting an inconsistent, unfit, tactically naive team out on the pitch, regardless of who is actually buying the players, I just think that the shambles on the pitch was a reflection of the shambles off the pitch.

For Stam, it's easy to justify in your own head that it's not his fault when the whole operation's a complete shitshow. It's just another side to his obsession with his own ideology and tactical inflexibility by seeing the root of the problem elsewhere.

[Sutekh]

Looking back you could tell it was going to be shocking transfer wise in 2017 as in January Reading signed Adrian Popa and loaned Zat Knight, Reece Oxford and Jordon Mutch, but they did get Lewis Grabban on loan and then promptly failed to play him as a forward. Net result - very poor return.

The summer saw spending god knows what on Sone Aluko, Vito Mannone, Dave Edwards, Pelle Clement, Mo Barrow, Leandro Bacuna and Bod of which only Mo and Sone remain (Vito is now on loan in Denmark and then out of contract, so as good as gone). Bod was the best of those in terms of return for monetary spend.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Looking back you could tell it was going to be shocking transfer wise in 2017 as in January Reading signed Adrian Popa and loaned Zat Knight, Reece Oxford and Jordon Mutch, but they did get Lewis Grabban on loan and then promptly failed to play him as a forward. Net result - very poor return.

The summer saw spending god knows what on Sone Aluko, Vito Mannone, Dave Edwards, Pelle Clement, Mo Barrow, Leandro Bacuna and Bod of which only Mo and Sone remain (Vito is now on loan in Denmark and then out of contract, so as good as gone). Bod was the best of those in terms of return for monetary spend.

You forgot £4m on Ilori. Though somehow we recouped the majority of that; a Hammond-esque sale.

[muirinho]

Looking back you could tell it was going to be shocking transfer wise in 2017 as in January Reading signed Adrian Popa and loaned Zat Knight, Reece Oxford and Jordon Mutch, but they did get Lewis Grabban on loan and then promptly failed to play him as a forward. Net result - very poor return.

The summer saw spending god knows what on Sone Aluko, Vito Mannone, Dave Edwards, Pelle Clement, Mo Barrow, Leandro Bacuna and Bod of which only Mo and Sone remain (Vito is now on loan in Denmark and then out of contract, so as good as gone). Bod was the best of those in terms of return for monetary spend.

You forgot £4m on Ilori. Though somehow we recouped the majority of that; a Hammond-esque sale.

Didn't we sell Bacuna on for twice what we paid for him?

[3points]

Would rather have Bod here now than Baldock. Also never felt Pelle Clement got a decent run and think Bowen might like his style too.

[Hound]

Only Mannone and Aluko were financial disasters looking back

We tossed away a few million on Edwards and Clement but Barrow was vfm, Bacuna sold at a profit and Bod was reasonable

It was as much those ridiculous contracts - 4 years for Kelly and Aluko on sky high wages, 3 for Popa, Mannone apparently very well paid, and giving utterly unnecessary and expensive extensions to McShane, Joey and Yann.

[From Despair To Where?]

Yann had already announced his retirement for the end of the season so we offered him a year's extention slap bang in the middle of a 4 month injury layoff where there were doubts he would play again.

To Yann's credit, he walked.

[URZZZZ]

Yann had already announced his retirement for the end of the season so we offered him a year's extention slap bang in the middle of a 4 month injury layoff where there were doubts he would play again.

To Yann's credit, he walked.

He spent most the last season walking round the pitch aimlessly too

[Old Man Andrews]

Would rather have Bod here now than Baldock. Also never felt Pelle Clement got a decent run and think Bowen might like his style too.

Good lord......

[URZZZZ]

Would rather have Bod here now than Baldock. Also never felt Pelle Clement got a decent run and think Bowen might like his style too.

Good lord......

Is he wrong to be fair? Did he ever get a decent run in the team to show what he can do?

[Old Man Andrews]

Would rather have Bod here now than Baldock. Also never felt Pelle Clement got a decent run and think Bowen might like his style too.

Good lord......

Is he wrong to be fair? Did he ever get a decent run in the team to show what he can do?

Look where Clement is now, that will tell you all you need to know.

[Hendo]

Good lord......

Is he wrong to be fair? Did he ever get a decent run in the team to show what he can do?

Look where Clement is now, that will tell you all you need to know.

Playing in the top tier of Dutch football? Captained his team in a few games and scored twice and two assists?

Would say he is doing alright for himself, tbh.

[Old Man Andrews]

Is he wrong to be fair? Did he ever get a decent run in the team to show what he can do?

Look where Clement is now, that will tell you all you need to know.

Playing in the top tier of Dutch football? Captained his team in a few games and scored twice and two assists?

Would say he is doing alright for himself, tbh.

Terrible player, playing for a terrible club in a really poor league.

Try again.