Noel Hunt Confrimed

[WestYorksRoyal]

Just makes a change to have 2 managers in a row who have done a good job and represented the club well after a decade of dross. Selles did an excellent job and I'll applaud him if he returns with Hull. Hunt was already a club legend and I'm delighted to see him doing so well.

It's bizarre that the club seems to have found its soul again over the past 2 years even whilst the ownership and Board have been a disgrace.

[Snowflake Royal]

Just makes a change to have 2 managers in a row who have done a good job and represented the club well after a decade of dross. Selles did an excellent job and I'll applaud him if he returns with Hull. Hunt was already a club legend and I'm delighted to see him doing so well.

It's bizarre that the club seems to have found its soul again over the past 2 years even whilst the ownership and Board have been a disgrace.

Largely because Dai and Pang have been completely AWOL so everyone else can get on without all the interference.

He may have been a tosser and a shit manager. But Ince deserves a lot of credit helping force the backroom.staff back into some semblance of competence after Gourlay and Co ripped it apart.

[From Despair To Where?]

I still have some reservations about how well Hunt would do under normal circumstances but you really can't fault what he's done this season. Certainly cemented his position as a club legend.

[morganb]

Have seen a couple of posts on Twitter musing about whether Hunt should be in charge for the first game of next season or if we should get "a proper manager in" (!)

Sorry, but I find this all really annoying

I guess Noel isn't perfect but he definitely deserves a chance next season with a potential improved squad and with a proper pre-season under his belt - and what makes him not a proper manager?

Is there anyone on here who thinks we should say thank you but goodbye to Noel Hunt?

[Elm Park Kid]

I have a bad feeling that Couhig is going to have a clear out - including Hunt.

It would seriously dent the improved spirit around the club in recent months.

[Snowflake Royal]

It would be madness, he's done really well and is really popular. I'm not surprised there are some idiots exposing themselves on Twitter though.

[Mr Angry]

The new management would do well to publicly announce their faith and support for Noel and his back room team; getting to 7th after everything they and the team and the club has been through? Showing true leadership when there was no-one higher up the chain of command visible or prepared to come out and front up?

Give Noel support and backing, and the play-offs are a real possibility next season; heck, we even have a shot at automatic!

[JedMaxwell]

Yep, Noel and his staff have earned themselves a go under more settled conditions. As have the players, a lot of whom I think we will end up retaining.

For me, I agree that the new ownership need to give him a bit of public backing when they are formally introduced and we can then look forward to giving next season a proper go.

Hunt's someone who has a real feel for the club, and was here during successful times, and that is something we need to retain as we enter a new era.

[Stranded]

If the new owners want to annoy a decent amount of the fanbase than getting rid of Hunt would be a strong start.

The didn't replace Ainsworth when they took over at Wycombe so nothing to suggest they would do so with Hunt.

Permanent record (according to Wiki) is P31 W12 D10 L9 - that's ok and given we lost 5 of his first 9 games in charge, suggests he is a better manager than that record suggests. Still got 2 years on his deal, so would be surprised if he isn't in charge next season.

Now if we find ourselves 12th or lower at Xmas then there is a conversation to be had - depending on what kind of squad we are able to build.

[WestYorksRoyal]

In his media offensive after the court case he said Hunt was doing an excellent job.

One thing that has struck me over the past 2 years is how resilient our culture is on the footballing side and how good our academy, recruitment etc. has remained despite all the mess. It only really lost its way in the Gourlay/Kia years and has bounced back even under Dai. I would expect it was one of the appealing points to Couhig; take care of the business side and the football side will take care of itself. Even if budgets are not big, simply knowing what they are with certainty will allow everyone involved to elevate their level.

I expect we'll hear a lot more about plans and vision once the final legal formalities are done.

[Hound]

Can’t fault the job he’s done. Be madness not to give him a go in a more stable environment

[Winston Biscuit]

I have a bad feeling that Couhig is going to have a clear out - including Hunt

get in Ainsworth and his Maori friend?

[Sutekh]

I have a bad feeling that Couhig is going to have a clear out - including Hunt

get in Ainsworth and his Maori friend?

