Who do you want to replace Clarke?

[Hoop Blah]

Can't help but think that without the strong personal relationships he had built with that particular set of players, Brian might struggle to recreate the success he enjoyed her the first time around.

Look what happened when we brought in new players under his management.

Agreed, that's my worry.

The counter to that could be that the players that we brought in under [the latter days of] his management weren't actually the ones he wanted.

He bought some shite too though!

[Hoop Blah]

It's about the person then. The field of people with a loyalty and affinity is tiny and possibly doesn't include the person with the right skills.

Of course it's the person first and foremost. You wouldn't appoint someone just because they've got an affinity with the club. It can be a significant factor in making them the right person though, if they have the other skills.

The right person will develop the affinity. I suspect none of the people we would see as having the affinity were born with it, they developed it in their time at the club. Parky is a northern lad who was at Southampton as a youngster and played 150 games for Bury, McDermott is an Arsenal man, Murts is another Northerner, Martin Kuhl played for Aldershot !

Coppell didn't really think the club was much cop when he came onboard, so it's not essential of course. That doesn't mean it can't help.

If Parky left Bradford, would we then question his loyalty ? In the 13 years since he left has the 12 years he was here lost it's significance in his mind ?

Why would that make us question his loyalty to Reading. Rodgers jumped at the chance to join Reading when he probably should've stayed at Watford, for the good of his career and the perception of his loyalty. He saw us as one of his dream jobs though so took the plunge.

[paultheroyal]

Money is seriously going down on McDermott, Watts is quiet which is a sign news is imminent, and other external sources on twitter are saying McDermott is a done deal.

Welcome home Brian.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Stop going on about Stephen Hunt. You're never going to meet him.

You have PM.

Why did you send me a photo of Martin Keown sat next to Ralph Little?

I've got a picture of me and Martin Keown actually. Shall I send you that as well?

[Extended-Phenotype]

You have PM.

Why did you send me a photo of Martin Keown sat next to Ralph Little?

I've got a picture of me and Martin Keown actually. Shall I send you that as well?

Only if you add tags

[melonhead]

The promotion under Brian was a freak event, a one-off, never-to-be-repeated near-miracle. All the planets aligned etc. etc. I can see no way it could ever happen again.

but, if asked before it happened, youd have thought it would be impossible, and it still happened

[TBM]

We shouldn't go back to McD - it was hardly good football to watch in his last season in charge

[Armadillo Roadkill]

The promotion under Brian was a freak event, a one-off, never-to-be-repeated near-miracle. All the planets aligned etc. etc. I can see no way it could ever happen again.

but, if asked before it happened, youd have thought it would be impossible, and it still happened

Few predict freak events accurately. If they do, they take it as proof of their insight. If they don't, their wild predictions are written off a a bit of a laugh.

Statistically the fact that something was incredibly unlikely doesn't mean it won't happen again. But you'd be a brave man to bet on it.

[melonhead]

I have my doubts, ref the above from TBM
but I really couldn't give a shit. emotional response or not, I love him, and believe he deserves another chance. his sacking was shameful and very un-reading.
bringing him back will give us back our clubs soul.

[melonhead]

The promotion under Brian was a freak event, a one-off, never-to-be-repeated near-miracle. All the planets aligned etc. etc. I can see no way it could ever happen again.

but, if asked before it happened, youd have thought it would be impossible, and it still happened

Few predict freak events accurately. If they do, they take it as proof of their insight. If they don't, their wild predictions are written off a a bit of a laugh.

Statistically the fact that something was incredibly unlikely doesn't mean it won't happen again. But you'd be a brave man to bet on it.

calling it a freak, makes it sound like mcdermotts management had nothing to do with it, and it was just random chance,
which is silly

[Nameless]

The promotion under Coppell was a freak event, a one-off, never-to-be-repeated near-miracle. All the planets aligned etc. etc. I can see no way it could ever happen again.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

McDermott had something to do with it, amongst a whole range of other factors. There are probably hundreds of different factors involved. It's the repeatability of McDermott's role that I don't believe it. You, it would appear, do.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Only if you add tags

Why are you being like this? I've never once mocked your physical appearance.

[Sutekh]

Personally I think Brian coming back would be very strange and not something that fits in with the perceived plan of the owners. I would be expecting a high profile name, someone that gets the club noticed by way of their previous achievements as manager or as a player.

If they are now looking at Brian then my guess is that Pearson and Bergkamp have said no or are just too expensive and after them who is left not currently employed as a manager somewhere who they could get quickly? Hoddle?

[72 bus]

mate Steve Clarke brought in own
back room staff ok, and it cost
so why Nigel Pearson back room staff can't come!!

Probably because they are working at Leicester who are currently sitting two points clear at the top of the Premier league.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

The promotion under Coppell was a freak event, a one-off, never-to-be-repeated near-miracle. All the planets aligned etc. etc. I can see no way it could ever happen again.

No, the promotion under Coppell clearly wasn't a freak event. It was a very carefully prepared an calibrated achievement. The margin of victory, alone proves that. Coppell won promotion by identifying the right players, deploying a rigorous tactical approach, intelligently building a blend of coaching staff, giving people responsibility and empowering both players and staff. Plus a whole load of other stuff we wouldn't even have been aware of because it was behind the scenes.

McDermott did it being a good bloke and getting people to work hard. It was an amazing achievement, and I'm sure I'm selling him a bit short in my assessment.

If you are really saying that McDermott had as much influence as Sir Steve, and that he is an equally good manager, I'm afraid I'm going to have to disagree with you all.

[wingnut]

I don't think folk are saying that BM >= SSC but overemphasising luck in our promotion under BM is to overlook the seasons before that one - finishing each season higher than the previous (until relegation of course).
And for all the duff signings made in his last year, he did bring in Jason Roberts, without whom we certainly wouldn't have got promoted.

[winchester_royal]

My two cents worth on the possibility of Bri coming back:

From a footballing point of view, I think there are better options out there. He's a decent coach but was shown to be a little limited tactically and he's not going to bring a load of fresh ideas into the club.

However, I'm finding the above to be an increasingly less important factor in what I'd like to see in a new manager. The idea of McD, who as Sandy rightly says was shown a complete lack of respect by the old board and a section of the fanbase (myself included), coming back and getting a fair crack of the whip with a significantly better squad than what he got us promoted with definitely appeals to me, and I think would recapture some of the warmth that I used to feel when going to the Madejski.

So while my head is not sold on the idea, my heart definitely is. But, sadly, I can't see the Thais going down that route unless heavily swayed by Howe, Hammond, and Sir John.

[melonhead]

The margin of victory, alone proves that.

for ,me the margin of victory is one of the reasons it was a bit of a freak

[royal_rumble]

I cannot believe we are going back to Brian McDermott. Enjoyed his time here obviously, but when the pressure cranks up, he clearly doesn't respond too well.

In terms of footballing approach, this will be a backward step. If we want to move this club forwards in terms of philosophy and success, I doubt this will be the appointment to achieve that.

If we are going down the cuddly, fan fave route... why not give Parkinson a chance?!