Reality check

[North Somerset Royal]

quote="RoyalBlue"]

It isn't Coppell you should be blaming for the current state of affairs the decisions are taken by JM and he has been clear and consistent in his pronouncements since winning promotion which can be summarised as:

- the club has achieved his original objectives and reached the premier league
- JM will not finance the premier league either in ground or player investment that is the job for the 'billionaire' he hopes to sell to

To date there has been no plan B announced to cope with the lack of a sale and the desperate need for player investment to compete at this level so we continue with the cheap as chips approach that has got us where we are today.

Some facts that should influence the current perspective:

- when we were promoted from the championship SC said that our wage bill at that time was around 13/14th in that division, i.e. we have massively overachieved to get promoted. I would suspect we are clearly bottom of the wages league for the prem by a considerable distance.

- SC has been as diplomatic as he can be but reading between the lines there have been plenty of hints about player investment, very similar in both playing style and disputes in playing direction that were evident the year before we got promoted (a 442 side that it not a 442 side because the personnel cannot deliver the style of play required).

The worry for me is that relegated or not will JM sanction the investment to keep us a credible side. If we go down can you see JM sanctioning a lets get the best championship players and get straight back up like Birmingham - I think not I would see a very general decline and possibly a struggle to stay in the championship as JM gets even more disillusioned at football.

Good post. I agree entirely. The question I have is whether in fact JM has seriously tried to find a buyer or whether in reality he enjoys being chair of a Premier League club but is not prepared to invest further funds. It seems odd that even Derby and clubs in lower leagues can attact wealthy investors but not Reading.

If you splashed out a fortune on a new car, would you want to have to drive around in it for the next ten years with the previous owner's personalised number plates still on it?[/quote]
No especially if he was still living in it!

[seahawk10]

Obviously I'm not a real fan because I've never had a season ticket, can't make many games and didn't support us pre '95. Odd that whilst I'm such a lowly plastic I'm still backing the team and will be carrying on with my crap support even if we finish bottom and get relegated next season as well.

Oh get down off your moral high horse would you? No one cares one iota how long and how often you support RFC, pal.


I think that - on balance - we will be relegated. This is obviously just guesswork, none of us can see into the future as far as I am aware. What have I based this treasonable hunch upon? Perhaps having the second worst defence in the league for starters. Makes me laugh when folk come back with the we have goals in us line, as if we get bonus points for losing 6 and 7-4. At the risk of blowing up the server as you angrily and noisily bash at your keyboards in response, I have to say that the January transfer dealings have been unsurprisingly disappointing as far as I am concerned and further reinforces my belief that the club talks the talk but all too often fails to walk the walk. Top ten club? More like top ten in The Championship the way we are going. The we don't want to break the morale of the squad line really doesn't wash with me given that in my opinion only Kitson and Hunt can really hand on heart say that they deserve to expect to start Premier League games based on their performances this season.

Opinions to the contrary have been backed up with the frankly banal adage of there being three worse teams. What a lazy line to use, as if 7 of the bottom 8 aren't seperated by a cigarette paper. Our record against those in the bottom 8 is won 3 drawn 2 lost 3; 4 at home, 4 away. We scored 9 and conceded 12. Worse teams my foot - we are on a par with these sides. The survival question will probably be decided by investment; Coppell himself bleats on repeatedly when we play the big four about investment making all the difference so maybe, just maybe, Matt Taylor might make a difference, Gary Cahill might make a difference, Marlon King might make a difference, James McFadden might make a difference, Andy Reid might make a difference, Robbie Savage might make a difference, Jari Litmanen might make a difference.....Of course, Matejovsky might make a difference too, but personally my money right now is on those signings who have plenty of Premier League experience.

Again, it's all just guesswork and theory isn't it? But I don't think I'd be quite so strident in my negativity on these pages were it not for the self-elected-intellectual-elite piffle of Ian Royal amongst others.

Fair enough Floyd. I know you are taking no joy in seeing us struggle. I have cringed myself at a few of your negative posts, but it's easier for me to take than others because I know you love and support this club and will continue to do so no matter what happens. When you are right, you are right. I can't argue with a single thing you have written above. I have finally come to grips with the fact that relegation is just as likely as us surviving by the skin of our teeth. We all just have to hope for better performances and a few lucky bounces or otherwise we will be going down.

This is how it feels to be Reading.
This is how it feels to be small.
This is how it feels when you can't beat Bolton at home.
Bolton at home. Bolton at home.

[seahawk10]

So clue me in here. I know what RTG's are. What are the STG's? Shite Tainted Glasses?

Yep.
Best example of an STG would be Sir Dodger Royal.

Thanks, I pretty much knew that an STG is the opposite of an RTG, just trying to work out what the 'S' stood for.

[PremAddict]

Obviously I'm not a real fan because I've never had a season ticket, can't make many games and didn't support us pre '95. Odd that whilst I'm such a lowly plastic I'm still backing the team and will be carrying on with my crap support even if we finish bottom and get relegated next season as well.

Oh get down off your moral high horse would you? No one cares one iota how long and how often you support RFC, pal.


