Clarke interview on Goals on Sunday

[Royal With Cheese]

I honestly don't think it's fair to judge Clarke on the results by November. You need at least a full season to sort out your own team and get them playing how you want. I understand that given the number of loan players we brought in it was a bit of a 'one season' gamble but he didn't even get that.

What is fair is to say that no manager should be talking to another club at the same level as the one he's at unless he plans to leave. Sure, if someone like Chelsea come in for you most Reading fans would accept that's an opportunity you can't give up. But the sheer lack of loyalty of even wanting to talk to Fulham was unacceptable. Sure you can say that the owners shouldn't have given him the option but look at it from their perspective - they thought he wanted to go so what was the point of hindering that.

I think you've hit the nail on the head.

Regardless of how well Clarke did, or how well McDermott is doing now, as soon as Clarke spoke to Fulham he was gone.

+1

I remember thinking that as soon as he "turned down" the Fulham job.

There's been a fair bit of sense on this thread.

Does anyone know if you can turn off quoted comments from a person on your ignore list?

[tidus_mi2]

I believe Nigel Howe already has come and out and said that, after the Pardew mess, if a manager wants to leave, they'd rather let them leave and get the compensation.

[Longhorn1970]

I believe Nigel Howe already has come and out and said that, after the Pardew mess, if a manager wants to leave, they'd rather let them leave and get the compensation.

That's what they were hoping for ££££ in the deal, but ended up paying up his contract ! ...

[Longhorn1970]

guess he might have been a bit quick to answer back to Howe, Hamster and SJM, something that the the present incumbent would never have the bollocks to do

Don't talk nonsense Howser. Obviously Brian is alot better at building relationships than Clarke. Brian's relationship building skills resulted in a highly motivated team that won the title against all odds. His ability to have good relations upstairs as well as great relationships with the team delivered success.

I'd rather have that than a manager like Clarke just giving up when the job looked like it might be too difficult for him.

Brian is 100 times the man that Clarke is.

-1 remember this quote of yours Top Flight, 'This is why it doesn't pay to fire managers too early. Clarke should have been given a lot more time. He was prematurely fired'.

[Longhorn1970]

Absolutely no surprise to see Reading fans rounding on what seems to me to be mostly entirely reasonable comments The usual little hissy fit when anyone has the temerity to criticise the club (or its employees) from the usual suspects.

No surprise either - in much the same vein - to see the following quote generally overlooked:

everyone says when you get a job you should manage upwards - and managing upwards at that club was quite difficult

Seems to me to be a not-so-coded reference to interference from the current owners at team management level. Why am I unsurprised at that.

+1

[Ian Royal]

Sure, if someone like Chelsea come in for you most Reading fans would accept that's an opportunity you can't give up. t.

Didn't happen with Pardew when he moved to West Ham.

Nice of you to acknowledge that West Ham are currently bigger than Chelsea... they weren't back then though.

[P!ssed Off]

We appear to have spent a disproportionate amount on third party fees during the January window.

Interference from the Thais when there's something in it for them, complete disinterest the rest of the time...

[Ian Royal]

I honestly don't think it's fair to judge Clarke on the results by November. You need at least a full season to sort out your own team and get them playing how you want. I understand that given the number of loan players we brought in it was a bit of a 'one season' gamble but he didn't even get that.

What is fair is to say that no manager should be talking to another club at the same level as the one he's at unless he plans to leave. Sure, if someone like Chelsea come in for you most Reading fans would accept that's an opportunity you can't give up. But the sheer lack of loyalty of even wanting to talk to Fulham was unacceptable. Sure you can say that the owners shouldn't have given him the option but look at it from their perspective - they thought he wanted to go so what was the point of hindering that.

He'd had a year and only managed a single 7 game period of good results.


He was told the club didn't want him to speak to Fulham, but wouldn't stand in his way. He spoke to them. He was then told, in front of the press and in no uncertain terms, that results would have to improve significantly. He then preceded to win an easy game and lose the next two. Bye bye.

As Vision said, he had unprecedented levels of support in bringing in new players.

As for things getting more difficult with a few injuries, if he hadn't picked shockingly flawed teams with Piazon playing as a left winger ffs, then things wouldn't have gotten so difficult.