Can’t see that at all, Couhig isn’t stupid he isn’t going to change Hunt after what he did with the team this season, might be a shout if Hunt has a dreadful season start.

Ainsworth would be the obvious replacement whenever the inevitable happens though.

[Millsy]

Admittedly wasn't a fan of Hunt but he's won me over and deserves a proper chance.

[katweslowski]

Have seen a couple of posts on Twitter musing about whether Hunt should be in charge for the first game of next season or if we should get "a proper manager in" (!)

Sorry, but I find this all really annoying

Ironically all those same people want Meite and Ejaria back and reminisce about the days of SJM (if they're old enough). Whilst simultaneously turning their back on a club legend with Noel Hunt and Leigterwood.

We're incredibly lucky to have someone with such a strong history, connection and love of the club. People seem to remember people like Stam, Ince, Clement, Clarke, Puaunovic, Bowen, Gomes.

All of whom were complete randoms, who'd never set foot in Reading before, had no idea of what the town was about, the club, the fans, the culture. They just turned up, whacked on a shirt and started trying to conquer the world.

Yet here we've someone with this connection, having had a great season, and not only that but even when he was not in charge, he was witness to it all. He no doubt talked daily with Selles, he hoped for the takeover and saw it fail numerous times. He's been through it all. How can anyone really want to just sack him and start again?

It's absolutely baffling.

[LUX]

love the guy.

[Orion1871]

If it has to be done then now is the time to do it. A new guy coming in gets a feel for the place and identifies which targets fit the tactics he wants to use. Let's face it when a new owner comes into a club the incumbent manager has to hit the ground running, Saturday wasn't exactly the greatest first impression, or they're not long for the post.

[Snowflake Royal]

If the new owners want to annoy a decent amount of the fanbase than getting rid of Hunt would be a strong start.

The didn't replace Ainsworth when they took over at Wycombe so nothing to suggest they would do so with Hunt.

Permanent record (according to Wiki) is P31 W12 D10 L9 - that's ok and given we lost 5 of his first 9 games in charge, suggests he is a better manager than that record suggests. Still got 2 years on his deal, so would be surprised if he isn't in charge next season.

Now if we find ourselves 12th or lower at Xmas then there is a conversation to be had - depending on what kind of squad we are able to build.

39% win rate is certainly nothing to be sniffed at, especially given most of our recent managers struggle to even get to 30%.

[Sutekh]

Have seen a couple of posts on Twitter musing about whether Hunt should be in charge for the first game of next season or if we should get "a proper manager in" (!)

Sorry, but I find this all really annoying

Ironically all those same people want Meite and Ejaria back and reminisce about the days of SJM (if they're old enough). Whilst simultaneously turning their back on a club legend with Noel Hunt and Leigterwood.

We're incredibly lucky to have someone with such a strong history, connection and love of the club. People seem to remember people like Stam, Ince, Clement, Clarke, Puaunovic, Bowen, Gomes.

All of whom were complete randoms, who'd never set foot in Reading before, had no idea of what the town was about, the club, the fans, the culture. They just turned up, whacked on a shirt and started trying to conquer the world.

Yet here we've someone with this connection, having had a great season, and not only that but even when he was not in charge, he was witness to it all. He no doubt talked daily with Selles, he hoped for the takeover and saw it fail numerous times. He's been through it all. How can anyone really want to just sack him and start again?

It's absolutely baffling.

Agreed it's ludicrous, a lot of management isn't about the actual match day itself it's about engendering the right feelings about the club and squad & being able to give the right man-management tailored for each player. Hunt and Leigertwood learned from two masters; Coppell and McDermott so it's about being able to utilise that for the squad being built. Think Hunt is better than Selles, has the same faith in the Academy and generally has done a great job in getting performances out of players. It's not plain sailing though as he's struggled at times but a lot of that is down to the limitations the club has had to operate under.

Hoping the retained and released lists can be agreed quickly and that Reading can now spend the next couple of months being first to the players that they want to bring in rather than waiting for everybody else's sloppy seconds!

[Mr Angry]

Are we allowed to actually buy players now? Have all of the embargoes been lifted?