Jaap's Radio Comments

[Stranded]

So this is the moment, in my view there has been a group of Reading fans who have never taken to Stan, poss. because McD lost his job for him. There has often felt like an undercurrent where these fans have only stayed relatively quiet because results were good.

Now, the first bad spell under Stan and him answering a question about booing and knives are coming out. Sadly predictable.

Does something need to be tweaked to make the team better? yes. Are we far off? no.

Could Stam have answered the question more diplomatically? yes. We're his comments wrong? no. Would he have said something without the question? Most probably not. A decent number of Reading fans have always been quick with the boos and often slow with the praise. It's not like we make the Mad Stad a cauldron of noise before each game is it, even when things are going well.

Bit of a crossroads now, fans can either step up and make more supportive noise - nothing to stop people chanting even during slow build up. Unfortunately, likelihood is the opposite will happen and first mistake will be met with groans.

The team play a confidence system and this confidence is erroding, the fans can help this.

Question is, do we want to be supporters or customers. Some of the complaints here seem to suggest the latter. Yet we complain when we as fans are treated as such.

Big week ahead now.

[CountryRoyal]

Control Freak. His way or no way. It's everyone's else's fault it's not mine. The makings of a top class defender. Not a top class Manager.

Your comment is embarrassing. I don't recall Stam blaming anyone. The point Stam was making was that it is counter productive booing the team when they are trying their best to win. It would have been better if we had got behind the team and roared them on to success. Instead some in the crowd just got on their backs in a negative way.

Stam is justified in his view, but it doesn't matter what he was trying to say it's how he said it. The great irony is that what he said was just as counterproductive as the negetivity from the fans. He would have been much better served by being a tad more diplomatic and said something like "Were going through a difficult time and it's really important we all pull together and the fans support us like I know they can, we need to all work hard together to get the right results, we need your support" etc. Instead, whilst perfectly honest, he had a child-like outburst which is only going alienate fans, create disharmony and further exacerbate the situation.

It was poor from him. Misguided, short sighted and entirely antagonistic to what he wants to achieve.

[Top Flight]

Control Freak. His way or no way. It's everyone's else's fault it's not mine. The makings of a top class defender. Not a top class Manager.

Your comment is embarrassing. I don't recall Stam blaming anyone. The point Stam was making was that it is counter productive booing the team when they are trying their best to win. It would have been better if we had got behind the team and roared them on to success. Instead some in the crowd just got on their backs in a negative way.

Stam is justified in his view, but it doesn't matter what he was trying to say it's how he said it. The great irony is that what he said was just as counterproductive as the negetivity from the fans. He would have been much better served by being a tad more diplomatic and said something like "Were going through a difficult time and it's really important we all pull together and the fans support us like I know they can, we need to all work hard together to get the right results, we need your support" etc. Instead, whilst perfectly honest, he had a child-like outburst which is only going alienate fans, create disharmony and further exacerbate the situation.

It was poor from him. Misguided, short sighted and entirely antagonistic to what he wants to achieve.

Good point.

[Top Flight]

Control Freak. His way or no way. It's everyone's else's fault it's not mine. The makings of a top class defender. Not a top class Manager.

Your comment is embarrassing. I don't recall Stam blaming anyone. The point Stam was making was that it is counter productive booing the team when they are trying their best to win. It would have been better if we had got behind the team and roared them on to success. Instead some in the crowd just got on their backs in a negative way.

I don't know why our fans think we have the right to turn up against Hull and just easily win the game. Hull are an ex Premier League side packed with experienced quality players. They came to our place with a very defensive mindset. They played one quality striker on his own up front and dropped deep and defended well. They were very well organised and were marshalled by the vastly experienced ex Spurs centre back Dawson. He is a quality player, arguably the best centre half in the Championship. Alongside him they had highly rated Chelsea youngster Michael Hector who is also now very experienced having played in an FA Cup Semi Final with us, the Bundesliga with Frankfurt, the SPL and Championship for a few seasons. Hull know what they are doing and how to defend. They know how to get results.

We actually played some decent stuff when we were chasing the game. We are not far away from being a very decent side again. We absolutely blew away the Villa and Birmingham City a few weeks ago completely outclassing them. Stam will absolutely certainly get it right again. We just have to keep the faith.

1. The boos were primarily for the substitution, not the general performance. The point made by Dellor was that the booing actually seemed to kick the players into gear, suggesting that it can actually be useful.

2. In regards to Hull's defence, you are aware they shipped goals against Derby and have had only one cleansheet all season.

