Hard to see any progress for the forseeable future

[Rob-Royal]

Nonsense, we have a tight 15, we have been lucky with injuries, but to think we have a particulaly strong squad has net been tested yet, and hopefully it wont need to.

Your opinion (and that's all it is) doesn't compare to Coppell's statement that he is happy with the strength of his squad.

[The 17 Bus]

Nonsense, we have a tight 15, we have been lucky with injuries, but to think we have a particulaly strong squad has net been tested yet, and hopefully it wont need to.

Your opinion (and that's all it is) doesn't compare to Coppell's statement that he is happy with the strength of his squad.

Correct, and was happy last year as well, so opinions can change, including his, he is sensible not to do what so many do and declare we will strengthen at every opportunity, it is not good to piss of the current squad by saying they are not good enough, far better to do it his way.

Compare with Roy Keane, who was always messing with the squad, buying and selling like it was trip to the shops, no wonder they are so dis jointed there.

[Rob-Royal]

Nonsense, we have a tight 15, we have been lucky with injuries, but to think we have a particulaly strong squad has net been tested yet, and hopefully it wont need to.

Your opinion (and that's all it is) doesn't compare to Coppell's statement that he is happy with the strength of his squad.

Correct, and was happy last year as well, so opinions can change, including his, he is sensible not to do what so many do and declare we will strengthen at every opportunity, it is not good to piss of the current squad by saying they are not good enough, far better to do it his way.

Compare with Roy Keane, who was always messing with the squad, buying and selling like it was trip to the shops, no wonder they are so dis jointed there.

What I was referring to was the 'tight 15' comment. None of us can qualify that statement because we don't see the players on the training field and behind closed doors like Coppell does.
All we have to judge players on is what we see at the stadium. We immediately discount players that we haven't seen for a while or have never seen as not being good enough.

If anything we have too big a squad in certain areas such as midfield & central defence.

[Hoop Blah]

I still agree with a lot of the original post as I did at the time.

I'm pleasantly surprised that we've started the season so well, although I can't help but think it could've been quite different if a couple goals hadn't gone in at the right time. We seem to have beaten teams by convincing scorelines without actually being much better than them. What we do have is momemtum and a lot of confidence once we go a goal up. Conversly teams seem to give up a bit once we've gone ahead.

The lack of progress is still there in my mind, to an extent. On the pitch we're getting great results. I'm over the moon that a few of the youngsters got a look in at the start of the season, but I don't see us progressing much in the long term as I still see a manager that I think we'll leave at the end of the season. I still see a side that's made up of the same players that got us relegated and isn't as good as the side of 2 or 3 seasons ago.

I still see a Chairman that doesn't really want to be here if he could find a suitable replacement, and I still see a few players who I think are disappointed to still be here and have pretty much admitted that they wanted to go and were distracted from our cause earlier in the season.

Even with all that the season has been much better than I predicted, so far, but I'm willing to put my hands up and admit that. It comes as no surprise that some others won't do that yet though.

[readingbedding]

I still agree with a lot of the original post as I did at the time.

I'm pleasantly surprised that we've started the season so well, although I can't help but think it could've been quite different if a couple goals hadn't gone in at the right time. We seem to have beaten teams by convincing scorelines without actually being much better than them. What we do have is momemtum and a lot of confidence once we go a goal up. Conversly teams seem to give up a bit once we've gone ahead.

The lack of progress is still there in my mind, to an extent. On the pitch we're getting great results. I'm over the moon that a few of the youngsters got a look in at the start of the season, but I don't see us progressing much in the long term as I still see a manager that I think we'll leave at the end of the season. I still see a side that's made up of the same players that got us relegated and isn't as good as the side of 2 or 3 seasons ago.

I still see a Chairman that doesn't really want to be here if he could find a suitable replacement, and I still see a few players who I think are disappointed to still be here and have pretty much admitted that they wanted to go and were distracted from our cause earlier in the season.

Even with all that the season has been much better than I predicted, so far, but I'm willing to put my hands up and admit that. It comes as no surprise that some others won't do that yet though.

So you're comparing the lack of progress now between the team that finished with 106 points or the team that got relegated last season?

[Uke]

I still see a Chairman that doesn't really want to be here if he could find a suitable replacement

You call it wanting out, I'd call it a chairman who has an eye on succession planning - he's 67 years old don't forget. He was 49 when he took over the club!

But I'm an RTG

[sheshnu]

Or Reading now compared to where they were 10 years ago? 20 years ago? In five years the club will still be one of the most stable around and hovering about half way up the top two divisions. If that is not enough for anybody then might I suggest finding your entertainment elsewhere on a Saturday...

[bishbosh92]

I still see a Chairman that doesn't really want to be here if he could find a suitable replacement

You call it wanting out, I'd call it a chairman who has an eye on succession planning

But I'm an RTG

Agreed Madjeski is unintrested and i hope i buyer comes in soon

i bet hes chuffed that were doin so well tho

and hes barely had to shed money out of his wallet

[Uke]

Or Reading now compared to where they were 10 years ago? 20 years ago? In five years the club will still be one of the most stable around and hovering about half way up the top two divisions. If that is not enough for anybody then might I suggest finding your entertainment elsewhere on a Saturday...

The problem is no one takes that view -JM was 3 years older than me now when he took on RFC!

