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

[Coppelled_Streets]

Just put aside the Brain bashing for one minute.

We have owners who:

- Interfere with players coming in/out
- Interfere with the colour of the kits (An all red away kit was in the early stages of production when Sasima decided she wanted pink)

I just can't see how any success can be obtained when the club is managed in such a way. Let the manager manage! Let his fate be determinded by whom he brings to the club and whom he allows to leave the club! And don't make our players wear that atrocious colour again! And stop writing songs! Just do your bloody knitting and lay off the Caraboa!

I genuinly like Brian, but he's got an impossible job here.

[floyd__streete]

THE MAN IS A MUPPET!

If you're allowed to insult our second most successful manager then perhaps we're allowed to insult you; tomorrow marks 8 weeks (yes, just 8 weeks) since he's returned to the job, any reasonable person would consider his excellent track record at the club and cut him some slack.....you don't deserve to support a successful football team, and the mediocre results which are being served up only cheer me slightly when I consider that buffoons like you at least get to suffer them too

Constructive - even damning - criticism is fine. The man deserves a lot more respect than name calling though, given his success here in the past (in both scouting and in team management). The kindest thing I can say is that at least you aren't alone on Planet Plankton because there is a large and vocal minority persisting in such disrespect. F*ck you.

[Sutekh]

While I did not want Brian to come back and therefore think it was wrong to have (re)appointed him I am happy to give him the time he needs to sort this complete mess out before sending any stick in his direction as, you never know, it may turn out to be an inspired choice.

Expectation after the farce of this season is now to finish mid table and we're well on course for that.

Hopefully we can have an active summer in getting the size of the squad down and a better balance to to it so Brian can work his man management skills and results take a turn for the better and become consistent.

If there's no improvement by this time next year then it's time for a change.

[John Smith]

While I did not want Brian to come back and therefore think it was wrong to have (re)appointed him I am happy to give him the time he needs to sort this complete mess out before sending any stick in his direction as, you never know, it may turn out to be an inspired choice.

Expectation after the farce of this season is now to finish mid table and we're well on course for that.

Hopefully we can have an active summer in getting the size of the squad down and a better balance to to it so Brian can work his man management skills and results take a turn for the better and become consistent.

If there's no improvement by this time next year then it's time for a change.

Great post. Simple, concise, to the point. And the correct point at that. Well done.

[SCIAG]

(An all red away kit was in the early stages of production when Sasima decided she wanted pink)

How do you know this?

I don't think it particularly matters even if it is true, and regardless, we don't play in pink...

[sandman]

While I did not want Brian to come back and therefore think it was wrong to have (re)appointed him I am happy to give him the time he needs to sort this complete mess out before sending any stick in his direction as, you never know, it may turn out to be an inspired choice.

Expectation after the farce of this season is now to finish mid table and we're well on course for that.

Hopefully we can have an active summer in getting the size of the squad down and a better balance to to it so Brian can work his man management skills and results take a turn for the better and become consistent.

If there's no improvement by this time next year then it's time for a change.

And then the next manager comes in he tries to rebuild, he fails and "it's time for a change". Repeat until league 1.

[Extended-Phenotype]

I'm well in the 'Give Folk a Chance' camp Sandy, but how much time do you think is fair to see a clear sign of progress?

Personally I'd give at least one full season including summer and Jan transfer windows. Not looking to win the league or owt, just to see signs things are improving and that they are likely to continue to improve.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

I'm well in the 'Give Folk a Chance' camp Sandy, but how much time do you think is fair to see a clear sign of progress?

Personally I'd give at least one full season including summer and Jan transfer windows. Not looking to win the league or owt, just to see signs things are improving and that they are likely to continue to improve.

I'm also thinking he both deserves the chance to turn it around, and that any reckless change of manager is madness.

If we're hovering around the relegation places by November then his position will be under threat. Other than that, a decent summer transfer window and real signs of progress I'll be happy.

[The Sum of the Parts]

Just for the record, below are Steve Coppell's results two months after taking over as manager. Turning round a football team is like turning round an oil-tanker.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Whether we believed it possible or not, we all hoped he'd waltz in, wave a wand and have us back challenging for promotion again after a few games but it was a big ask. We've been dogshit for ages, even our short good spell collapsed like a Jenga tower the minute one thing went wrong.

I'm hopeful all this bollox with sticking HRK up front and playing folk out of position was more neccesity than desire, so let's hope now we've strengthened a little in midfield and up front we might see Hal used where he almost always finds his best form, on the right wing.

Stick John on the left, and alternate with one and two up top according to match. Try and get a bit of a run going for players, let them makes mistakes, learn and grow in confidence. Get Rakels up to speed so he is ready for next season. Find a working trio in the middle.

Get rid of the loans and let the academy shine for our club not someone elses.

If you are reading, Bri.