Yes, I agree, you are right. The booing was actually for the substitution. Liam Kelly was doing well. He looked our most creative player and then Stam takes him off. I couldn't understand that change in that moment either. I thought what the f*ck is he doing. However, the substitution was purely tactical, and had nothing to do with Kelly's performance. Stam wanted to change formation to a more attacking system. He went 3-4-3. Gunter and Obita were pushed into midfield along with VDB. Tiago, Moore and McShane ran a three man backline. He then had the masterstroke substitution to get Gunter off and bring Bodvarsson on. So the front three became, Aluko, Bodvarsson and Beerens. Obita played Left midfield, McCleary went to Right Midfield. That gave us 7 attacking players and the move paid off. Tactically it was a good change. Stam did well. Hull were extremely negative and very defensive all afternoon, just looking to hit us on the break. They let us have all the possession and they stayed disciplined and well organised.

We just have to be careful not to overreact. It is frustrating that things haven't gone our way recently. I don't think Stam helps by changing the team so often. He should be trying to play the line up that blew Villa and Birmingham away. Try and stay as close to that side as possible. Edwards doesn't really know how to play our system yet and was anonymous for most of the 90 minutes on Saturday and the same at Brentford.

We are very close to being a very good side again. A few little tweaks and we will go on a winning run. I would stick with Bodvarsson up front for now. We overreacted to his missed sitter the other week as well. His chance wasn't that easy. He was good at Birmingham and he did well against Hull. It's better if we try and support our players rather than get on their backs all the time. We're not really helping as supporters at the moment.

[Top Flight]

Stam's job is take pressure off the team. If the team are being told that they are expected to win the league then that level of pressure will negatively affect their performances. That is all that Stam is concerned about. The players need to feel free from the weight of expectation so that they can go out there and perform.

Ron Gourlays job on the other hand is different. He needs our bums on seats. If he really wants us to shout the team on to victory then he needs to install safe standing rail seats and encourage a noisy atmosphere in the ground. That's the tools the fans need.

[leon]

So this is the moment, in my view there has been a group of Reading fans who have never taken to Stan, poss. because McD lost his job for him. There has often felt like an undercurrent where these fans have only stayed relatively quiet because results were good.

Now, the first bad spell under Stan and him answering a question about booing and knives are coming out. Sadly predictable.

Does something need to be tweaked to make the team better? yes. Are we far off? no.

Could Stam have answered the question more diplomatically? yes. We're his comments wrong? no. Would he have said something without the question? Most probably not. A decent number of Reading fans have always been quick with the boos and often slow with the praise. It's not like we make the Mad Stad a cauldron of noise before each game is it, even when things are going well.

Bit of a crossroads now, fans can either step up and make more supportive noise - nothing to stop people chanting even during slow build up. Unfortunately, likelihood is the opposite will happen and first mistake will be met with groans.

The team play a confidence system and this confidence is erroding, the fans can help this.

Question is, do we want to be supporters or customers. Some of the complaints here seem to suggest the latter. Yet we complain when we as fans are treated as such.

Big week ahead now.

Think you've missed the point here. Stams team is serving up appalling football that isn't getting results.

As fans we are actually fairly laid back. It takes a lot to get us pissed off.

Stam has over reacted to some boos when he subbed Kelly. Not a massive amount. A few.

We're not drones who will blindly cheer any shit that served up to us. Actually when the team finally got off their arses in the last 10 mins, guess what? The crowd got behind them.

[P!ssed Off]

So this is the moment, in my view there has been a group of Reading fans who have never taken to Stan, poss. because McD lost his job for him. There has often felt like an undercurrent where these fans have only stayed relatively quiet because results were good.

Now, the first bad spell under Stan and him answering a question about booing and knives are coming out. Sadly predictable.

Fans have never taken to Stam because his style of football is absolute garbage, and he's a bit of pcunt.

Primarily I want to see Reading bringing through as many youth players as possible and playing mildly entertaining football.
I'm not really interested in watching journeymen tap it round the back and grind out 1-0 wins but if it produces results then I'll temporarily let it slide.
When it stops producing results then time to go.

[Hound]

I agree Stam is a bit of a 'pcunt' - but I think that is not necessarily a bad thing

He has never really tried to make himself popular has he? Not sure he actually gives a to$$ if he is liked or not

I do think he would benefit from growing a thicker skin though. He doesn't take criticism well at all, and this often leads to silly little outbursts which he shouldn't really be making

As said, could have played this one a lot better - i.e. We need to play better, the fans need to cheer louder and we need to do it together

[robig106]

The booing today was unnecessary as Stam has made it clear his philosophy and style of play, but fans still get on the team's back when they pass it to the goalkeeper or sideways when the players are coached to play this way.
The performances have been fine this season and probably better than most games last season but haven't got the results.
I agree with Stam's comments and feel the management and squad deserve more respect and support from the fans especially after Stam has proven last season what a strong manager he is tactically and strategically.
I wouldn't feel aggrieved if Stam walked out on us as the fans haven't bought into his ideas with low attendances and booing. We don't deserve to have a manager like Stam with the way he is being treated this season and the previous season.

