Brian: The right decision?

[Jay o/]

we sign Bridge and Drenthe.

Still can't get over this

QPR fans will be seething.

[SPARTA]

I'm sure Leeds fans are fine about it. They'll love the huff and puff of Brian's signings. The Hunt brothers getting on the end of Matt Mills' hoof balls will go down well I'm sure.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

His Leeds signings do whiff of short term fixes i.e. journeymen grafters. He clearly has fcuk all to spend.

For a team that wants a short term fix on the cheap he is definitely the right man for the job. It worked for us & I've no doubt that's why Leeds went for him.

[RoyalinBracknell]

So, while Brian McBirdmott weighs up moves for Noel and Stephen Hunt, we sign Bridge and Drenthe. Anyone still unsure he should have gone?
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I don't really see how any comparison can particularly be made; Leeds and Reading will have different scouting networks, different budgets, different priorities and expectations etc. I think we're in a very good place under Adkins but has he significantly contributed to the arrival of those players? I''m sure we went after Bridge under McDermott in Jan 2012 so who's to say we wouldn't have signed him this summer even if McDermott was still in charge?

[Para Handy]

I'm sure Leeds fans are fine about it. They'll love the huff and puff of Brian's signings. The Hunt brothers getting on the end of Matt Mills' hoof balls will go down well I'm sure.

Yawn, I'm not sure whether to describe this as the usual Team Board rewriting of history or just ungratefulness really. Were you moaning this much when we won the Championship? I've said it before and I'll say it again, some of you people have very short and selective memories.

[Avon Royal]

I'm sure Leeds fans are fine about it. They'll love the huff and puff of Brian's signings. The Hunt brothers getting on the end of Matt Mills' hoof balls will go down well I'm sure.

Yawn, I'm not sure whether to describe this as the usual Team Board rewriting of history or just ungratefulness really. Were you moaning this much when we won the Championship? I've said it before and I'll say it again, some of you people have very short and selective memories.

Not sure what bit of history you think is being rewritten there. That Brian's signings huff and puff? That Mr Mills was partial to the odd hoofed clearance?

You know, it is possible for people to be grateful to Brian for getting us promoted AND of the opinion that it was time for him to go following his disaster of a Premier League season.

[Para Handy]

I'm sure Leeds fans are fine about it. They'll love the huff and puff of Brian's signings. The Hunt brothers getting on the end of Matt Mills' hoof balls will go down well I'm sure.

Yawn, I'm not sure whether to describe this as the usual Team Board rewriting of history or just ungratefulness really. Were you moaning this much when we won the Championship? I've said it before and I'll say it again, some of you people have very short and selective memories.

Not sure what bit of history you think is being rewritten there. That Brian's signings huff and puff? That Mr Mills was partial to the odd hoofed clearance?

You know, it is possible for people to be grateful to Brian for getting us promoted AND of the opinion that it was time for him to go following his disaster of a Premier League season.

Oh. Maybe they should express themselves more clearly then. Thanks for explaining that to me though because I'm clearly a simpleton that read that message as a pisstake of Brian. Yawn again at Brian's signings being huff and puff. Past experience tells me that it's not worth engaging with you though and tbh I have neither the time, or inclination, to enter into protracted debates on here. Just registering my disgust. Feel free to post paragraphs about why I'm wrong.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Brian was the right man at the right time. Reading through & through & he galvanised the club when we needed it most.

But in the Prem spirit and desire only goes so far & I think his managerial abilities (at that level) were shown up TBH.

We should cut him some slack as he was thrown in at the deep end & may yet prove to be a fantastic manager at the highest level & I wish him well.

However there is no doubt in my mind at all he needed to go.

The way the club has moved on in the last few months is quite astonishing - there is real determination to develop the club properly & professionally rather than cheapo quick fixes from what I can see.

We needed a manager with fresh eyes and no Reading connections to sweep a broom through the club & sprinkle a bit of magic back in. In my opinion we got the best possible person to do it.

