New Manager

[Snowflake Royal]

Reading needs to establish an identity again. Someone that buys into the vision. Not a question of returning to years gone by. Parky did get Bolton promoted while under a transfer embargo. No mean feat. Building a team on free tansfers and loan signings.

This - getting someone in who immediately connects with the fans, who happens to have a very solid managerial record is a win-win for me

Does he have that great a connection with fans? Again, he's been gone a long time and whilst the likes of you and I might remember him there's a new generation who don't.

How solid is his managerial record at this level?

Yes. 5 Parkinson's is sung every December and was again at the last game.

[Winston Biscuit]

Whats Roy Keane up to?

Dis and dat

[Brain Traysers]

Reading needs to establish an identity again. Someone that buys into the vision. Not a question of returning to years gone by. Parky did get Bolton promoted while under a transfer embargo. No mean feat. Building a team on free tansfers and loan signings.

This - getting someone in who immediately connects with the fans, who happens to have a very solid managerial record is a win-win for me

Does he have that great a connection with fans? Again, he's been gone a long time and whilst the likes of you and I might remember him there's a new generation who don't.

How solid is his managerial record at this level?

"Managerial record at this level" is subjective - last season he kept a penniless club up, and so many of his clubs have been rescued from the brink. Winning a higher share of games with a better team, e.g. Clement at Derby, shouldn't be compared 1:1 for obvious reasons.

I think he would still have a connection - I would imagine >90% of current fans would know who he is by name, and 12 Parkinsons (12 days of Parkinson? 12 Parkinsons of Xmas?) gets rolled out every year...

We are calling out for someone to come in and steady the ship and halt the slide of the last 18 months - Parky will set us up as 'team' ready to play the 'plucky underdogs' role against bigger teams (budgets) in the league. He wont bring free flowing football - we tried that with Stam and the fans hated it. We seemingly don't have an endless pit of transfer money to spend alongside a flashy manager to use us as a temporary stepping stone (so no Jokanovic for me), and I can't see us currently having the ambition for the Lincoln guys to leave a set up that works perfectly for them - didn't they reject Ipswich pre-season, who were in a better position then than we are now?

[sandman]

This - getting someone in who immediately connects with the fans, who happens to have a very solid managerial record is a win-win for me

Does he have that great a connection with fans? Again, he's been gone a long time and whilst the likes of you and I might remember him there's a new generation who don't.

How solid is his managerial record at this level?

Yes. 5 Parkinson's is sung every December and was again at the last game.

Wouldn't say that is necessarily a sign of a great connection with all the people that sing it. Maybe someone starts it and others join in because it's a song to sing. Easy to sing the name of someone you didn't see play when they are in the past. A few bad results and that might not last too long.

[sandman]

What is Parky's record at bringing through youngsters? According to the club and fans that is a crucial part of the future of the club. As I said earlier, would you trust him with Rinomhota and Loader or any of the others like Holmes? Is he really the type of guy to improve them as players? I have my doubts.

[Snowflake Royal]

What is Parky's record at bringing through youngsters? According to the club and fans that is a crucial part of the future of the club. As I said earlier, would you trust him with Rinomhota and Loader or any of the others like Holmes? Is he really the type of guy to improve them as players? I have my doubts.

Wasn't his Colchester squad quite young? Got three U25s with appearances in the current Bolton squad, including a keeper.

I reckon he'd use what's available. Rinomhota is already the best fit midfielder we have,doubt very much he'd suffer. Meite best semi fit striker.

[Longhorn1970]

Whats Roy Keane up to?

Would like somebody in that mold that could tear into the team at half time if needed and Colin is not available

+1

[Woodcote Royal]

If we're looking at former players/managers, Pardew would be the only one for me.

Many oceans have flowed under the bridge since he did the dirty and flounced off to West Ham.

If he's still not working is that because he hasn't had a decent offer or isn't intersted? Would he be interested in coming back?

[sandman]

What is Parky's record at bringing through youngsters? According to the club and fans that is a crucial part of the future of the club. As I said earlier, would you trust him with Rinomhota and Loader or any of the others like Holmes? Is he really the type of guy to improve them as players? I have my doubts.

Wasn't his Colchester squad quite young? Got three U25s with appearances in the current Bolton squad, including a keeper.

I reckon he'd use what's available. Rinomhota is already the best fit midfielder we have,doubt very much he'd suffer. Meite best semi fit striker.

But would he really be able to help develop and improve them? The debut is the first step, it's what comes after that which is crucial.

[Snowflake Royal]

What is Parky's record at bringing through youngsters? According to the club and fans that is a crucial part of the future of the club. As I said earlier, would you trust him with Rinomhota and Loader or any of the others like Holmes? Is he really the type of guy to improve them as players? I have my doubts.

Wasn't his Colchester squad quite young? Got three U25s with appearances in the current Bolton squad, including a keeper.

I reckon he'd use what's available. Rinomhota is already the best fit midfielder we have,doubt very much he'd suffer. Meite best semi fit striker.

But would he really be able to help develop and improve them?

Why wouldn't he? He's an experienced manager who played to a reasonably high standard and had to work hard to get there.

Plus he'd have a coaching team.

[Brain Traysers]

What is Parky's record at bringing through youngsters? According to the club and fans that is a crucial part of the future of the club. As I said earlier, would you trust him with Rinomhota and Loader or any of the others like Holmes? Is he really the type of guy to improve them as players? I have my doubts.

completely fair challenge and one thing I can't easily check unfortunately.

