Steve Clarke

[bcubed]

Baggies fan here.

Steve Clarke inherited a well-drilled squad from Roy Hodgson and continued the momemtum into his first season with the benefit of an effective frontline partnership in Long and Odemwingie and the defensive midfield pairing of Mulumbu and Yacob. He was also instrumental in bringing Lukaku to the club (via his Chelsea connections), which may bode well for the Royals.

Ultimately, it began to unravel for SC when opposing teams began to figure out the Hodgson-Clarke system and he then reverted to a safety first, containment approach (his natural inclination, it seems). His positon as Head Coach was increasingly undermined by internal club politics and his departure became inevitable.

Despite the cries of indignation from the Press, not too many fans mourned his loss. The football served up was pretty turgid after his first half-season in charge.

He became a cult figure, however, due to his total lack of sartorial elegence. The joke was that he always looked as though he slept in his car every night. One of the most enduring posts on the wbaunofficial message board was titled "Photos of Steve Clarke looking pissed". It was very funny.

Good luck for the rest of the season.

Thanks for the info

I am not sure turgid is what we were looking for!

But I guess safety first containment wouldn't go amiss to start with

Would you say he was a good motivator and able to get the most out of the players in his squad?

[Reading4eva]

Baggies fan here.

Steve Clarke inherited a well-drilled squad from Roy Hodgson and continued the momemtum into his first season with the benefit of an effective frontline partnership in Long and Odemwingie and the defensive midfield pairing of Mulumbu and Yacob. He was also instrumental in bringing Lukaku to the club (via his Chelsea connections), which may bode well for the Royals.

Ultimately, it began to unravel for SC when opposing teams began to figure out the Hodgson-Clarke system and he then reverted to a safety first, containment approach (his natural inclination, it seems). His positon as Head Coach was increasingly undermined by internal club politics and his departure became inevitable.

Despite the cries of indignation from the Press, not too many fans mourned his loss. The football served up was pretty turgid after his first half-season in charge.

He became a cult figure, however, due to his total lack of sartorial elegence. The joke was that he always looked as though he slept in his car every night. One of the most enduring posts on the wbaunofficial message board was titled "Photos of Steve Clarke looking pissed". It was very funny.

Good luck for the rest of the season.

Thanks for the info

I am not sure turgid is what we were looking for!

But I guess safety first containment wouldn't go amiss to start with

Would you say he was a good motivator and able to get the most out of the players in his squad?

This was my main concern with this appointment. That Clarke inherited a strong team. However there is very few managers I can think of out of the job who have built from the ground up.

I believe this will be an improvement over Adkins though who it's obvious to see now was riding the crest of a wave at Southampton.

Oh I hope he takes over at Brighton or Wolves. Watch them fall

[Royality creeps In]

Pleased with this appointment, mind you I was glad when we got Adkins

[leon]

On reflection I'm a bit concerned about this appointment. Do we know who his assistant is going to be?

[Whore Jackie]

Kevin Keen would seem fairly plausible.

[Ouroboros]

His positon as Head Coach was increasingly undermined by internal club politics

Oh that's alright, we don't have those here.

[Royal Rother]

I believe this will be an improvement over Adkins though who it's obvious to see now was riding the crest of a wave at Southampton.

Oh, are we supposed to discount his achievements at Southampton then because he was riding the crest of a wave? A wave he pretty much created by winning League 1 in his 1st season there of course.

What about the wave created when he was at Scunthorpe?

[Royal Lady]

I'm surprised at the quick appointment - did we even contemplate anyone else I wonder? Also, was Hammond around at the press conference - Nigel Howe isn't normally photographed at these sort of things is he? I also noted that JM didn't really want to talk about anything, which is very out of character for him!

[TBM]

"I was well prepared for it. I was waiting for a club that would give me the chance to build.

"Ideally I'd like to be in the Premier League.......

so basically he doesn't actually want to be here but nobody else would give him a job

[leon]

"I was well prepared for it. I was waiting for a club that would give me the chance to build.

"Ideally I'd like to be in the Premier League.......

so basically he doesn't actually want to be here

he'll fit in well

[Forbury Lion]

"I was well prepared for it. I was waiting for a club that would give me the chance to build.

"Ideally I'd like to be in the Premier League.......

so basically he doesn't actually want to be here but nobody else would give him a job

I think every manager and player in the UK not currently managing in the premier league would say that was where they would ideally like to be, so let's not read too much into that.

If he wants to manage in the Premier League he has to do one of two things:

1. Get us promoted
2. Impress premier league clubs with what he's doing here at Reading

If he achieves 1 or 2 it's a win for us.

