Madejski: Get up so I can sell up

[Bill Oddie's Beard]

http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/footb ... an_sell_up

John Madejski says he is more determined than ever to stay and oversee Reading’s promotion to the Premier League – so he can sell the club.

Royals’ multi-millionaire chairman has made it clear he would be willing to sell up after 17 years at the helm.

However, there was little interest in the club even when they were in the Premier League. Relegation has done nothing to improve that and the club’s value has also dropped.

Madejski declared: “My resolve now is even greater because we have something to fight for – getting back into the Premiership, which is great.

“As you know, when we were in the Premiership my ambition was to sell the club. Now we are not there my ambition is to get back up there, so I can sell the club.

“Everything is for sale. The Premiership is the place to be if you are selling. I have a mission now to get back up there.

“We had a smattering of interest but nothing concrete. The club is far more desirable if we are in the Premiership, but I am looking forward to the journey back up.”

Reading know they will lose a handful of their top stars to Premier League predators over the next month or so, but Madejski remains confident promotion can be achieved at the first time of asking because the club managed to retain the services of manager Steve Coppell, who guided the club into the top flight for the first time in their history three seasons ago.

“I think he’s the best manager in the country,” declared Madejski. “When the unthinkable (relegation) happened Steve was very quick to respond in a positive way.

“He really feels he’s got a mission now and that is music to my ears. He knows the club, he knows the squad, he likes the club, so it’s business as usual and we are all on a mission.”

[Zammo]

Back page of today's EP.

LOL if he thinks we are going straight up. Actually LOL at anyone who thinks that.

[Archie's penalty]

Madejski's shtick is so tiresome.

Sure he has helped us incredibly but he is starting to bore me now with his blatant wishes to sell up and his complete lack of
knowledge about the game.

[PlasticRoyale]

Back page of today's EP.

LOL if he thinks we are going straight up. Actually LOL at anyone who thinks that.

LOL at anyone who LOL before knowing who will be in the squad come Sept 1st

[readingbedding]

I think that we have a fantastic chance of Promotion.
That view may change.

[brighton_royal]

LOL at anyone who doesn't realise that getting promoted then being bought by someone significantly richer than JM is absolutely the best thing that could happen to our club.

[Archie's penalty]

Can we stop all these lols please? I mean there's too many lols around isn't there? lol

[Royalee]

It's a reasonable expectation, but there you are quite right in that there is no chance of it happening with the current clown in charge.

Best manager in the country? ROFL!

Fergie, Wenger, Scolari, Benitez, Moyes, Hughes, Brown, Allardyce, Redknapp, Ramos, Johnson, Ince and so on are all superior for starters.

[Southbank Old Boy]

LOL at anyone who doesn't realise that getting promoted then being bought by someone significantly richer than JM is absolutely the best thing that could happen to our club.

That depends who the significantly richer person is!!!

It didn't happen last time round so I'd be a bit worried that as JM is getting keener to sell as he may just sell to someone who isn't right for the future of the club.

[Vision]

It's a reasonable expectation, but there you are quite right in that there is no chance of it happening with the current clown in charge.

Best manager in the country? ROFL!

Fergie, Wenger, Scolari, Benitez, Moyes, Hughes, Brown, Allardyce, Redknapp, Ramos, Johnson, Ince and so on are all superior for starters.

I'll humour you today. Its all relative to resources really. Coppell is the best manager JM could employ because he will happily work within the constraints set by the chairman. He knows full well he's unlikely to find another manager with Coppell's pedigree in getting sides to punch well above their financial weight. Therefore as far as the man who employs him is concerned he is the best manager he could want.

[Focher]

Back page of today's EP.

LOL if he thinks we are going straight up. Actually LOL at anyone who thinks that.

you won't think that after Didcot

[Norfolk Royal]

LOL at everyone LingOL.

[Tilehurst Mike]

---it was only a matter of time. We've had Coppell's spoutings about Agents and Hammonds, 'we know who we want', so it was only a matter of time before the big man opened his mouth to the Press.

If he seriously wants to achieve promotion back at the first attempt, he needs to change his philosophy of sell first, buy later. Sure we need a bit of an overhaul after last year's failings, and undoubtedly some of our 'stars' will move on, but surely he realises that we need to make some significant signings which will cost money. The championship is going to be no easy league to get out off next season, so if he is thinking he can get by with little or no investment in new players, and pocket a few more millions from sales, then I think he really is way off the reality of what is needed.
We have a Chairman who wants to sell and a Manager who at best is only likely to be with us for one more season--I'll await developments with interest as the new season progresses!

[Royalee]

It's a reasonable expectation, but there you are quite right in that there is no chance of it happening with the current clown in charge.

Best manager in the country? ROFL!

Fergie, Wenger, Scolari, Benitez, Moyes, Hughes, Brown, Allardyce, Redknapp, Ramos, Johnson, Ince and so on are all superior for starters.

I'll humour you today. Its all relative to resources really. Coppell is the best manager JM could employ because he will happily work within the constraints set by the chairman. He knows full well he's unlikely to find another manager with Coppell's pedigree in getting sides to punch well above their financial weight. Therefore as far as the man who employs him is concerned he is the best manager he could want.

And Madejski's informed you of this then has he?

Here's a question I've still never had answered by the HNA conspiracy brigade...

If Coppell didn't feel he had the resources available in order to take the club forward, WHY has he gone on record as saying that the chairman gives him his FULL backing financially and he enjoys an excellent relationship with him? Given his bargaining position with the fans and thus the board on the back of finishing 8th, Madejski would have had a riot on his hands if Coppell had informed the media that he wanted more funds in order to secure better players and wasn't being given them.