[MR. CYNICAL]

It would of been even more of a masterstroke if Stam had brought Bodvarsson on much earlier, or even started with him! Not sure why no one has mentioned this.

[Platypuss]

It's a rum old do when finally putting on a striker when you are losing 1-0 and there's 15 minutes left can be considered a "masterstroke".

[royalp-we]

Stam's job is take pressure off the team. If the team are being told that they are expected to win the league then that level of pressure will negatively affect their performances. That is all that Stam is concerned about. The players need to feel free from the weight of expectation so that they can go out there and perform.

Ron Gourlays job on the other hand is different. He needs our bums on seats. If he really wants us to shout the team on to victory then he needs to install safe standing rail seats and encourage a noisy atmosphere in the ground. That's the tools the fans need.

Whilst i agree on their roles TF, Stam is only playing down our chances to cover his arse should he fail to improve on last season.

I don't agree that it would negatively impact the players performance because quite simply, yesterday was not good enough. Somone must take the blame. Whether that is Stams fault, or the players, the fans can't be blamed.

We are 8 games in - positivity breeds success and if you're turning on the style and getting performances on the pitch it will lift the fan base.

There is a weight of expectation because we have recruited well, we have the ingredients to have a really positive season. The players should be pushed to go one better. Just look at bloody Leeds?! Wednesday are up there each year following playoff heartache. We should be aiming to be up there too.

The football in the last 3 home games is simply not good enough.

Really hoping Stam gets results in the next 2. Fans are getting bored already. Safe standing would be a pretty pointless thing.

[gdroyal]

It would of been even more of a masterstroke if Stam had brought Bodvarsson on much earlier, or even started with him! Not sure why no one has mentioned this.

Bodvarsson started last week and offered very little, if you had watched him last week you could see why he wasn't picked yesterday. Stam decided to go with the team that started the 2nd half and were a lot better v Brentford. Personally I think we are so much better with 5 at the back however Obita's injury was really didn't help the prospects of this in the next few weeks.

[royalp-we]

The booing today was unnecessary as Stam has made it clear his philosophy and style of play, but fans still get on the team's back when they pass it to the goalkeeper or sideways when the players are coached to play this way.
The performances have been fine this season and probably better than most games last season but haven't got the results.
I agree with Stam's comments and feel the management and squad deserve more respect and support from the fans especially after Stam has proven last season what a strong manager he is tactically and strategically.
I wouldn't feel aggrieved if Stam walked out on us as the fans haven't bought into his ideas with low attendances and booing. We don't deserve to have a manager like Stam with the way he is being treated this season and the previous season.

Really? I wouldn't say they have improved, yet; and that's where the frustration lies.

I have faith in Stam. But I do find myself walking away from games thinking "when are things going to 'click' for us?"

[PieEater]

Stam should listen to the brief highlights on the Championship show, very berating of a poor Reading performance, wondering how Hull didn't secure their first away win of the season and whether any fans had stayed to see the late unexpected equaliser.

[peterroyal76]

Does anyone here really believe we're going to win the league?

After spending a whole season developing a style of play. I was optimistic that this season the team would move to a higher level of performance. No guarantee of winning but at least a more attractive/entertaining/thrilling style of football to watch. Yet, as an example, we've spent £8 million on a player who doesn't seem to fit into the style of the team. Did Stam choose the player or was he bought for him?

Why did we sign Popa and Lllori when they aren't even first choice starters.

I was hopeful for a good season and I still am, the question was about winning the league. I would rather it was more exciting than it is but that's not going to happen with Stam in charge. He's probably paying for over achieving last year.
Stam denied we paid anything near the reported fee for Aluko who has been good for us so far. We can only play 11 at a time, I think Illori should play instead of McShane and all of our wingers are much of a muchness anyway.

[peterroyal76]

Stam should listen to the brief highlights on the Championship show, very berating of a poor Reading performance, wondering how Hull didn't secure their first away win of the season and whether any fans had stayed to see the late unexpected equaliser.

I wouldn't take much notice of the championship show.

[Hound]

Regarding the wingers, I thought we missed Barrow massively. He has provided all the movement and aggression we completely lacked up front yesterday

[blythspartan]

I went to the game yesterday and it was really dull. I don't agree with fans booing and to be fair I think that in general we are a pretty patient bunch but there was very little to cheer yesterday.

I hope Stam can find the winning formula but after his interview, I do wonder how much affection he has for the club. Maybe it doesn't matter these days, or it might just be his mannerism.

If we lose our next 2 games he could be in trouble, but hopefully 6 points in the next week and all will be forgiven.

[windermereROYAL]

A roar of disapproval has Sheffield Wednesday make one pass backwards, we are not alone out there.