Pre-Season tour - Holland 2017

[The Informant]

C

[LWJ]

H

[royalp-we]

Sounds like an epic getaway for the squad #ladsontour

[LWJ]

All a bit of shambles really.

Nothing confirmed apart from this hidden in another article:

After two games against Rangers, the Royals’ next action will come on foreign shores as Stam leads his team back to Holland for four games against cosmopolitan opponents out in Oosterbeek and Arnhem.

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2017/j ... riorities/

Now OUT for this. I get the impression they aren't keen on fans going out there for it.

[RG30]

All a bit of shambles really.

Nothing confirmed apart from this hidden in another article:

After two games against Rangers, the Royals’ next action will come on foreign shores as Stam leads his team back to Holland for four games against cosmopolitan opponents out in Oosterbeek and Arnhem.

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2017/j ... riorities/

Now OUT for this. I get the impression they aren't keen on fans going out there for it.

Nothing new, been going on for years. Some other clubs make genuine efforts to keep fans informed, announcing tour dates 6 months in advance whereas the club's attitude would be to keep it hush hush and hope no one bothered to make an effort.

[The Informant]

I'm out now too.

Nothing of note announced apart from one friendly at the end of July.

This doesn't seem like great prep. At least last year we had a game at Wimbledon to get us ready and test us a little.

[LWJ]

Nothing new, been going on for years. Some other clubs make genuine efforts to keep fans informed, announcing tour dates 6 months in advance whereas the club's attitude would be to keep it hush hush and hope no one bothered to make an effort.

First one I've been able to consider going to.. always thought they gave a little more notice!

[Sutekh]

I'm out now too.

Nothing of note announced apart from one friendly at the end of July.

This doesn't seem like great prep. At least last year we had a game at Wimbledon to get us ready and test us a little.

It's certainly very odd but then Stam has said that he wants to concentrate on getting fitness levels back up and working on the tactics which I guess he thinks can be served equally well with a load of unknown behind closed doors friendlies as with a load of games in public view.

It's probably not a conscious decision to actually organise games this way it's just the way it's worked out this time.

[LWJ]

However, it is anticipated that due to local stewarding regulations out in Holland, all four of these fixtures will be played at venues close to the team’s training base but behind closed doors

The Royals will compete in two pre-season double headers against overseas opposition from three different countries during our ten day stay in Holland next month.

Jaap Stam is set to take his squad back to his homeland once more as a group of first team and Under-23 players will join the coaching staff in a return to Oosterbeek on Wednesday 12th July.

However, it is anticipated that due to local stewarding regulations out in Holland, all four of these fixtures will be played at venues close to the team’s training base but behind closed doors - therefore not open to supporters. Rest assured, every kick will be followed by the club’s website, covered via our official social media streams and full highlights of all four games will be broadcast on our brand new iFollow service.


Club News
Royals to head back to Holland for pre-season!
5 June 2017
On Saturday 15th July, the Royals will take on Belgian top flight side KV Kortrijk - kick-off scheduled for 3pm.

Then, three hours later, Reading will take on Turkish top tier outfit Gençlerbirliği, kick-off 6.30pm.

The following week will then be spent on the training pitch for a group of players looking to bolster their fitness levels ahead of the start of the 2017-18 campaign.

Then on Saturday 22nd July, another double header will end the summer’s stay in Holland – as Jaap Stam’s side play two more fixtures locally, both again played behind closed doors.

Sparta Rotterdam will be our opponents when we kick off the first of those fixtures at 11am – the Eredivisie side travelling across the Netherlands to take on the Royals in Oosterbeek.

Then at 1.30pm, Reading will take on their second Belgian side of the pre-season tour – second tier side Cercle Brugge giving the Royals their final run out in Holland.

Saturday 15th July | KV Kortrijk, kick-off 3pm (2pm UK time)
Saturday 15th July | Gençlerbirliği, kick-off 6.30pm (5.30pm UK time)
Saturday 22nd July | Sparta Rotterdam, kick-off 11am (10am UK time)
Saturday 22nd July | Cercle Brugge, kick-off 1.30pm (12.30pm UK time)

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2017/j ... m=referral

[LWJ]

Complete farce. The club have worked hard recently to form a connection with the fans again, this won't help.

[winchester_royal]

It does kind of make sense though.

Most top flight european teams tend to have a hardened element to their fanbase, and trying to steward that is likely to be both difficult and costly.

If they're smart they'll on the sly let in any supporters who have emailed them directly about going out to Holland etc and try to stream a couple of the games live on ifollow.

[RG30]

It does kind of make sense though.

Most top flight european teams tend to have a hardened element to their fanbase, and trying to steward that is likely to be both difficult and costly.

If they're smart they'll on the sly let in any supporters who have emailed them directly about going out to Holland etc and try to stream a couple of the games live on ifollow.

Wasn't an issue last year when we played in Holland or in previous seasons particularly in Slovenia and Croatia.

Of the 7 pre season first team matches this season, 6 are behind closed doors and the "home" friendly is 21 miles away.

[tmesis]

It does kind of make sense though.

Most top flight european teams tend to have a hardened element to their fanbase, and trying to steward that is likely to be both difficult and costly.

If they're smart they'll on the sly let in any supporters who have emailed them directly about going out to Holland etc and try to stream a couple of the games live on ifollow.

Wasn't an issue last year when we played in Holland or in previous seasons particularly in Slovenia and Croatia.

Of the 7 pre season first team matches this season, 6 are behind closed doors and the "home" friendly is 21 miles away.

Stam's probably trying to get the team prepared for the usual Madejski atmosphere.

[Lower West]

Of the 7 pre season first team matches this season, 6 are behind closed doors and the "home" friendly is 21 miles away.

Friendlies in recent years are getting built up into something they are not. Price of watching them is getting silly. I remember watching a full Chelsea team of the 70's play at Sutton Utd. Entrance was free. Chopper Harris and Dave Webb came round with buckets at the end collecting donations for a local hospice. Around 200 people turned out.

[paultheroyal]

It does kind of make sense though.

Most top flight european teams tend to have a hardened element to their fanbase, and trying to steward that is likely to be both difficult and costly.

If they're smart they'll on the sly let in any supporters who have emailed them directly about going out to Holland etc and try to stream a couple of the games live on ifollow.

Wasn't an issue last year when we played in Holland or in previous seasons particularly in Slovenia and Croatia.

Of the 7 pre season first team matches this season, 6 are behind closed doors and the "home" friendly is 21 miles away.

Plenty of games to watch in August - don't worry about it.