Richardson out

[Mid Sussex Royal]

That's one of my gripes with him, seems to have discarded the youngsters, Abrefa, Ahmed, Camara, Rusheda for example, he's even binned Patton off after recalling him from a successful loan.
Can't see that changing whether we have anything to play for or not.

I have no gripes with that, Abrefa, Ahmed, Camara and Rushesha have all shown they aren't good enough, so why waste any further time with them? If they go on and make it at our level or above, more fool us but I just can't see it.

He's probably also under a huge amount of pressure (not just from fans) from the owners as they're intent and focussed on promotion. So them, the investors are all probably saying "You're here to get us promoted - go and do it" - so to them try to pick out youngsters, who didn't cost the club any real money, would be risky.

Yes but promotion is 100% gone if Stevenage win tonight.....better to try some young lads rather than loanees who won't be here next season. Was thinking maybe the links of Duah and others R&R often mentions in the academy thread, at least on the bench.

[MR. CYNICAL]

If Stevenage win tonight (although Bolton A, but they may start resting key players for play-offs)) its definitely over and it will be interesting to see team selection for the remaining 3 games.....if LR persists with loanees like Keane & Young and we see none of the higher performing academy players at least on the bench, I will be very disappointed indeed.

That's one of my gripes with him, seems to have discarded the youngsters, Abrefa, Ahmed, Camara, Rusheda for example, he's even binned Patton off after recalling him from a successful loan.
Can't see that changing whether we have anything to play for or not.

I have no gripes with that, Abrefa, Ahmed, Camara and Rushesha have all shown they aren't good enough, so why waste any further time with them? If they go on and make it at our level or above, more fool us but I just can't see it.

Agree about Camara and Rushesha, just used them from the top of my head as an example of younger players that were often involved last season ( when we finished 7th by the way). But I disagree that Abrefa and Ahmed are not good enough.
Ahmed started the season at right back and did well early on (Portsmouth esp) but he's only young so maybe we overplayed him. He's gone out on loan so he can only improve. Think I'd rather have Abrefa on the bench instead of Yids to be fair.

[tidus_mi2]

Thing is, Abrefa is 22 and injury prone, out of contract in the Summer, is he worth the risk to the club at this point?
Ahmed is about to turn 19 so still has a year or two to develop to the required standard.

[MR. CYNICAL]

Thing is, Abrefa is 22 and injury prone, out of contract in the Summer, is he worth the risk to the club at this point?
Ahmed is about to turn 19 so still has a year or two to develop to the required standard.

You could of said that about Dorsett last season, seemed to be always injured but has stayed relatively injury free this term.
Abrefa is probably no more injury prone than Nyambe and Williams (both of them) but I take your point.

[morganb]

I wonder how linked up the first team and Academy are at the moment? Noel would have known all the players but has Leam any interest in them or does he just have a shopping list for the summer? You'd hope Peter Scott feeds details to Leam on prospective players ready to make the step up.

I also assume we closely monitor the players out on loan?

[Orion1871]

Tbf isn’t Ahmed 17 or something? Loads of time left. I like Abrefa and think he should have been first choice, the other 2 yes. Not up to div1

He's 19 in August.

To suggest he's not worth carrying on with at this stage is ridiculous.

[Royal Rother]

Abrefa, Ahmed and Garcia were the 3 players I was most looking forward to see develop.

Young, bit prone to errors (unsurprisingly), but exciting talents, grown from within.

Absolutely no surprise they have been binned by this manager of course.

[South Coast Royal]

Thing is, Abrefa is 22 and injury prone, out of contract in the Summer, is he worth the risk to the club at this point?
Ahmed is about to turn 19 so still has a year or two to develop to the required standard.

You could of said that about Dorsett last season, seemed to be always injured but has stayed relatively injury free this term.
Abrefa is probably no more injury prone than Nyambe and Williams (both of them) but I take your point.

Regarding Dorsett it does seem as though the manager doesn't really fancy him as he signed players for his left-sided centre-back and left-back roles and I don't expect him to be with us next season.

