Replace NA with who?

[Oilroyal]

I'm not saying I want NA out, personally I'd like to see him backed in January and succeed with his vision of building a team for the long term. However and without exception we haven't played a single game convincingly this season and I can't help but think that he's lost the dressing room. Odd tactics, odd substitutions and in general his lack of a connection with the media and Reading fans which can't be helping his task of securing the target he set himself pre season and not to mention the high level of injuries he/we have suffered under Adkins.

Adkins pre season target
100 goals
Exciting, entertaining football to watch
X amount of clean sheets
Automatic promotion

I think even the biggest fan of Nigel would agree that his target was a little ambitious if not arrogant.
"If we sack Adkins who would we replace him with" is often the question of most of us on this forum so here goes.

With the pending new investment money
Ole Gunnar Solskjær
Mike Phelan
Carlos Queiroz
Steve Clarke
Roberto Di Matteo


With current ownership restraints
Tony Adams
Phil Parkinson
Wally Downes

Some may be way off the mark others more realistic but no matter what, there will be life for this old football club after Adkins if he continues to fail.

[howser]

You missed out the obvious choice.........................the second coming, the Messiah, he who will resurrect our season from the ashes, our saviour..................Brian lol !!!!

[The Prisoner]

The team is in transition. Ownership all over the place. We have a load of injuries. We are in the top ten. We have potential. We have a manager with a proven track record. We have a manager who has only had one transfer window. We have a manager with a track record for producing intelligent teams who play the right way.

Despite all this, and with Adkins not even having had a full year the Football Manager brigade want a head on a stick.

I honestly despair of the instant gratification demanded by some of you mongs.

If anyone wants sacking it's you!

[Oilroyal]

Strange you should mention our Brian! I think he'll manage us again one day but not until both he and Reading football club are further down the line. Hopefully the club will be where they want to be in a few years and BMcD will have added to his game and with his obvious man management skills I think I'll manage in the PL again and in time I can see him back with us. He's a decent bloke and I'm pleased for him, just a shame he went to bloody leeds!

[Oilroyal]

The team is in transition. Ownership all over the place. We have a load of injuries. We are in the top ten. We have potential. We have a manager with a proven track record. We have a manager who has only had one transfer window. We have a manager with a track record for producing intelligent teams who play the right way.

Despite all this, and with Adkins not even having had a full year the Football Manager brigade want a head on a stick.

I honestly despair of the instant gratification demanded by some of you mongs.

If anyone wants sacking it's you!

30 odd years of supporting this club. Also supplied youth team coach back in the elm park day, sponsored Shaka with a car, Dylon Kerr attended my wedding and I know SJM who asked me to be a patron of the club so I hardly think I'm looking for instant gratification

[@sonkimarsson]

Hopefully the club will be where they want to be in a few years and BMcD will have added to his game and with his obvious man management skills I think I'll manage in the PL again and in time I can see him back with us. He's a decent bloke and I'm pleased for him, just a shame he went to bloody leeds!

Are you Brian?

[Oilroyal]

Hopefully the club will be where they want to be in a few years and BMcD will have added to his game and with his obvious man management skills I think I'll manage in the PL again and in time I can see him back with us. He's a decent bloke and I'm pleased for him, just a shame he went to bloody leeds!

Are you Brian?

I'm bald, I'm fat but my name's not Brian

[Pepe the Horseman]

The team is in transition. Ownership all over the place. We have a load of injuries. We are in the top ten. We have potential. We have a manager with a proven track record. We have a manager who has only had one transfer window. We have a manager with a track record for producing intelligent teams who play the right way.

Despite all this, and with Adkins not even having had a full year the Football Manager brigade want a head on a stick.

I honestly despair of the instant gratification demanded by some of you mongs.

If anyone wants sacking it's you!

30 odd years of supporting this club. Also supplied youth team coach back in the elm park day, sponsored Shaka with a car, Dylon Kerr attended my wedding and I know SJM who asked me to be a patron of the club so I hardly think I'm looking for instant gratification

Can you tell Dylan Kerr to stop being so weird on twitter?

[Royal Lady]

He's not weird!! YOU'RE weird.

Anyway, my answer to the question would be McD with help from Sir Steve Coppell - they would be my dream team - can do wonders with a group of not very expensive players and both have an eye for a bargain who ends up making us money - what's not to like?

[facaldaqui]

30 odd years of supporting this club. Also supplied youth team coach back in the elm park day, sponsored Shaka with a car, Dylon Kerr attended my wedding and I know SJM who asked me to be a patron of the club so I hardly think I'm looking for instant gratification

But are you nursing a grudge that when the club went upmarket, they started hiring a better quality of motor?

[Oilroyal]

30 odd years of supporting this club. Also supplied youth team coach back in the elm park day, sponsored Shaka with a car, Dylon Kerr attended my wedding and I know SJM who asked me to be a patron of the club so I hardly think I'm looking for instant gratification

But are you nursing a grudge that when the club went upmarket, they started hiring a better quality of motor?

No not at all I'm happy for SJM and the possibility of new investment with this I can see him once again enjoying his stewardship of this great club. As for holding a grudge I stopped financial sponsorship a while back as I'm now in the oil industry and my company wouldn't benefit from the connection.

[facaldaqui]

I do not want Adkins out. It is like marrying a woman who seems a bit dodgy in the first few months--you do not just bin her for the blonde down the road before she has even had her hair done and bought a new outfit.