I think that - on balance - we will be relegated. This is obviously just guesswork, none of us can see into the future as far as I am aware. What have I based this treasonable hunch upon? Perhaps having the second worst defence in the league for starters. Makes me laugh when folk come back with the we have goals in us line, as if we get bonus points for losing 6 and 7-4. At the risk of blowing up the server as you angrily and noisily bash at your keyboards in response, I have to say that the January transfer dealings have been unsurprisingly disappointing as far as I am concerned and further reinforces my belief that the club talks the talk but all too often fails to walk the walk. Top ten club? More like top ten in The Championship the way we are going. The we don't want to break the morale of the squad line really doesn't wash with me given that in my opinion only Kitson and Hunt can really hand on heart say that they deserve to expect to start Premier League games based on their performances this season.

Opinions to the contrary have been backed up with the frankly banal adage of there being three worse teams. What a lazy line to use, as if 7 of the bottom 8 aren't seperated by a cigarette paper. Our record against those in the bottom 8 is won 3 drawn 2 lost 3; 4 at home, 4 away. We scored 9 and conceded 12. Worse teams my foot - we are on a par with these sides. The survival question will probably be decided by investment; Coppell himself bleats on repeatedly when we play the big four about investment making all the difference so maybe, just maybe, Matt Taylor might make a difference, Gary Cahill might make a difference, Marlon King might make a difference, James McFadden might make a difference, Andy Reid might make a difference, Robbie Savage might make a difference, Jari Litmanen might make a difference.....Of course, Matejovsky might make a difference too, but personally my money right now is on those signings who have plenty of Premier League experience.

Again, it's all just guesswork and theory isn't it? But I don't think I'd be quite so strident in my negativity on these pages were it not for the self-elected-intellectual-elite piffle of Ian Royal amongst others.

Fair enough Floyd. I know you are taking no joy in seeing us struggle. I have cringed myself at a few of your negative posts, but it's easier for me to take than others because I know you love and support this club and will continue to do so no matter what happens. When you are right, you are right. I can't argue with a single thing you have written above. I have finally come to grips with the fact that relegation is just as likely as us surviving by the skin of our teeth. We all just have to hope for better performances and a few lucky bounces or otherwise we will be going down.

This is how it feels to be Reading.
This is how it feels to be small.
This is how it feels when you can't beat Bolton at home.
Bolton at home. Bolton at home.

While I've tried to be positive about the dealings and the way the club has been managed, I do find FS's post to be devoid of most of the emotion of the typical STG or RTG post and more reflective of a post with honesty and logic. I have found myself getting ready to follow the Royals via Internet radio vs. actual live or delayed telecasts and wondering who will remain for next season. I'm still hopeful, but not an idiot.

[Hoop Blah]

On the wage bill - I remember an article in the Times towards the start of this season where our total annual wage bill was app. £10m. To put that in context, Wigan's was £20m, and they had the 19th highest wage bill in the Premier League. Admittedly our figure probably included some residual figures from the Championship, but still, it was evident then, and is now, that this club is being run on a shoe-string.

These are some selected wage bills from the 2006 from the figures I have available

Aston Villa 26.1
Birmingham City 26.8
Blackburn Rovers 33.4
Bolton Wanderers 27.9
Derby County 9.4
Everton 37
Manchester City 34.3
Middlesbrough 28.7
Newcastle United 52.2
Portsmouth 24.8
Reading 12.5
Sunderland 17.4
Tottenham Hotspur 39.7
West Ham United 28.4
Wigan Athletic 20.6
West Bromich Albion 20.4
Southampton 16.8
Wolves 15.3
Watford 9.4
Charlton 33.4
Crystal Palace 18.1


It would be interesting to see these figures for 2007.

[rotherwick_royal]

This is how it feels to be Reading.
This is how it feels to be small.
This is how it feels when you can't beat Bolton at home.
Bolton at home. Bolton at home.

We really ought to use turn that one on its head and use it for our first away win of the season.

If we ever get an away win that is

[andrew1957]

Obviously it is disappointing to lose 7 in a row and be in the relegation zone but Everton are a top team. I think those of you writing Reading off and saying we will definitely be in the Championship next year are being incredibly negative.

We are only in the relegation zone by goal difference and still have 12 games to play.

To some extent the table is weighted unfairly because Reading have played more games against the top sides. If you look at the fixtures you will see that 6 of our last 8 games are against bottom half sides.

Of course this does not mean it will be easy to stay up but we are not down yet.
There will be plenty of time for recriminations if we go down and criticicm will be justified but if we stay up there will be time to rebuild and I am looking forward to many more seasons in the PL.

Come on guys now is time to really get behind Steve Coppell and the boys for the last 12 matches.

[Millsy]

Come on guys now is time to really get behind Steve Coppell and the boys for the last 12 matches.

Get behind the manager and the team??? Are you insane?

If we can't even beat the fourth best team in the country away then why should we be supportive of the best team in our history?

[Archie's penalty]

Come on guys now is time to really get behind Steve Coppell and the boys for the last 12 matches.

Get behind the manager and the team??? Are you insane?

Clinically as we all are............................

[Kev in Bracknell]

Repeat following chant over & over until unconscious:-

WE'RE NOT GOING DOWN,WE'RE NOT GOING DOWN,WE'RE NOT GOING DOWN,WE'RE NOT GOING DOWN....