As for right-back it looks like this is Yids last season.
Abrefa IMHO is about the same level as Nyambe but surely Ahmed has more about him as a longer term prospect.

[MR. CYNICAL]

Thing is, Abrefa is 22 and injury prone, out of contract in the Summer, is he worth the risk to the club at this point?
Ahmed is about to turn 19 so still has a year or two to develop to the required standard.

You could of said that about Dorsett last season, seemed to be always injured but has stayed relatively injury free this term.
Abrefa is probably no more injury prone than Nyambe and Williams (both of them) but I take your point.

Regarding Dorsett it does seem as though the manager doesn't really fancy him as he signed players for his left-sided centre-back and left-back roles and I don't expect him to be with us next season.

As for right-back it looks like this is Yids last season.
Abrefa IMHO is about the same level as Nyambe but surely Ahmed has more about him as a longer term prospect.

Well he's from the academy so he wouldn't fancy him would he?
For all his faults, mainly a lack of concentration sometimes, I think he's quite solid, more so as a left sided centre half than a left back.
Got a turn of pace and shows a bit of strength.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

To return to the subject.

Richardson out? Absolutely not. Progress is not a linear thing.

Recruitment in the summer will not be purely down to him - Jacobson will have a large say in it, as may well Beattie. So this idea that he would lumber any next manager with an idiosyncratic choice not suited to any other style seems wrong to me. But he will have a squad more to his specification and a full pre-season.

If, by November results and performances are inadequate then he will get the old tic-tac. I strongly suspect we'll be top 6 though.

[MR. CYNICAL]

To return to the subject.

Richardson out? Absolutely not. Progress is not a linear thing.

Recruitment in the summer will not be purely down to him - Jacobson will have a large say in it, as may well Beattie. So this idea that he would lumber any next manager with an idiosyncratic choice not suited to any other style seems wrong to me. But he will have a squad more to his specification and a full pre-season.

If, by November results and performances are inadequate then he will get the old tic-tac. I strongly suspect we'll be top 6 though.

I wouldn't put money on it with him still in charge.

[Hound]

To return to the subject.

Richardson out? Absolutely not. Progress is not a linear thing.

Recruitment in the summer will not be purely down to him - Jacobson will have a large say in it, as may well Beattie. So this idea that he would lumber any next manager with an idiosyncratic choice not suited to any other style seems wrong to me. But he will have a squad more to his specification and a full pre-season.

If, by November results and performances are inadequate then he will get the old tic-tac. I strongly suspect we'll be top 6 though.

I wouldn't put money on it with him still in charge.

Yes and if not, or at least not close, then he’ll be relieved of his duties and someone else will get a go

[Millsy]

Goodness me, people are actually seriously talking about Leam being sacked? This was always meant to be a tongue in cheek troll thread.

In teh relegation zone, decimated squad, hodgepodge of players cobbled together, he turns things around so we just miss out on the playoffs. What the flying flamingo were people expecting? A manager to come in and turn around a hugely troubled club to get autopro immediately? Or a guranteed playoff spot?

Yeah I've been pissed off by the shut up shop mentality he's due criticism for sure, but ffs stop it, it's embarrassing.

Looking forward to a full summer of action, consolidation, training, full preseason and a decent go at it next year. If we're not in the mix by Xmas I suspect he'll be given the push but we will most likely do fine.

[Linden Jones' Tash]

Goodness me, people are actually seriously talking about Leam being sacked? This was always meant to be a tongue in cheek troll thread.

In teh relegation zone, decimated squad, hodgepodge of players cobbled together, he turns things around so we just miss out on the playoffs. What the flying flamingo were people expecting? A manager to come in and turn around a hugely troubled club to get autopro immediately? Or a guranteed playoff spot?

Yeah I've been pissed off by the shut up shop mentality he's due criticism for sure, but ffs stop it, it's embarrassing.

Looking forward to a full summer of action, consolidation, training, full preseason and a decent go at it next year. If we're not in the mix by Xmas I suspect he'll be given the push but we will most likely do fine.

I have to agree with most of this - my recollection was also that the general sense was that this should be a consolidation season and when the owners set out their stall as improving on last Season, there was a lot of derision from the fan base...