Buzzing about this season way more than I was this time last year. I don't want to be overly confident but I really feel this will be the most enjoyable season since 05-06.

[Maguire]

The way the club has moved on in the last few months is quite astonishing - there is real determination to develop the club properly & professionally rather than cheapo quick fixes from what I can see

Is it really astonishing? We were second best in most of our games under Adkins. What you really mean is we're spending more money now, which is true. I think Anton is going to have a real go at promotion this year, but bearign in mind McD won the title without such a surplus of riches who is to say he wouldn't have done it again?

[bobby m's syrup]

Am I missing something, or why couldn't the evident desire to succeed not have been manifested last close season, especially when there was so much more to play for?

[Maguire]

Collective naivety, part of which rests on Brian's shoulders.

[Avon Royal]

Am I missing something, or why couldn't the evident desire to succeed not have been manifested last close season, especially when there was so much more to play for?

I don't know, but anyone who dared to point out the need to strengthen the squad at that time was quickly told to "piss off and support Chelsea".........

[soggy biscuit]

The way the club has moved on in the last few months is quite astonishing

Losing games and making 1 free signing?

[Esteban]

Brian was the right man at the right time. Reading through & through & he galvanised the club when we needed it most.

But in the Prem spirit and desire only goes so far & I think his managerial abilities (at that level) were shown up TBH.

We should cut him some slack as he was thrown in at the deep end & may yet prove to be a fantastic manager at the highest level & I wish him well.

However there is no doubt in my mind at all he needed to go.

The way the club has moved on in the last few months is quite astonishing - there is real determination to develop the club properly & professionally rather than cheapo quick fixes from what I can see.

We needed a manager with fresh eyes and no Reading connections to sweep a broom through the club & sprinkle a bit of magic back in. In my opinion we got the best possible person to do it.

Buzzing about this season way more than I was this time last year. I don't want to be overly confident but I really feel this will be the most enjoyable season since 05-06.

Pretty much this. Only without the all that optimism about this season. That's just tempting fate, the fool.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

The way the club has moved on in the last few months is quite astonishing

Losing games and making 1 free signing?

Was referring to matters off the pitch when I said that.

We've made 2 good signings, we are well on track for Cat A academy status and all the signs look good. They are massively trying to promote the academy and spread the word that RFC is the one of the best places to be if you want to develop as a youth player.

They are trying to spread a positive message throughout the club in my opinion and they're getting their branding/image whatever you want to call it spot on I think.

Yes I might be an optimist but I have no reason to expect anything else. We need to be the type of club that can produce the next Wilshire or Bale.

You can tell Anton loves his football & has a real desire to succeed.

Obviously some on here will look for something bad but if you can't be optimistic about what might happen in the future then you must be quite a miserable person generally!

[soggy biscuit]

Being optimistic and claiming something is 'astonishing' are not quite the same thing

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Being optimistic and claiming something is 'astonishing' are not quite the same thing

I think the change from little old Reading bucking the trend to Reading that dares to compete openly is astonishing. We are being bolder and I like it. Feel free to add another pedantic reply though.

[soggy biscuit]

how dare anyone have a differing opinion to you!!

[SPARTA]

I'm sure Leeds fans are fine about it. They'll love the huff and puff of Brian's signings. The Hunt brothers getting on the end of Matt Mills' hoof balls will go down well I'm sure.

Yawn, I'm not sure whether to describe this as the usual Team Board rewriting of history or just ungratefulness really. Were you moaning this much when we won the Championship? I've said it before and I'll say it again, some of you people have very short and selective memories.

Far from a short memory. I'm very grateful for what he did here. I was going to say "on a limited budget", but we were promoted with the second biggest budget in the Championship... He did well, he's very likable, but letting him go when we did was the right decision and we are now signing players we wouldn't have done if he was still here. As Brian would tell us - we move on, and I have.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

:lol:

how dare anyone have a differing opinion to you!!

Nail hit on the head there - come on admit it aren't you even a little excited? Just a tiny bit?