[The Sum of the Parts]

isn't the real problem here that lots of people didn't support the return of McDermott because he wasn't the big/expensive/famous name they were after - and as a result they're not prepared to give him any time or any flexibility whatsoever?

[Extended-Phenotype]

isn't the real problem here that lots of people didn't support the return of McDermott because he wasn't the big/expensive/famous name they were after - and as a result they're not prepared to give him any time or any flexibility whatsoever?

I think for 99% of people on this forum, it's just a side they have taken in an old argument. It's just old scores being settled rather than actual rational opinion.

If you thought Brian should have been sacked, you supported Adkins whatever. If you thought Brian was hard done by, you slated everything Adkins did. When Adkins went the Bri fans were more supportive of Clarke until he pissed everyone off. Bri comes back, and it's just forum user A rekindling his ruck with forum user B.

It's lame.

[No Fixed Abode]

Brian has had one transfer window so far and it's nearly been two months since he took charge. No signs of improvement at the moment and the slide down the table continues. It's realistic to assume you should now see 'some' improvement from now until the end of the season.

[Nameless]

Brian has had one transfer window so far and it's nearly been two months since he took charge. No signs of improvement at the moment and the slide down the table continues. It's realistic to assume you should now see 'some' improvement from now until the end of the season.

Neither of those are really true.
He joined just before the window started and we all know a large chunk of transfer business is done ahead of the window so he was at something of a disadvantage there. He also lost 1 player in a predone deal and another in circumstances beyond his control. He brought in 2 players who look to be decent additions and another came in who again looks useful. None of these have had a huge number of games yet.
There have been signs of improvement. Not easily quantifiable ones but the post Fulham Clarke era was hopeless whereas under Brian we've been a whisker away from getting decent results only for last gasp goals to scupper us. We've played pretty well in some of those games. He's not got us playing consistently but there have been posiitve signs.
Every club will expect to see their teams improve between now and the end of the season. It would be an odd club that expected to get worse. So moving on from the statement of the obvious, I would expect to see Brian getting a settled team, using a settled formation, picking up a better number of points per game. It's a matter of tiny percentage points, and the odd bit of luck, that is needed.

[No Fixed Abode]

Brian has had one transfer window so far and it's nearly been two months since he took charge. No signs of improvement at the moment and the slide down the table continues. It's realistic to assume you should now see 'some' improvement from now until the end of the season.

Neither of those are really true.
He joined just before the window started and we all know a large chunk of transfer business is done ahead of the window so he was at something of a disadvantage there. He also lost 1 player in a predone deal and another in circumstances beyond his control. He brought in 2 players who look to be decent additions and another came in who again looks useful. None of these have had a huge number of games yet.
There have been signs of improvement. Not easily quantifiable ones but the post Fulham Clarke era was hopeless whereas under Brian we've been a whisker away from getting decent results only for last gasp goals to scupper us. We've played pretty well in some of those games. He's not got us playing consistently but there have been posiitve signs.
Every club will expect to see their teams improve between now and the end of the season. It would be an odd club that expected to get worse. So moving on from the statement of the obvious, I would expect to see Brian getting a settled team, using a settled formation, picking up a better number of points per game. It's a matter of tiny percentage points, and the odd bit of luck, that is needed.

So you don't expect to see improvements from now until the end of the season as you say it isn't 'true' but then you say 'Every club will expect to see their teams improve between now and the end of the season. So is it true or not?

[Extended-Phenotype]

It's true, we hope to see some improvement by the end of the season.

[Dixeyroyal]

THE MAN IS A MUPPET!

If you're allowed to insult our second most successful manager then perhaps we're allowed to insult you; tomorrow marks 8 weeks (yes, just 8 weeks) since he's returned to the job, any reasonable person would consider his excellent track record at the club and cut him some slack.....you don't deserve to support a successful football team, and the mediocre results which are being served up only cheer me slightly when I consider that buffoons like you at least get to suffer them too

Constructive - even damning - criticism is fine. The man deserves a lot more respect than name calling though, given his success here in the past (in both scouting and in team management). The kindest thing I can say is that at least you aren't alone on Planet Plankton because there is a large and vocal minority persisting in such disrespect. F*ck you.

And this coming from someone who watches Reading from their front room and relies on the feedback of others, and you have the cheek to say that i am on planet plankton. I would respect your rose tinted opinion a lot more if you actually went to watch the f*****g games..... KNOB!

[Nameless]

Brian has had one transfer window so far and it's nearly been two months since he took charge. No signs of improvement at the moment and the slide down the table continues. It's realistic to assume you should now see 'some' improvement from now until the end of the season.

