How impressed are you with BMcD's return to the club?

[wingnut]

I am not convinced that he would be successful in the Premier League

I kinda get where this opinion comes from, it was one I empathised with during our last stint up there but surely with the hindsight we have now this belief is losing its edge.

Firstly, it is very apparent now that the manner in which we won the championship, playing as some folk would say, simplistic football, was not really down to the manager lacking technical nous, but of the limitations of the players. we've seen how managers who followed him failed to install anything more technical with the players he had, and we've seen McD utilise plenty of different formations and styles of play other than direct football with a set of more capable players.

Secondly, we can appreciate now that we were swept up in this idea our new owner at the time was investing in the team and that we overpitched our expectations in light of the truth. Little money was invested, Few signings were his choice, and few worked out; I think we all forgot what a tough ask it was to stay up, even more so considering the lack of support he had and lack of quality he had pushed on him. What a difference one or two of those signings not being shit/pcunts would have made.

Thirdly, you don't always succeed at first attempt. It's a learning curve. If he had stayed on, we can safely say in hindsight he wouldn't have to have tried very hard to match the(lack of) success his successors had. Maybe he would have done better. Maybe, like with the championship, another stab at the Prem would have seen him succeed in keeping us up.

And finally, prior to their appointments, both Adkins and Clarke were quite highly regarded. Both were thought of as a step up from McD. But when presented with the state of affairs McD had, both also failed and neither could achieve anywhere near as much. Two 'better' managers couldn't address the problems we had, so it's pretty clear McD wasn't the issue and still isn't now.

So for me, the theory McD is a limited manager is a bit like believing the earth is flat - its kinda been debunked by the information we have now and while this doesn't mean he's the next Fergie or anything, surely we should stop hitting him with a stick that doesn't exist, clear the slate and see where he can take us in the following seasons.

I don't always agree with you on the TB, E-P, but that is an excellent post.

[genome]

Just got to wait for Kes to pop along and pick out one sentence of it and ignore the rest

[Maneki Neko]

I am not convinced that he would be successful in the Premier League

I kinda get where this opinion comes from, it was one I empathised with during our last stint up there but surely with the hindsight we have now this belief is losing its edge.

Firstly, it is very apparent now that the manner in which we won the championship, playing as some folk would say, simplistic football, was not really down to the manager lacking technical nous, but of the limitations of the players. we've seen how managers who followed him failed to install anything more technical with the players he had, and we've seen McD utilise plenty of different formations and styles of play other than direct football with a set of more capable players.

Secondly, we can appreciate now that we were swept up in this idea our new owner at the time was investing in the team and that we overpitched our expectations in light of the truth. Little money was invested, Few signings were his choice, and few worked out; I think we all forgot what a tough ask it was to stay up, even more so considering the lack of support he had and lack of quality he had pushed on him. What a difference one or two of those signings not being shit/pcunts would have made.

Thirdly, you don't always succeed at first attempt. It's a learning curve. If he had stayed on, we can safely say in hindsight he wouldn't have to have tried very hard to match the(lack of) success his successors had. Maybe he would have done better. Maybe, like with the championship, another stab at the Prem would have seen him succeed in keeping us up.

And finally, prior to their appointments, both Adkins and Clarke were quite highly regarded. Both were thought of as a step up from McD. But when presented with the state of affairs McD had, both also failed and neither could achieve anywhere near as much. Two 'better' managers couldn't address the problems we had, so it's pretty clear McD wasn't the issue and still isn't now.

So for me, the theory McD is a limited manager is a bit like believing the earth is flat - its kinda been debunked by the information we have now and while this doesn't mean he's the next Fergie or anything, surely we should stop hitting him with a stick that doesn't exist, clear the slate and see where he can take us in the following seasons.

I don't always agree with you on the TB, E-P, but that is an excellent post.

bang
on

[Maneki Neko]

A question few will ask when you inevitably hang yourself

Instead of doing drugs get yourself down the gym to get rid of you pent up frustration at life.

anti drugs campaigner kes is my favourite of all the kes'

[Forbury Lion]

I'm also not convinced that Brian can be a success in the premier league, not with Reading unless he gets time to build a team in the championship on a par with the 106 team. That didn't happen last time as in some ways he shot himself in the foot by out performing Steve Coppell by winning the title with an inferior team which mean't in the premier league he started further behind than the 106 team with limited funding to do anything about it.

Success in the premier league for Reading will be staying up.

