Reap what you sow

[Avon Royal]

This is what happens when you sell your best players and don't replace them year after year.

It's not rocket science.

[Royal Lady]

You have to question the RTG's when they believe that we can rely on those coming up from the academy year on year - we don't even play the players we do sign - e.g. Morrison and Williams. I hope they get a run out in the cup game. One rogue result against a Leicester team who aren't exactly setting the championship on fire this season, does not mean we're ok with what we've got.

[Drew_3]

Couldn't agree more.

For the last few years they have done well and got away with it, now the Reading heirachy believe its a blueprint for success.

Now we may well yet do well this year, but at some point its going to fall apart and we won't be able to replace our best players with prospects and continue in the same vein.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Isn't this thread a carbon copy of the one early last season? And the season before that?

Just sayin' mind .......

[Royal Lady]

It's a far weakened team this season though.

[Ian Royal]

It's a far weakened team this season though.

I'd wait a few more games if I were you. At least until 1 September.

We look very fragile at the back and utterly lacking in pace there granted. But we've actually seemed pretty good going forward, just not quite converting enough of our chances. Manset and HRK in particular look pretty promising. We know Hunt will score goals if he stays fit. We know Kebe will terrorise defences but struggle a bit with his final ball and McAnuff will blow hot and cold in attack whilst be fairly sturdy otherwise.

[howser]

Where I fail to understand Madejski is that he continually and continually says he wants to sell the club, but, it is highly unlikely he will get the amount he wants for it while we are in the Championship, yet he does nothing to support the manager in achieving promotion which is likely to bring about a buyer. So the question has to be asked does he want to sell ?? or does he just keep coming out with this crap to defend his reluctance to invest.

[Avon Royal]

Isn't this thread a carbon copy of the one early last season? And the season before that?

Just sayin' mind .......

Not quite sure what your point is, the last two seasons haven't really been a success have they? Unless you count gallant failure as a "success".

Just saying mind........

[Ian Royal]

Isn't this thread a carbon copy of the one early last season? And the season before that?

Just sayin' mind .......

Not quite sure what your point is, the last two seasons haven't really been a success have they? Unless you count gallant failure as a "success".

Just saying mind........

Well given there are 24 teams in the division, about 16 capable of competing and only three can come up, yeah, I'd say gallant failure is a success. Because if you keep putting yourself in the position where it's gallant failure or promotion, sooner or later you are going to have your day. It may take 5 years, it may take 10 years, but it'll happen.

[MeMeMe]

Couldn't agree more.

For the last few years they have done well and got away with it, now the Reading heirachy believe its a blueprint for success.

Now we may well yet do well this year, but at some point its going to fall apart and we won't be able to replace our best players with prospects and continue in the same vein.

Spot on... Mr Mad's business model appears to be:
Rely on the Academy
Rigid wage cap
Scout talent then build and sell
Aim for top half finish, play offs a bonus
Sucker 'Loyal Royal' season ticket holders each year with point above
Market how well we have done with season ticket sales
Balance books for profit to enable profit extraction and make club marketable

Of course.... it's walking a tight rope.... do well and the fans are relatively happy...as soon as results go badly though the chants start and frustration from long suffering fans vent. When this happens a vicious circle ensues, disgruntled players, fans, manager then poor performances... repeat.

[Here for the KEBE]

Was Matt Mills one of our best players? Absolutely not- Zurab was a bigger loss to that defence. But Long (on the basis of LAST season) is a big loss and for McDermott to comment and say they will only get someone in if they can see them improving the squad is quite frankly a criticism to the thousands of players out there. We don't have to spend £7 million, how much did the combination of Earnshaw and Miller cost Cardiff? £800,000. James McFadden is also on a free. Now what the club is effectively saying is those players couldn't get in front of our current lot! I would suggest only Manset (with a lot more experience) is better than those 3 and they are just examples

[andrew1957]

As McD said on BBCRB after the match there is no way we can afford a replacement for Long and that is fair enough. I think what we have going forwards will be enough.

But to allow the defence to become this threadbare is inexcusable.

[Royal Lady]

As McD said on BBCRB after the match there is no way we can afford a replacement for Long and that is fair enough. I think what we have going forwards will be enough.

But to allow the defence to become this threadbare is inexcusable.