The guy's record here speaks for itself. It's shit. Not quite Rodgers shit, but still shit. Whether McDermott is doing well or was the right replacement doesn't make Clarke have done any less of a shit job. His position was untenable, his performance was poor. Funnily enough he got sacked.

[Longhorn1970]

I honestly don't think it's fair to judge Clarke on the results by November. You need at least a full season to sort out your own team and get them playing how you want. I understand that given the number of loan players we brought in it was a bit of a 'one season' gamble but he didn't even get that.

What is fair is to say that no manager should be talking to another club at the same level as the one he's at unless he plans to leave. Sure, if someone like Chelsea come in for you most Reading fans would accept that's an opportunity you can't give up. But the sheer lack of loyalty of even wanting to talk to Fulham was unacceptable. Sure you can say that the owners shouldn't have given him the option but look at it from their perspective - they thought he wanted to go so what was the point of hindering that.

He'd had a year and only managed a single 7 game period of good results.


He was told the club didn't want him to speak to Fulham, but wouldn't stand in his way. He spoke to them. He was then told, in front of the press and in no uncertain terms, that results would have to improve significantly. He then preceded to win an easy game and lose the next two. Bye bye.

As Vision said, he had unprecedented levels of support in bringing in new players.

As for things getting more difficult with a few injuries, if he hadn't picked shockingly flawed teams with Piazon playing as a left winger ffs, then things wouldn't have gotten so difficult.

The guy's record here speaks for itself. It's shit. Not quite Rodgers shit, but still shit. Whether McDermott is doing well or was the right replacement doesn't make Clarke have done any less of a shit job. His position was untenable, his performance was poor. Funnily enough he got sacked.

Calm down luv ..

[sandman]

I honestly don't think it's fair to judge Clarke on the results by November. You need at least a full season to sort out your own team and get them playing how you want. I understand that given the number of loan players we brought in it was a bit of a 'one season' gamble but he didn't even get that.

What is fair is to say that no manager should be talking to another club at the same level as the one he's at unless he plans to leave. Sure, if someone like Chelsea come in for you most Reading fans would accept that's an opportunity you can't give up. But the sheer lack of loyalty of even wanting to talk to Fulham was unacceptable. Sure you can say that the owners shouldn't have given him the option but look at it from their perspective - they thought he wanted to go so what was the point of hindering that.

He'd had a year and only managed a single 7 game period of good results.


He was told the club didn't want him to speak to Fulham, but wouldn't stand in his way. He spoke to them. He was then told, in front of the press and in no uncertain terms, that results would have to improve significantly. He then preceded to win an easy game and lose the next two. Bye bye.

As Vision said, he had unprecedented levels of support in bringing in new players.

As for things getting more difficult with a few injuries, if he hadn't picked shockingly flawed teams with Piazon playing as a left winger ffs, then things wouldn't have gotten so difficult.

The guy's record here speaks for itself. It's shit. Not quite Rodgers shit, but still shit. Whether McDermott is doing well or was the right replacement doesn't make Clarke have done any less of a shit job. His position was untenable, his performance was poor. Funnily enough he got sacked.

Just like you have done with the likes of Mills and Dellor you are letting your personal feelings towards someone take over any rationality you may have.

[Longhorn1970]

I honestly don't think it's fair to judge Clarke on the results by November. You need at least a full season to sort out your own team and get them playing how you want. I understand that given the number of loan players we brought in it was a bit of a 'one season' gamble but he didn't even get that.

What is fair is to say that no manager should be talking to another club at the same level as the one he's at unless he plans to leave. Sure, if someone like Chelsea come in for you most Reading fans would accept that's an opportunity you can't give up. But the sheer lack of loyalty of even wanting to talk to Fulham was unacceptable. Sure you can say that the owners shouldn't have given him the option but look at it from their perspective - they thought he wanted to go so what was the point of hindering that.

He'd had a year and only managed a single 7 game period of good results.


He was told the club didn't want him to speak to Fulham, but wouldn't stand in his way. He spoke to them. He was then told, in front of the press and in no uncertain terms, that results would have to improve significantly. He then preceded to win an easy game and lose the next two. Bye bye.

As Vision said, he had unprecedented levels of support in bringing in new players.