Since Prem land everyone wears the same watch

[Uke]

Agreed Madjeski is unintrested and i hope i buyer comes in soon

i bet hes chuffed that were doin so well tho

and hes barely had to shed money out of his wallet

Go on, prove exactly how JM is "uninterested"

[Thaumagurist*]

Madjeski is unintrested

On what evidence do you base that statement?

[bishbosh92]

Agreed Madjeski is unintrested and i hope i buyer comes in soon

i bet hes chuffed that were doin so well tho

and hes barely had to shed money out of his wallet

Go on, prove exactly how JM is "uninterested"

Bcoz he never gives coppel enoguh tranfer funds and doesnt want to spend more dan a mill or 2 on a player the reason we didnt stay up last year was bcoz we had exactly the same team as the frist year everyine knew what to expect it and when we do actully buy sme1 we dnt use them that aint Jm fault nut if were gnna buy players we ave to use them.

[Hoop Blah]

I still see a Chairman that doesn't really want to be here if he could find a suitable replacement

You call it wanting out, I'd call it a chairman who has an eye on succession planning - he's 67 years old don't forget. He was 49 when he took over the club!

But I'm an RTG

That's a fair comment Uke, one I wouldn't argue with apart from that I think he's wanted to walk away for a while now, so I think it's a little more than just succession planning. As I think I've said on another thread, I'm pretty happy with the stance JM takes on selling the club, as I trust him to want to sell to the right kind of owner and at the right time.

So you're comparing the lack of progress now between the team that finished with 106 points or the team that got relegated last season?

No I'm saying that I can't see a the team evolving much to give us the kind of platform that the 106 did if we went up.

I think this squad isn't as strong, which is hardly surprising as that was a bit of a freakish team, but I also see it as that squad aging and not really being replaced (despite a few additions now holding down a place).

[Hoop Blah]

Agreed Madjeski is unintrested and i hope i buyer comes in soon

i bet hes chuffed that were doin so well tho

and hes barely had to shed money out of his wallet

Go on, prove exactly how JM is "uninterested"

Bcoz he never gives coppel enoguh tranfer funds and doesnt want to spend more dan a mill or 2 on a player the reason we didnt stay up last year was bcoz we had exactly the same team as the frist year everyine knew what to expect it and when we do actully buy sme1 we dnt use them that aint Jm fault nut if were gnna buy players we ave to use them.

Coppell has admitted that it was his decision not to spend the money made avaliable to him. I'm sure that his 'budget' wasn't the biggest and the pool of talent he could attract the biggest, but it wasn't just JM's fault for not providing funds. The truth is it would've been a bit of both.

[Arch]

I so want this thread to run and run.

I take it back.

[Thaumagurist*]

Agreed Madjeski is unintrested and i hope i buyer comes in soon

i bet hes chuffed that were doin so well tho

and hes barely had to shed money out of his wallet

Go on, prove exactly how JM is "uninterested"

Bcoz he never gives coppel enoguh tranfer funds and doesnt want to spend more dan a mill or 2 on a player the reason we didnt stay up last year was bcoz we had exactly the same team as the frist year everyine knew what to expect it and when we do actully buy sme1 we dnt use them that aint Jm fault nut if were gnna buy players we ave to use them.

Christ, I barely can understand what the oxf*rd you're saying. But I disagree with you. If he was that uninterested, then why is he still attending games? Sky Sports cameras spotted him in the crowd last Monday.

[Hoop Blah]

Or Reading now compared to where they were 10 years ago? 20 years ago? In five years the club will still be one of the most stable around and hovering about half way up the top two divisions. If that is not enough for anybody then might I suggest finding your entertainment elsewhere on a Saturday...

The problem is no one takes that view -JM was 3 years older than me now when he took on RFC!

Since Prem land everyone wears the same watch

Not really in my case.

I just want to see that steady progression (which I have to admit is clearly there more than I'd have imagined at the start of the season with the likes of Hunt and Cisse performing better than I thought they would - although I'd still say they're miles away from being Premiership players in the making) which we didn't see at all last season.

I'm over the moon with where the club is now when I compare it to the state it was in when I started watching 20 years ago, but that doesn't mean I think everything is rosey, despite some cracking results mind.

[readingbedding]

I still see a Chairman that doesn't really want to be here if he could find a suitable replacement

You call it wanting out, I'd call it a chairman who has an eye on succession planning - he's 67 years old don't forget. He was 49 when he took over the club!

But I'm an RTG

That's a fair comment Uke, one I wouldn't argue with apart from that I think he's wanted to walk away for a while now, so I think it's a little more than just succession planning. As I think I've said on another thread, I'm pretty happy with the stance JM takes on selling the club, as I trust him to want to sell to the right kind of owner and at the right time.

So you're comparing the lack of progress now between the team that finished with 106 points or the team that got relegated last season?

No I'm saying that I can't see a the team evolving much to give us the kind of platform that the 106 did if we went up.

I think this squad isn't as strong, which is hardly surprising as that was a bit of a freakish team, but I also see it as that squad aging and not really being replaced (despite a few additions now holding down a place).

So you're suggesting that we should have had a consolidating period this season, get rid of the old, expensive players and replace them with younger players?
Every day a squad ages...but anyway.
Who would you have sold?

[Arch]

I barely can understand what the oxf*rd you're saying. But I disagree with you.

Quality post from Spacey!

[bishbosh92]

I suppose it is a bit of both

but if we get back up to the prem then we need to spend wisely on some gd players who will stable our sqaud and cement us in there

as for majeski yh he still attending games

maybe he still has some intrest

but if we go back up and we get a decent buyer hell sell