I thought McD said Long was sold for £7 million and we don't have £7million to spend on a replacement - that's what my son said he said, so I won't be surprised if he'd exaggerated - however, no-one has EVER suggested that the money we get in should ALL go back out - but maybe 3 to 4 million on a new striker and at least one new defender could hardly be breaking the bank. We never speculate to accumulate, we always rely on our better players being sold for millions, but isn't our highest transfer record the £2 million or whatever it was for Mills? I don't advocate re-investing everything, I never have - but in recent years it is much more important that we spend a good portion of it in order to be able to compete against those that do break the bank.

[winchester_royal]

Fckin nora. We've lost 2 games! Can't you lot wait a bit before getting the knives out?

[andrew1957]

As McD said on BBCRB after the match there is no way we can afford a replacement for Long and that is fair enough. I think what we have going forwards will be enough.

But to allow the defence to become this threadbare is inexcusable.

I thought McD said Long was sold for £7 million and we don't have £7million to spend on a replacement - that's what my son said he said, so I won't be surprised if he'd exaggerated - however, no-one has EVER suggested that the money we get in should ALL go back out - but maybe 3 to 4 million on a new striker and at least one new defender could hardly be breaking the bank. We never speculate to accumulate, we always rely on our better players being sold for millions, but isn't our highest transfer record the £2 million or whatever it was for Mills? I don't advocate re-investing everything, I never have - but in recent years it is much more important that we spend a good portion of it in order to be able to compete against those that do break the bank.

What he said was that to buy a replacement striker of the same quality would cost 6-7M and we could not do that. The point is that all we afford will be replacements that are likely to be no better than we have already which is why we have to give the current strikers a chance. I agree with that. Robson-Kanu looks promising to me.

Our real problem area is in defence.

[Royal Rother]

Couldn't agree more.

For the last few years they have done well and got away with it, now the Reading heirachy believe its a blueprint for success.

Now we may well yet do well this year, but at some point its going to fall apart and we won't be able to replace our best players with prospects and continue in the same vein.

Yes, maybe it will fall apart at some stage. Just the same as it has fallen apart for many clubs with the alternative policy. At least RFC won't be skint when it happens eh?

In football there IS NO blueprint for success of the type you seem to crave.

So we lost today. Get over it, you bunch of weak-kneed pussies.

[handbags_harris]

...but maybe 3 to 4 million on a new striker and at least one new defender could hardly be breaking the bank...

£3 - 4 million in transfer fees, what about the wages? A player signed for that amount is going to be asking c£10k - £12k a week easily, if not more, on a minimum 3-year contract. Say bye bye to all of your income from the Long transfer.

Thank Christ you're not our chairman RL

[Royal Lady]

Thanks Andrew - fact is though, Long wasn't *really* worth 6-7 million was he? We don't need to pay that much - we can get a young striker for a fraction of that price - but we don't. And paying £50,000 for someone from non-league, who hasn't even got on the bench, is more of a waste of money/wages shirley?

[winchester_royal]

Couldn't agree more.

For the last few years they have done well and got away with it, now the Reading heirachy believe its a blueprint for success.

Now we may well yet do well this year, but at some point its going to fall apart and we won't be able to replace our best players with prospects and continue in the same vein.

Yes, maybe it will fall apart at some stage. Just the same as it has fallen apart for many clubs with the alternative policy. At least RFC won't be skint when it happens eh?

In football there IS NO blueprint for success of the type you seem to crave.

So we lost today. Get over it, you bunch of weak-kneed pussies.

Indeed. Leicester, a team following the kind of policy many on here would be delighted with, are on the same number of points as us. Ipswich, who have also had a busy summer, are currently losing 6-1 to Peterborough.

The Reading way has brought lots of success before, and with a couple of shrewd defensive additions, which they were already planning on bringing in before today, we will once again be in and around the top 6.

[Royal Lady]

...but maybe 3 to 4 million on a new striker and at least one new defender could hardly be breaking the bank...

£3 - 4 million in transfer fees, what about the wages? A player signed for that amount is going to be asking c£10k - £12k a week easily, if not more, on a minimum 3-year contract. Say bye bye to all of your income from the Long transfer.

Thank Christ you're not our chairman RL

Firstly, how do you know what the wages will be and secondly, what do you think the likes of Long etc were on? We're not paying his wages. We paid £2 million for Mills, we're not paying his wages - paying a total of £4 million, say, for 2 new players - isn't going to impact on our books that much - and why shouldn't the Long transfer money be re-invested on more than one player + wages anyway - we still have the money from Mills!