BBC Berks Reading FC Podcast interviews

[Forbury Lion]

Listened to the Dave Kitson interview yesterday and it was just as interesting as the Steve Coppell podcast.

Having listened to it, If I ever spot Kitson out and about I will probably leave him alone knowing how uncomfortable it makes him feel when strangers approach him, He did say though that when someone approached him recently he knew it would be a friendly approach because the guy had a Steve Coppell type Reading jacket on.

He regrets not retiring after the 106 season, clearly not motivated by money.
Was clinically depressed when he moved to Stoke, regrets not retiring then and there when Reading said they would rather sell him than negotiate on the enforced pay cut (he'd overstretched on his mortgage - perhaps the club should think about providing financial advice to players)
Doesn't want to be a manager, coach, that sort of thing. Wants to be involved in the running of a club.
When at Reading his mentality was that he was the best player/first name on the teamsheet and as such had to justify that everytime he went on the pitch (He didn't actually tell people this).
Didn't get on with Sidwell
Surprisingly, in touch with alot of ex-team mates including Leroy Lita which surprised me as they seem like completely different characters.

[The Cube]

...he'd overstretched on his mortgage ...

That's an incredible coincidence - The Secret Footballer had the same problem. And the same solution. And the same outcome.

[Forbury Lion]

...he'd overstretched on his mortgage ...

That's an incredible coincidence - The Secret Footballer had the same problem. And the same solution. And the same outcome.

Probably around the same time too.

[Forbury Lion]

Listening to the Brian McDermott interview now.

His sacking meeting (first time round) took 90 seconds.

[Sutekh]

Listening to the Brian McDermott interview now.

His sacking meeting (first time round) took 90 seconds.

Bit disappointed with this one as there was no mention of his subsequent 6 months in charge. Still a good listen though.

[Forbury Lion]

Listening to the Brian McDermott interview now.

His sacking meeting (first time round) took 90 seconds.

Bit disappointed with this one as there was no mention of his subsequent 6 months in charge. Still a good listen though.

+1
I tweeted Ady about that, I wondered if he had to sign an NDA with his payoff or something and was therefore prevented from talking about it.

Could do with a part 2 as I'd be interested in hearing about his career & life after his first departure from the club - that whole situation at Leeds for example.

I would welcome Brian back at the club in any capacity.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

The Ian Branfoot interview I found disappointing, Ady Williams could have done a lot more homework, very little on the 13 wins, and key games in the run, and the Simod Cup chat was mainly around the post match meal in the Ramada Hotel after, which Williams attended as a YTS trainee.

It also came across from Williams that Branfoot was offered the manager's job as an outsider....in fact he was already at the club and first team coach when Maurice Evans was sacked.

[Forbury Lion]

Steve Sidwell interview is up now.
Marcus Hahnemann on it's way in a few weeks

[Sutekh]

The Ian Branfoot interview I found disappointing, Ady Williams could have done a lot more homework, very little on the 13 wins, and key games in the run, and the Simod Cup chat was mainly around the post match meal in the Ramada Hotel after, which Williams attended as a YTS trainee.

It also came across from Williams that Branfoot was offered the manager's job as an outsider....in fact he was already at the club and first team coach when Maurice Evans was sacked.

Agreed. This really needs to be revisited. Brief mention of the 13 and then the same old Simod talk. Sorry Ady but felt this was a missed opportunity, please have another chat at some point in the future.

[KC Royal]

Steve Sidwell interview is up now.
Marcus Hahnemann on it's way in a few weeks

Just listened to the Sidwell one - more interesting than the Kitson one but then he comes across better, and some of the discussion in Kitson's had already been discussed in a certain book...(though obviously not as specifically).

Couple of things to clarify:

1) That Burnley match when he got injured it was Kitson and Shorey that also went off injured (surprised he didn't remember Shorey given that he was one of his best mates!). That was my first game of the season and I vaguely remember now that I didn't think Sidwell should have stayed on (so it's interesting to discover the story behind it). I'm actually currently going through that season with stuff I kept and in the discussion of that particular game (shame the archives here don't go back before 2006) Coppell's comments post-match about the injuries were mentioned (something along the lines of Sidwell shouldn't have played). Did make me chuckle that there were people who accused Kitson of being arrogant and lazy when he had set up a goal that day, though he wasn't having a great game when he went off (later than he should have done - it unsettled us until half-time).

2) He said he was having talks with other clubs in secret in his final year. Well it wasn't exactly secret as there were rumours posted on here. And I knew it was happening at the time by a source who had said that he'd had talks with clubs that summer (before the season had even started IIRC). Interesting that we offered more money than Chelsea, but the previous summer that wouldn't have been the case as we had that long-running thread about him wanting more money etc etc and I think the aforementioned clubs had offered him more money than we did. I've always thought that if we'd managed to sign Fae a year earlier we'd have sold him if an offer had been made. I guess when the Chelsea interest started by then we knew we were staying up so financially felt able to offer him better money.

He said that the fans didn't know before the season finished that the Chelsea deal had been done, but I remember think it was at the Fulham game in April someone outside the players entrance asking him directly whether he was leaving, and got a gut feeling from his reaction that he was off, don't think he said much but he never denied it.

[Hendo]

Jamie Cureton the next one, should be a good one.

[Old Man Andrews]

Jamie Cureton the next one, should be a good one.

Top bloke and a great player for us. He is still playing at a relatively high level and banging in the goals too.

[WestYorksRoyal]

We offered Sidwell more money than Chelsea did

If only he'd accepted; we could have had a solid 4-5 year stint in the PL.

[Forbury Lion]

Marcus Hahnemann one is up, interesting story (Which he also told on BBC Berks before the Luton game) about the Reading delegation going to a reserve game to watch Marcus but he wasn't playing, but they saw him warming up the goalkeeper who was playing and then booting all the balls back from the goal into the ball boys ball bag on the halfway line and signed him off the back of that.

[Brum Royal]

Very late to these.

Found the Shaka one and really enjoyed it so now working my way backwards. Jobi and Jose were good, but I found the one with Harps fascinating - clearly very grounded and just a regular guy who loved playing football. Next up for me in my backwards timeline is Ron Grant.

[Hendo]

Very late to these.

Found the Shaka one and really enjoyed it so now working my way backwards. Jobi and Jose were good, but I found the one with Harps fascinating - clearly very grounded and just a regular guy who loved playing football. Next up for me in my backwards timeline is Ron Grant.

The Steve Coppell one is brilliant.