[Extended-Phenotype]

A question few will ask when you inevitably hang yourself

Instead of doing drugs get yourself down the gym to get rid of you pent up frustration at life.

anti drugs campaigner kes is my favourite of all the kes'

Yeah, it's sweet. Sheltered little goody twoshoes with his wee blazer and best friend mum. So cute!

[floyd__streete]

anti drugs campaigner kes is my favourite of all the kes'

This must make you Zammo then, Brendy. Which must make Royal Blue Mr Bronson.

[Maneki Neko]

I think he edges more towards this Bronson.

Mr Bronson was strict, but fair, and his heart was essentially in the right place.

[leon]

Just got to wait for Kes to pop along and pick out one sentence of it and ignore the rest

Who gives a shit what he *thinks* ?

[tonyrfc]

Take off the RTG's all you Magoo fans. Time for him to go

[windermere_royal]

Out of his depth. and not for the first time.

[genome]

Poor tactics and team selection today. Let's have less of the reactionary knee-jerk bullshit though.

[Snowball136]

How is McDermott at fault for all the misplaced passes, for Williams running into blind alleys again,
losing the ball countless times, for the higher percentage of mistakes Norwood made.
Is he responsible for kermis and Cox AGAIN drawing a blank?

The players today didn't seem to give a shit. They handed that game to Birmingham

[Snowball136]

Poor tactics and team selection today. Let's have less of the reactionary knee-jerk bullshit though.

Terrible, horrible game, but how can it be wrong to pick the starting 11 that won Tuesday?

[Lower West]

Poor tactics and team selection today. Let's have less of the reactionary knee-jerk bullshit though.

Today merely reinforced the limitations of some of the players. Lack of pace, running and commitment spring to mind.

[genome]

I understand starting unchanged but it doesn't mean it was the right thing to do, but it was clear we needed wingers today after the first 10 minutes or so, and we had no wingers on the pitch.

[tonyrfc]

Oh please. Stop defending this guy. He's picking the team. It's his responsibility to put things right. Can't see it happening for some time yet. Oh and remind me, why is he starting Cox and when did he last score a goal

[royal67]

How is McDermott at fault for all the misplaced passes, for Williams running into blind alleys again,
losing the ball countless times, for the higher percentage of mistakes Norwood made.
Is he responsible for kermis and Cox AGAIN drawing a blank?

The players today didn't seem to give a shit. They handed that game to Birmingham

Isn't he responsible for picking the 11 that play? It's him and his backroom staff that need to develop the tactics and formation required to defeat the opposition. He spends all week with the team, knows the players strengths and weaknesses and develops them as players. If they aren't doing 'it' in training then don't play them. We have a decent sized squad surely he can do better than the dross that was dished up today? Just my opinion of course but somebody needs to be at fault.....

[Snowball]

Just like the team McD is trying to get through the season and would probably be happy now with 12th

But he has a lot of work to do

We could lose

Ola John
Piazon
Vydra
Taylor
Fernandez
Hector

Anton Ferdinand (out of contract, too old)
Al Habsi (out of contract)
Cox (out of contract)
HRK (out of contract, too expensive)

Williams (too expensive, would take offers)
Norwood (too expensive, would take offers)
McLeary (too expensive, would take offers - past sell-by date)

Cooper? We may get a Prem Side making an offer

We will probably offer AAH a new contract, but we could be totally rebuilding in the summer. I think Norwood will be off because he hasn't had his contract extended even though he's said he want to stay. (Replaced by Evans?)

[Snowball]

How is McDermott at fault for all the misplaced passes, for Williams running into blind alleys again,
losing the ball countless times, for the higher percentage of mistakes Norwood made.
Is he responsible for kermis and Cox AGAIN drawing a blank? The players today didn't seem to give a shit. They handed that game to Birmingham

Isn't he responsible for picking the 11 that play? It's him and his backroom staff that need to develop the tactics and formation required to defeat the opposition. He spends all week with the team, knows the players strengths and weaknesses and develops them as players. If they aren't doing 'it' in training then don't play them. We have a decent sized squad surely he can do better than the dross that was dished up today? Just my opinion of course but somebody needs to be at fault.....

Maybe they look good in training. We started OK, then Norwood inexplicably passed to a Birmingham player and we were diving round trying to recover, then conceded. I think the game was finished then.

I don't see how any manager can legislate for stupidity.

Norwood's head isn't right IMO, because his future is uncertain.