Neither of those are really true.
He joined just before the window started and we all know a large chunk of transfer business is done ahead of the window so he was at something of a disadvantage there. He also lost 1 player in a predone deal and another in circumstances beyond his control. He brought in 2 players who look to be decent additions and another came in who again looks useful. None of these have had a huge number of games yet.
There have been signs of improvement. Not easily quantifiable ones but the post Fulham Clarke era was hopeless whereas under Brian we've been a whisker away from getting decent results only for last gasp goals to scupper us. We've played pretty well in some of those games. He's not got us playing consistently but there have been posiitve signs.
Every club will expect to see their teams improve between now and the end of the season. It would be an odd club that expected to get worse. So moving on from the statement of the obvious, I would expect to see Brian getting a settled team, using a settled formation, picking up a better number of points per game. It's a matter of tiny percentage points, and the odd bit of luck, that is needed.

So you don't expect to see improvements from now until the end of the season as you say it isn't 'true' but then you say 'Every club will expect to see their teams improve between now and the end of the season. So is it true or not?

Strange twisting of words from our local troll...
The two things which you mentioned- Brian having had a full window and there being no sign of improvement- are not true as explained.
Every team will expect to see improvement. That was you stating the bloomin' obvious.

[Longhorn1970]

Got to love the Team Board.

Armadillo has some valid concerns and then the usual clowns come in, make some noise, and we're back to square one.

I personally think you should have some concerns. The Wolves game was the best commercial for football non-attendance you are going to see, and, despite the negative away team tactics and the terrible weather, McDermott was there and must be at least partially responsible.

I see the club as conservative vs non-conservative. The conservative supporters value a lack of individual mistakes. Norwood is the poster boy. He looks good, because he's supposed to look good. Positioning himself on a place on the pitch where his percentage passes go unchallenged. The problem is, if you fill the team with this type of player, you end up around about 16th, because you dont score enough goals to win enough games. This is what Adkins did, and what Clarke may also have been copying.

The opposite is to allow the team to make individual mistakes, providing they are, as a team, ultimately more effective. I would say that I am one of those fans. I probably appreciated Blackman more because of this mindset, and currently have more respect for HRK and, in particular, Williams. For this reason, I wanted McDermott back, because I thought he would be more effective.

However, I'm not sure much is changing.
We're playing the same formation, with the same players, in the same style. We have a centre midfield triangle with the top man being a forward with his back to goal. The combined roles of the bottom two in the triangle could really be done by one man. Our full backs don't contribute to forward play anymore (who WAS our left Back prior to Jordan?). We are still as conservative as we have been for 3 years.

I can only think that one of two things are happening:
a) Our dressing room is weak. In short, a squad of cowards.
b) Brian really HAS changed. He has bought into 4-2-3-1 and wants to play it conservatively.

if its b), then Reading's fortunes wont change. We'll be 18th this season, and 18th next when all the loans have gone. I hope Brian mans up. Maybe the key is Obita. There is a full back who can contribute further up the pitch. Time will tell if he actually will play that role.

I don't think I've ever read such drivel in my entire life. What are you on about?! "I see the club as conservative vs non-conservative"?!

You're completely over-analysing everything here - it's just football, no need to make it into the pretentious drama you're trying to. Back to your padded cell.

Attacking someone who was passively airing a harmless opinion is a more conclusive sign of madness, tbh.

I get what he is saying. You either play freely without fearing making a mistake (football flows better, skill level goes up, you try more things, are more adventurous, feel more confident etc) or you play with caution and try to avoid making mistakes (you are more disciplined, play I but are playing with fear and a lack of freedom and adventure).

Our fans love to jump on a mistake. We bash players for not trying to make a killer pass, and then bash them when they try and it doesn't quite come off.

In fact, paradoxically, the same fans who slate McD for his conservative tactics are the ones slating players and discouraging them when they try something special.

Go figure.

Lest we not forget a club is about the fans who pay their money, when a non footballing owner pushes the panic button mid season the fans are entitled to be disgruntled and the board should sit up and listen ..

[Longhorn1970]

If McD is so shit, why are people expecting him to achieve more in 12 games than the last two 'better' managers did in close to 3 years?

Most people seem to think the last two managers were shit. They're hoping McDermott is better. Some of us have *yet* to see any real evidence.

And, as I seem to have no credibility anyways I might as well go the whole way and disagree with everyone, I think it's impossible to really know if Adkins could have turned out to be a good manager because of the circumstances. He took over a team in a tailspin then had to negotiate his way through a club in turmoil. Clarke picked up a poor team, got massive backing to assemble a good squad, then ruined it with bizarre decisions and poor judgements over talking to Fulham. McDermott has a good squad and a stable club. After 12 games there's little sign of addressing the problems left by Clarke - problems which by and large are in the domain of the manager, not the club structure. I hope he turns it around.

I'd say we are have more of a problem now than with SC .. The board will be scratching their heads wondering what to do next, stick with BM and face a relegation battle or ..