As for things getting more difficult with a few injuries, if he hadn't picked shockingly flawed teams with Piazon playing as a left winger ffs, then things wouldn't have gotten so difficult.

The guy's record here speaks for itself. It's shit. Not quite Rodgers shit, but still shit. Whether McDermott is doing well or was the right replacement doesn't make Clarke have done any less of a shit job. His position was untenable, his performance was poor. Funnily enough he got sacked.

Just like you have done with the likes of Mills and Dellor you are letting your personal feelings towards someone take over any rationality you may have.

+1

[Ian Royal]

Not in the slightest. As I said, his record speaks for itself. And I'm perfectly calm.

I dislike Mills because he's a cock, that's what personal feelings are for.

I don't think it's really letting personal feelings get in the way to expect a professional commentator to commentate professionally and to reasonably decent standard of usefulness.

Rather odd to see sandman defending Clarke.

[No Fixed Abode]

Clarke was doing such a shit job many of you and I suspect Ian were talking about promotion earlier in the season.

[howser]

Whereas we all have our favourite and slightly less than favourite managers over the past few seasons, the collective failures of them tends to show that whatever issues there are at the club lie further back in its foundations. McDermott after the Russian arrived with his false promises, and since both Adkins and Clarke have done their respective reputations no good at all from their stay at Reading.

With the one common denominator those who are above them.

[Ian Royal]

Clarke was doing such a shit job many of you and I suspect Ian were talking about promotion earlier in the season.

7 game good job, 11 league games into the season. The league table had barely gained any meaning at all. Easy to have thought the guy had sorted things out during one short good blip. Soon returned to true form unfortunately.

Whereas we all have our favourite and slightly less than favourite managers over the past few seasons, the collective failures of them tends to show that whatever issues there are at the club lie further back in its foundations. McDermott after the Russian arrived with his false promises, and since both Adkins and Clarke have done their respective reputations no good at all from their stay at Reading.

With the one common denominator those who are above them.

Zingaravich left over 2 years ago mate... so who's above very definitely isn't a common denominator.

[Longhorn1970]

Clarke was doing such a shit job many of you and I suspect Ian were talking about promotion earlier in the season.

7 game good job, 11 league games into the season. The league table had barely gained any meaning at all. Easy to have thought the guy had sorted things out during one short good blip. Soon returned to true form unfortunately.

Whereas we all have our favourite and slightly less than favourite managers over the past few seasons, the collective failures of them tends to show that whatever issues there are at the club lie further back in its foundations. McDermott after the Russian arrived with his false promises, and since both Adkins and Clarke have done their respective reputations no good at all from their stay at Reading.

With the one common denominator those who are above them.

Zingaravich left over 2 years ago mate... so who's above very definitely isn't a common denominator.

So you think Rakels was Brian's signing ?

[Ian Royal]

Clarke was doing such a shit job many of you and I suspect Ian were talking about promotion earlier in the season.

7 game good job, 11 league games into the season. The league table had barely gained any meaning at all. Easy to have thought the guy had sorted things out during one short good blip. Soon returned to true form unfortunately.

Whereas we all have our favourite and slightly less than favourite managers over the past few seasons, the collective failures of them tends to show that whatever issues there are at the club lie further back in its foundations. McDermott after the Russian arrived with his false promises, and since both Adkins and Clarke have done their respective reputations no good at all from their stay at Reading.

With the one common denominator those who are above them.

Zingaravich left over 2 years ago mate... so who's above very definitely isn't a common denominator.

So you think Rakels was Brian's signing ?

Non sequitur alert.

Not sure why you'd think I thought that.

[Lower West]

So you think Rakels was Brian's signing ?

Does it matter. We needed a striker. We got one.

Judging by the interview at the weekend even McD has warmed to him. The players certainly have.

Seems a better buy than many of Clarkes choices last summer.

[Longhorn1970]

So you think Rakels was Brian's signing ?

Does it matter. We needed a striker. We got one.

Judging by the interview at the weekend even McD has warmed to him. The players certainly have.

How can BM rebuild on the basis he doesn't get a say on recruitment, and a player could be sold in the blink of an eye ..

[leon]

If Clarke wants a new job he ought to have a shave and smarten himself up a bit.

He looks a right state.