The result have been masking some difficult to bear performances,

but assuming the Owners have the resources and willingness to go again in the summer (& not fire sale players to fill the inevitable deficit to come), then he should be given the summer and first 3 months of next season to show tangible improvement in style AND results...

And maybe a crash course in how to communicate with fans in 2026

[Brogue]

And he’s lost the dressing room

https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/spor ... s-tactics/

[RG30]

Reading FC dressing room tension grows as anonymous player hits out at Leam Richardson’s tactics and man‑management.

It has been a chaotic storm for the Royals this weekend, with the 1-0 loss to Doncaster Rovers proving to be the last straw for many in the fanbase with Leam Richardson - and it seems that players have shared their frustration.

A source inside the dressing room has told The Reading Chronicle that there is tension building between the players and Leam Richardson. There are a mix of complaints which include, a 'lack of playing time', players being 'played out of position' and the 'in-game management and especially the 'change of formation'.

One player, who shall remain anonymous, said to this newspaper that he has been left 'frustrated' with the current situation at the football club and admitted that the team 'should be able to close out games', which has been an issue that has been apparent in recent results for Reading.

The Chronicle reached out to the club for comment on these claims.

The Royals have dropped 11 points in five games across the last three months due to last minute goals deep in injury time. Specifically against Exeter, Bolton, Port Vale, Huddersfield and Lincoln City - with four goals coming for the opposition in the 90+6th minute.

With Reading now realistically out of the play-off race, with only three games left to play and nine points up for grabs, their previous results have now come under a new spotlight that showcases a lack of in-game management.

Frustration has also been built across the fanbase due to Leam Richardson's post-match comments, which often lay blame of players and weather/pitch conditions for the 'disappointing' performances. In instances in the post-match interviews for Reading's draw and loss against Huddersfield Town and Lincoln City respectively, Richardson has pitched the blame on to 'individual errors' - which has caused even further friction within the dressing room.

Leam Richardson has come under immense pressure from the Reading fanbase to be 'sacked' after their 1-0 loss to Doncaster Rovers on Saturday - with fans calling on owner and chairman Rob Couhig to take action before the end of the season.

Fans took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) over the weekend to share their dissatisfaction with Richardson and his tactics, with one saying: "sack him we can’t go into next season with him in charge."

The Reading Chronicle understands that Leam Richardson still has the backing of the Reading FC board despite the fan unrest.

When Rob Couhig appointed Richardson to replace Noel Hunt in October he said: "I have admired Leam for some time.

"He is a coach and leader who embodies exactly the qualities we want at Reading - hard work, diligence, organisation and an absolute commitment to improving players.

"He achieved promotion from League One in extremely difficult circumstances and proved he can build success, he is humble, driven, and he builds strong, honest cultures - something I know Royals fans value and respect.

"Leam knows this division, he knows what a winning dressing room looks like and he understands the standards required to get there. He is hungry, ambitious and determined to move this football club forward.

"We are delighted to welcome him to Reading."

The question on everyone's mind is when will the 'delight' end? As it has become clear that the honeymoon period has well and truly ended.

[Hound]

So one player is moaning a bit about not getting played enough and like everyone else at the club is frustrated with conceding late goals

Sounds out of control. Cracking article.

As I’ve said elsewhere if anyone was happy and satisfied coming out of that dressing room after that performance it would be far worse

[leon]

So one player is moaning a bit about not getting played enough and like everyone else at the club is frustrated with conceding late goals

Sounds out of control. Cracking article.

As I’ve said elsewhere if anyone was happy and satisfied coming out of that dressing room after that performance it would be far worse

I particularly liked the bit where the player was complaining that the team on the pitch were failing to close out games. Maybe that's a problem with the players?

[RoyalBlue]

"He is a coach and leader who embodies exactly the qualities we want at Reading - hard work, diligence, organisation and an absolute commitment to improving players.

A coach who says you can only be a good coach if you have good players and who has done the complete opposite to that last point.

Which of our players has he improved this season?

[WestYorksRoyal]

The headline got my attention, only for the article to make me think "That's it?"