Life after Brendan

[fester_royal]

steve coppell taking this club backwards??? did i miss a meeting?

ok when the poo hit the whirly thing he had no answer but thats one season out of the best part of a decade. how people can so easily overlook the fact that our best years as a club came under his management just because of a poor few results, any other year where we came one point off survival, one game from automatic promotion, one result off the play offs.. would be deemed a huge success

[Woodcote Royal]

Oh wow, 'Mrs Rodgers' how creative of you!!!111!!, it's nice to know that people are so comfortable with their opinions that they don't have to resort to petty juvinile name calling to get their point across....

Christ, I don't think anyone has the nerve or is of the opinion that Rodgers time here was a success. The very fact we were 3 points from the drop zone when he left proves his overall time spent here wasn't up to scratch. The only point I, or any other 'Mrs Rodgers' is trying to point out is that he had far from ideal conditions when he got here, made some huge cock ups, but was appearing to turn the corner when he was sacked.

The bloke DID make some pretty huge mistakes and got some dissapointing results, but the sad fact is that people such as yourself are so blinkered and happy to blame the guy for all our woes is that you refuse to accept that he was starting to get better results and there were SIGNS that he MIGHT turn it around.

Would he have turned it around? would he have gotten the same results as Mac? I doubt he would have been quite as succesfull, but I don't think he was so bad that he couldn't have gotten wins over the likes of Plymouth, Barnsley (who he'd already beaten), Sheff Weds (who he'd already beaten) or Donny (who we'd battered but drawn) I'll put the same question to you as I did Floyd, do you honestly think we were THAT BAD post Leciester? and similarly do you think that some of Brians games (Blackpool, Sheff Utd, Plymouth x2, Barnsley) have been THAT MUCH BETTER? both managers have proved they had the ability to get results. What's putting Brian ahead of Brendan is his ability to get them far more consistantly, which is a good thing obviously and his amazing cup run which he deserves all the credit for.

In terms of transfers you can hardly call the '£4 million' (which realistically is about £3 million given the various clauses in the Mills deal) was badly spent as we got in Mills, McAnuff, Rasiak, Howard, plus Bertrand on loan, all of whom have been solid or good signings.

It seems he did fall out with Mills yes but that happens sometimes and theres nothing to say they wouldn't have patched it up. Rodgers seems to be frequently beaten with the Cummings stick, and wow 1 bad permanent signing! that's a terrible record and SSC would NEVER have wasted money on a player, nor would Sir Alex or anyone like that....

Again what is putting Brian ahead of Brendan, as you've said, is the fact that he's been able to get the most out of the squad. He's got Kebe, Howard, Mills and others all playing very well and long may that continue. But Brian does benefit from having far more history with some of the other players around the team such as Kebe then Brendan had. But again thats letting Rodgers off to lightly and if Brian can do it there's no reason or excuse as to why Rodgers couldn't have got more of the players.

My biggest problem right now is with people sitting here and claiming Brian has 'proved himself' because of a fantastic cup run and 5 league wins. To me its dangerous and is the sort of short term thinking that gets the likes of Ricky Sbragia and Paul Hart (no offence to them) appointed into jobs that they aren't up too in the long term. He's got some great cup results and beaten teams around us in the league but he's yet to prove himself against some of the better teams in the league, the cup results suggest that we're capable of winning such matches but until he gets points on the board against such teams (be it this season or next) lets just wait and see before hailing him as the messiah.

Brian has improved results without any question but hailing him as a great managerright now is as naive. Even Terry bloody Bullivant got us up to midtable and into a cup quarter final during the first half of his tenure in charge, did that end well?

However, on the other hand Alan Pardew came up by a similar route to Brian, oversaw a similar recovery and we benefited massivly from his appointment long term.

I HAVE NO IDEA if Brian will prove a good appointment long term, but nobody is saying he's not done well in the short term and he deserves to be MoTM for the run we're on.

All I am waiting for is a longer period of time, and a transfer window or 2 to judge the bloke. Rodgers got the benefit of 1 window and about 20 league games before he was dismissed, yes that may prove (and it appears now) as if that was the right decision but in my own opinion it was too short a time to throw him on the scrapheap.

But as SSC said,the focus should just be WNG!

Whatever the case the decision has been made and SJM seems to have got this one right. I couldn't be happier then to be celebrating 5 wins in 6 and looking forward to a cup quarter final. However that doesn't mean to say I can't still question whether Rodgers could have gained similar results. I didn't 'love' the bloke, I didn't like the fact we were struggling, he was falling out with players and the media, I didn't like the fact we were doing too much too soon.

Despite all that I saw what he was trying to do and just felt that with a bit of experience and given some support from fans and the board, he MIGHT have turned it around.

So, whilst you think it's unfair of people like me to judge Brendan's time here because we don't know whether he might have avoided the drop (had SLM given him the extra money he said would be required to stay in this division) with 6 million? It's OK for you to doubt Brian, who just secured 5 wins out of 6 in the league and a place in the quarters of the FA Cup having spent less than you would expect on an anniversary present.

Brendan must be truly proud, Mrs R.

[Woodcote Royal]

steve coppell taking this club backwards??? did i miss a meeting?

No, just a relegation but hey, who's counting...................................................