Relatedly, a better approach would be to think about what skillsets we are looking for then matching managers to that. I expect others will have entirely different lists

Things I care about:
- Hard working and never say die attitude (and the stamina/conditioning to allow this)
- Building a team culture (all in it together, not a team of individuals)
- Academy players given the chance and not blocked by unnecessary signings - albeit not just chucking any u23 player in
- Openness with fans (Clement did well here, Adkins and his soundbites were woeful)

Things I can go without:
- Possession based football
- Signing big name players

Parky gets a big tick for 1 and 2 and probably 4 - I don't know about 3.

[oggy]

Stuart Pearce, Kick Some Backsides into shape

[Brain Traysers]

If we're looking at former players/managers, Pardew would be the only one for me.

Many oceans have flowed under the bridge since he did the dirty and flounced off to West Ham.

If he's still not working is that because he hasn't had a decent offer or isn't intersted? Would he be interested in coming back?

Or is it because the game has moved on since he was last able to be an effective manager?

Same with Mark Hughes - this style of manager was effective 10 years ago, but has failed to evolve since. Mourinho is a prime example here - his style was the model at Chelsea, but now he is so far behind the Pep, Poch, Emery and Klopps.

The exceptions to these 'old school' types are the ones who adapt their style with modern thinking - e.g. Pulis and Allardyce (*shudder*) - or man managers who are able to consistently get the very best out of players - e.g. Warnock and McDermott (v1.0).

[sandman]

Wasn't his Colchester squad quite young? Got three U25s with appearances in the current Bolton squad, including a keeper.

I reckon he'd use what's available. Rinomhota is already the best fit midfielder we have,doubt very much he'd suffer. Meite best semi fit striker.

But would he really be able to help develop and improve them?

Why wouldn't he? He's an experienced manager who played to a reasonably high standard and had to work hard to get there.

Plus he'd have a coaching team.

He might be able to. The fact you said, "Wasn't his Colchester squad quite young?" without providing any actual names would suggest it's not exactly a brilliant record. All I'm saying is that when managers who develop and improve players come to mind Parky I'm not sure he would be that high on the lists of many.

[Pepe the Horseman]

I think Scott Marshall is a very good bet at 16-1.... nite that he has been put in charge not Gibbs. Also has led under 23s to 14 match unbeaten run.

But more importantly Howe is in charge and there is form for promoting from within when the team is struggling. Pardew was one example but who really knew Brian McDermott well before his appointment first time around.

Basically if he has a good run in our next 3 games I reckon he’ll be manager by xmas.

Yeh, good shout.

[warrpp]

i'd like us to look at people like nathan jones at luton, paul cook at wigan, or as others have said, danny cowley at lincoln.

manager's who have either multiple promotion with different clubs in cooks case, or one's who have got a club promoted and who have proved it wasn't a fluke by doing well again the following season (in jones & cowley's cases).

[Brain Traysers]

But would he really be able to help develop and improve them?

Why wouldn't he? He's an experienced manager who played to a reasonably high standard and had to work hard to get there.

Plus he'd have a coaching team.

He might be able to. The fact you said, "Wasn't his Colchester squad quite young?" without providing any actual names would suggest it's not exactly a brilliant record. All I'm saying is that when managers who develop and improve players come to mind Parky I'm not sure he would be that high on the lists of many.

I had a look back to his stint with Charlton, as I think their academy is probably comparable with ours and frankly I have no idea about Bolton, Bradford or Colchesters...

He was Chartlon manager from November 2008 to the end of 2009/10, with the full season in League 1.
Kelly Youga - 36 games in 08/09 and 22 before a major injury in 09/10. These came after loans at other clubs up to 07/08 having joined from Lyon as a 19 year old
Jonjo Shelvey - Debut (under Pardew) in April 2018 as a 16yo, first team under Parky until sold at the end of 09/10
Scott Wagstaff - debuted in the game as JS, but only played 4 games that season. Went on to play 37 games in 09/10 as a 19yo
Chris Solly - debut (only game) in 08/09, 10 games in 09/10.
Darren Randolph - 6 Charlton games between 2004-09 (+ lots of loans), then 14 games in 09/10
Alex Stavrinou - all I can see is he made his debut on 11 Aug 2009 as a 18yo
Yado Mambo - another who only had a handful of cup games, given his debut in August 2010
Tamer Tuna - debut in last game of 08/09

A surprisingly high number of players either given their debut, or a chance of a 1st team breakthrough there. Not dissimilar to us last season (Andesson, Loader, Rinomhota and Holmes all got debuts with Smith and Richards getting more time at 11 and 16 appearances). No evidence that Parky is afraid to use academy players from that limited investigation.

[genome]

I think Scott Marshall is a very good bet at 16-1.... nite that he has been put in charge not Gibbs. Also has led under 23s to 14 match unbeaten run.

But more importantly Howe is in charge and there is form for promoting from within when the team is struggling. Pardew was one example but who really knew Brian McDermott well before his appointment first time around.

Basically if he has a good run in our next 3 games I reckon he’ll be manager by xmas.

Yeh, good shout.

TBH I wouldn't mind that.

My biggest fear about a new manager is that Rinomhota and Loader will be relegated back to the bench/reserves. That's the one thing I was warming to Clement about, giving them a chance. Marshall would guarantee their place in the side is safe I guess.

[Sutekh]

The old EP site is saying that Reading hope to make a swift appointment.....

[AthleticoSpizz]

Well colour me bad, so the club has the new manager decided before the old manager is sacked?

The Reading way