I've yet to have that question answered though and I'm sure you'll all continue to avoid answering it as it makes a complete mockery of your argument.

[Southbank Old Boy]

It's a reasonable expectation, but there you are quite right in that there is no chance of it happening with the current clown in charge.

Best manager in the country? ROFL!

Fergie, Wenger, Scolari, Benitez, Moyes, Hughes, Brown, Allardyce, Redknapp, Ramos, Johnson, Ince and so on are all superior for starters.

I'll humour you today. Its all relative to resources really. Coppell is the best manager JM could employ because he will happily work within the constraints set by the chairman. He knows full well he's unlikely to find another manager with Coppell's pedigree in getting sides to punch well above their financial weight. Therefore as far as the man who employs him is concerned he is the best manager he could want.

And Madejski's informed you of this then has he?

Here's a question I've still never had answered by the HNA conspiracy brigade...

If Coppell didn't feel he had the resources available in order to take the club forward, WHY has he gone on record as saying that the chairman gives him his FULL backing financially and he enjoys an excellent relationship with him? Given his bargaining position with the fans and thus the board on the back of finishing 8th, Madejski would have had a riot on his hands if Coppell had informed the media that he wanted more funds in order to secure better players and wasn't being given them.

I've yet to have that question answered though and I'm sure you'll all continue to avoid answering it as it makes a complete mockery of your argument.

Because it's a two way street.

Coppell is happy with a limited budget (limited in comparison to most of our Premiership rivals that is). Madejski made that available to him and so Coppell was happy that he had the full backing of his chairman. He still didnt actually go and spend it though

Another manager might've wanted a bigger budget in order to improve the squad. Coppell didn't.

It's one of the clubs weaknesses, and it's strength, that the manager isn't pressuring the board for more money. You could argue that a manager with a different outlook and different methods might've been knocking on the chairmans door demanding more money to avoid the squad drifting to relegation.

[Row Z Royal]

Without reading all that, why would anyone buy a club like Reading in the Prem? There's more scope for making money on a well-placed CCC club rather than a wobbly Prem one.

[brendywendy]

LOL at many of the people who moan about lack of money being the same who laughed and moaned about the proposed ground redevelopment.

[Mr Controversial]

Here's a question I've still never had answered by the HNA conspiracy brigade...

If Coppell didn't feel he had the resources available in order to take the club forward, WHY has he gone on record as saying that the chairman gives him his FULL backing financially and he enjoys an excellent relationship with him? Given his bargaining position with the fans and thus the board on the back of finishing 8th, Madejski would have had a riot on his hands if Coppell had informed the media that he wanted more funds in order to secure better players and wasn't being given them.

Mr Coppell has shown on many (too many) occassions that he has unfounded loyalties to certain players - could it be that Mr C doesnt actually have any requirements to purchase new players has he still has his blinded view that we have a strong enough squad here and now - a fundamental reason for our relegation in the first place. It will be interesting to see if these players that could no wrong in teachers eyes will repay that loyalty by sticking around and not jumping ship.

If a manager has no request for any money then its no wonder this fits straight in to Mr M's plans and hence why Mr C can say he is awarded the full backing of the Chairman - which in reality is £0.

I still think the fundamental here is not whether there is or isnt money, but why we are unable to convince players to come here - salary cap anyone?

And who is it that imposes such an outdated and uncompetitive salary bracket?

Mr Madejski is treating RFC like a used car - do it up on the cheap and spend as little as possible, give it a spit and polish and hope that someone will be attracted. If and when sold its someone elses problem if it breaks down.

Mr C

[Royalee]

Because it's a two way street.

Coppell is happy with a limited budget (limited in comparison to most of our Premiership rivals that is). Madejski made that available to him and so Coppell was happy that he had the full backing of his chairman. He still didnt actually go and spend it though

Another manager might've wanted a bigger budget in order to improve the squad. Coppell didn't.

It's one of the clubs weaknesses, and it's strength, that the manager isn't pressuring the board for more money. You could argue that a manager with a different outlook and different methods might've been knocking on the chairmans door demanding more money to avoid the squad drifting to relegation.

I find that hard to believe given Coppell's comments about the game now revolving around money, particularly at the top clubs. He'd have to be incredibly naive to think that you can survive in the Premiership on a low budget, which would worry me even more than he already does.

[Archie's penalty]

Here's a question I've still never had answered by the HNA conspiracy brigade...

If Coppell didn't feel he had the resources available in order to take the club forward, WHY has he gone on record as saying that the chairman gives him his FULL backing financially and he enjoys an excellent relationship with him? Given his bargaining position with the fans and thus the board on the back of finishing 8th, Madejski would have had a riot on his hands if Coppell had informed the media that he wanted more funds in order to secure better players and wasn't being given them.

Mr Coppell has shown on many (too many) occassions that he has unfounded loyalties to certain players - could it be that Mr C doesnt actually have any requirements to purchase new players has he still has his blinded view that we have a strong enough squad here and now - a fundamental reason for our relegation in the first place. It will be interesting to see if these players that could no wrong in teachers eyes will repay that loyalty by sticking around and not jumping ship.

If a manager has no request for any money then its no wonder this fits straight in to Mr M's plans and hence why Mr C can say he is awarded the full backing of the Chairman - which in reality is £0.

I still think the fundamental here is not whether there is or isnt money, but why we are unable to convince players to come here - salary cap anyone?

And who is it that imposes such an outdated and uncompetitive salary bracket?

Mr Madejski is treating RFC like a used car - do it up on the cheap and spend as little as possible, give it a spit and polish and hope that someone will be attracted. If and when sold its someone elses problem if it breaks down.

Mr C

An excellent post and analogy regarding Madejski Mr. C.