Anyway, this whole question is more complicated than it usually is, because of the ownership situation. For me, if Adkins went, I would put Dolan in charge till the end of the season--not to get us promoted but to settle us down and calm expectations. But that would be a Madejski-like appointment, and he no longer calls the shots. Did Anton even consult him about sacking McD? But I hardly think Anton could turn up out of the blue and sack Adkins, after giving him no (apparent) support for months---I mean in the way of attending matches, training, meetings, etc.,---and wanting to sell up pronto. This would be an utterly rubbish moment for a new manager to come in, with the ownership situation in such a shambles. In my opinion, under these circumstances, a new manager would not stand a chance, whoever he is.

[facaldaqui]

30 odd years of supporting this club. Also supplied youth team coach back in the elm park day, sponsored Shaka with a car, Dylon Kerr attended my wedding and I know SJM who asked me to be a patron of the club so I hardly think I'm looking for instant gratification

But are you nursing a grudge that when the club went upmarket, they started hiring a better quality of motor?

No at all I'm happy for SJM and the possibility of new investment with this I can see him once again enjoying his stewardship of this great club. As for holding a grudge I stopped financial sponsorship a while back as I'm now in the oil industry and my company wouldn't benefit from the connection.

I was only joking. (Oil industry, eh? Ooooh!)

[ReadingRooney]

I do not want Adkins out. It is like marrying a woman who seems a bit dodgy in the first few months--you do not just bin her for the blonde down the road before she has even had her hair done and bought a new outfit.

[RoyalBlue]

30 odd years of supporting this club. Also supplied youth team coach back in the elm park day, sponsored Shaka with a car, Dylon Kerr attended my wedding and I know SJM who asked me to be a patron of the club so I hardly think I'm looking for instant gratification

But are you nursing a grudge that when the club went upmarket, they started hiring a better quality of motor?

No at all I'm happy for SJM and the possibility of new investment with this I can see him once again enjoying his stewardship of this great club. As for holding a grudge I stopped financial sponsorship a while back as I'm now in the oil industry and my company wouldn't benefit from the connection.

Bloody well would if the Omanis turn out to be new investors!

[RoyalBlue]

More seriously if, as some are suggesting, Adkins has lost the dressing room, then let's get rid of those players rather than the manager. Not many in the dressing room that we would really miss and/or couldn't be replaced.

[Oilroyal]

I do not want Adkins out. It is like marrying a woman who seems a bit dodgy in the first few months--you do not just bin her for the blonde down the road before she has even had her hair done and bought a new outfit.

Anyway, this whole question is more complicated than it usually is, because of the ownership situation. For me, if Adkins went, I would put Dolan in charge till the end of the season--not to get us promoted but to settle us down and calm expectations. But that would be a Madejski-like appointment, and he no longer calls the shots. Did Anton even consult him about sacking McD? But I hardly think Anton could turn up out of the blue and sack Adkins, after giving him no (apparent) support for months---I mean in the way of attending matches, training, meetings, etc.,---and wanting to sell up pronto. This would be an utterly rubbish moment for a new manager to come in, with the ownership situation in such a shambles. In my opinion, under these circumstances, a new manager would not stand a chance, whoever he is.

I think you're right on all levels but my OP says, "personally I would like to see NA backed in January and hope that he achieves his objectives". I then say that he's not helping himself which has prompted some to call for a new manager and others declare their support of Adkins. Both are valid and opinions of a cross section of the fan base. The ones calling for a change are then questioned regarding a replacement. This post is an open debate to discuss who is out there and who people would like, if nothing else just to prove a point that no matter what happens to this club it will survive and achieve its objectives. Dolan would be good in the short term agreed.

[facaldaqui]

More seriously if, as some are suggesting, Adkins has lost the dressing room, then let's get rid of those players rather than the manager. Not many in the dressing room that we would really miss and/or couldn't be replaced.

I do not know if he has lost the dressing room. But if he has, it may not be through rebellion by the players, just by a vague loss of faith in his management. We have all been there with certain bosses. If this is the case, no scapegoat would be identifiable to sack.

I am a bit disturbed by Drenthe's omission from the trip to Boro for personal reasons. If these are to do with bereavement, or whatever, fair enough, but otherwise this smacks a bit of latterday Kebe, who appears not to have been willing to play for Adkins, though that has never been established.

[Oilroyal]

More seriously if, as some are suggesting, Adkins has lost the dressing room, then let's get rid of those players rather than the manager. Not many in the dressing room that we would really miss and/or couldn't be replaced.

I do not know if he has lost the dressing room. But if he has, it may not be through rebellion by the players, just by a vague loss of faith in his management. We have all been there with certain bosses. If this is the case, no scapegoat would be identifiable to sack.

I am a bit disturbed by Drenthe's omission from the trip to Boro for personal reasons. If these are to do with bereavement, or whatever, fair enough, but otherwise this smacks a bit of latterday Kebe, who appears not to have been willing to play for Adkins, though that has never been established.

+ 1 the signs are there. Adkins questioned why the players are not happy playing football in his post match interview. He's now started to question team spirit which has to be a good thing. Adkins is no mug and maybe he can address whatever it is that's causing disharmony and he can get the players to believe and perform.

[3points]

+2 - feels similar to Guthrie/Sunderland to me.