[SPARTA]

Thought he came across very well in the presser. He obviously knows there wont be much to play with in January, so loans will probably be key, which is where his contacts will pay dividends. Hopefully he'll bring the group together, shake them up a bit and get them motivated again.

[Rollerbob]

Hopefully he'll bring the group together, shake them up a bit and get them motivated again.

Agreed. Think motivation will play a massive part of the immediate future. Hope he concentrates on defensive drills and motivation/team building exercises solidly for the next few weeks.

He obviously knows there wont be much to play with in January, so loans will probably be key, which is where his contacts will pay dividends.

Not sure. It sounds like he knows that there won't be much to play with, but that the kitty isn't completely empty. A couple of small-figure signings and loans I presume.

[Eaststandman]

Interesting he wants to draw a line under it because he can't actually substantiate what he's drivelling on about. [/quote]

and he (IR) certainly never implied that being relegated was a good thing, apparently! [/quote]

He didn't.

He said it could prove to be a good thing in certain circumstances. Regrouping, reassessing and all that a short sharp shock involves rather than hanging on by fingertips year after year can prove the best thing in the long run. Not that it always is the case, just that it can be... Perfect sense really.

But I can see that to a bunch of football supporters that might translate to "he says it would be good for the club to get relegated".

Par for the course but a bit sad really.[/quote]

Lighten up RR it was meant to be a tongue in cheek remark!

[Eaststandman]

Oooops! bit of a mare there with the quoting protocol, hey ho we move on!

[Royal Rother]

No worries Eaststandman.

I know I'm probably a bit odd and he does a bloody good job of batting it all off himself so hardly needs my support but he sees things differently to the majority and I do actually find Ian Royal one of the most interesting Team Board posters on here.

There, I've said it.

[Winston Smith]

I am pleased with this appointment and below are the views of a Baggies fan at work.

[b]Think the feelings on him are quite mixed. He did get our highest finish for many a year, highest since the Premier League started but it was basically with Roy Hodgson’s team + Lukaku. After a great first half of that season we went pretty poor and that went right through the first half of the next season when he was sacked as he didn’t seem to be able to stop the decline (although we weren’t in the relegation zone at the time, so may have been premature). Not too many complaints when we got rid of him.

its almost like someone stated that on here yesterday but were told they were completely wrong because he made them finish 8th therefore did a great job

[Wycombe Royal]

I am pleased with this appointment and below are the views of a Baggies fan at work.

[b]Think the feelings on him are quite mixed. He did get our highest finish for many a year, highest since the Premier League started but it was basically with Roy Hodgson’s team + Lukaku. After a great first half of that season we went pretty poor and that went right through the first half of the next season when he was sacked as he didn’t seem to be able to stop the decline (although we weren’t in the relegation zone at the time, so may have been premature). Not too many complaints when we got rid of him.

its almost like someone stated that on here yesterday but were told they were completely wrong because he made them finish 8th therefore did a great job

It was however his contacts that got Lukaku into the squad so therefore the credit for that has to be given to Clarke. He was also given very little to spend in his time there. The only players I can see that were signed for a fee were Ben Foster, Claudio Yacob, Stephane Sessegnon and Victor Anichebe. The rest were all frees.......

[RG30]

I'm surprised at the quick appointment - did we even contemplate anyone else I wonder? Also, was Hammond around at the press conference - Nigel Howe isn't normally photographed at these sort of things is he? I also noted that JM didn't really want to talk about anything, which is very out of character for him!

Not one quote on press release and no sign at the press conference. Given his recent interview with the local media where he defended Adkins, interesting to see which direction this goes in.

[P!ssed Off]

Chelsea have got some great young players that need farming out

I really don't see this as a positive. I would like to see a new manager develop the talent we have and build a team around them. If they decide they're not good enough then I'd like to see them bring in up and coming talent and develop a team.

Bringing in Chelsea 'farmed out' reserves, in my opinion, is a short-term and short-sighted fix.

Well I disagree with that.

We've got a good academy but not necessarily an amazing player coming through in each position.
FFP, as well as the ridiculous wage bill created by AZ, severely limits our ability to "bring in up and coming talent".

Perhaps we might have a great academy player who still needs a year or two to develop, and therefore all that's needed for the 1st team is a season's loan in that position.

Perhaps due to wage bill changes at date x, we might not be in a position to buy until then and only require a short term solution.

Far from becoming Chelsea B team, I'm suggesting we might benefit with one or 2 good players to supplement our squad.