[Mr Angry]

Brendan had the opportunity here to develop a team from the ground up and be the man to lead Reading FC for a long time - but he totally blew it.

Brian McD has come in with honesty, humour, humility and an understanding of what both fans and players want and feel; as a result, he is getting the best out of players who, under Brendan, were rubbish, and his created in 3 months an indomitable team spirit.

The difference is this; when we went 2 up at Peterboro, we allowed them to beat us 3-2 - yesterday when we went 2 up, there was only going to be one winner and it was a case of how many we would get.

Brian McD is EXACTLY what RFC needs at this time, and SJM should be appluaded for recognising his mistake in bringing Brendan and for dispensing with his services in a relatively quick and ruthlessly efficient manner.

As well as looking forward to the rest of this season, I am REALLY looking forward to next season.

[Wimb]

So, whilst you think it's unfair of people like me to judge Brendan's time here because we don't know whether he might have avoided the drop (had SLM given him the extra money he said would be required to stay in this division) with 6 million? It's OK for you to doubt Brian, who just secured 5 wins out of 6 in the league and a place in the quarters of the FA Cup having spent less than you would expect on an anniversary present.

Brendan must be truly proud, Mrs R.

You are quite the little troll aren't you? you never read what others have to say and you'll twist every word to make it suit your agenda.

Do you just want a badge saying "I hated brendan and looks he iz gone and now we iz winning! mega lolz!!!' . Forgive me for presenting a rational analysis based on statistical evidence and a few thoughts based on information we had at the time and subsequently.

I never said anyone couldn't judge him, I said it was ludicrous to not consider that Brendan had SOME role, to a varying extent in the recent bouce in form. I based that on the fact that he had started to get results and his signings were doing well.

And a giant great big LOL at the 'Brian hasn't spent any money' argument. Thats the point the money had been spent and now Brian has those players at his disposal fit and ready to go. He's not had to deal with players leaving the club, he's not had to deal with cutting the cloth and he's not had to deal with settling new players into the club. He's also been allowed to bring in 2 Premier league players in and presumably we're paying a part of their wages (thought I'm open to correction) so actually, yes he has spent money you utter fool.

More to the point where the hell have you got £6 million from btw?! Nobody from the club has said they ever fell out over money. As far as I'm aware Brendan said he wanted a fresh face or 2, how do you know that wasn't on loan?
Regardless unless someone comes out and says 'he demanded 2 million' I am only basing my opinions on what we know, not what the rumour mill spouts.

I don't doubt Brian, I'm encouraged by his start but as someone who has seen the likes of Bullivant suceed, and get us to a cup quarter final during his first few games I'd rather wait and see before judging him thanks. The Blackpool and Plymouth performances were utter garbage and up there with anything that Brendan produced. I'm happy to write them off as blips but they serve as a note of warning that it's not 100% right JUST YET. Even Brendan won a few games, but as you all keep saying didn't do it regularly enough, so why on earth are you taking 5 league games and a few storming cup ties as signs we're now so so much better. Brian's won 5 out of his last 7 in the league, Brendan won 3, drew 2 and lost 2 of his last 7. Yeah Brian's had the better record no question, no argument but is 11 from 18 THAT BAD?

Don't know how many times I have to say it, but I'm backing Brian 100% and will sing his name loud and proud and give him every oppertunity to prove himself. He's the manager of Reading FC, is doing a great job and long may that continue.

So if you want to argue with me, that's great I'm not saying I'm right, I'm stating an opinion. But the fact you need to go and call people names and just rip into Rodgers without even accepting the notion that there are other opinions out there, makes you look like an utter pcunt.

Some people on this forum REALLY have a problem with Brendan and will take any suggestions of positivity towards Rodgers as if I was insulting their own mother, or gunning for Brian to be sacked.

I think that considering its past fecking history, its possible for a fan to take a look at the old regime and speculate over what might have been, without wanting Brian out and seeking to undermine him.

[Royal Lady]

Watching the Rangers v Celtic match, with the current Celtic captain being one Darren O'Dea, brings to mind another mind boggling fact about BR - he chose to play Ingi and Pearce AHEAD of Mills and O'Dea (2 players that HE'D brought in) - for the love of God, WHY??

[Wimb]

Watching the Rangers v Celtic match, with the current Celtic captain being one Darren O'Dea, brings to mind another mind boggling fact about BR - he chose to play Ingi and Pearce AHEAD of Mills and O'Dea (2 players that HE'D brought in) - for the love of God, WHY??

Yeah very good question. I seem to remember O'Dea being rather classy in his debut (Doncaster was it?) I'd have loved to see O'Dea and Mills together

[ankeny]

Supermac has made us proud of our team again and we cannot wait for the next game to come round instead of dreading it.He has made us think we can win against Villa,a few weeks ago we would have sent the men in white coats round to anyone that thought that.He has made us believe we can stay up and even think of the play offs,now did the special one make you think of any of those things?

[Woodcote Royal]

So, whilst you think it's unfair of people like me to judge Brendan's time here because we don't know whether he might have avoided the drop (had SLM given him the extra money he said would be required to stay in this division) with 6 million? It's OK for you to doubt Brian, who just secured 5 wins out of 6 in the league and a place in the quarters of the FA Cup having spent less than you would expect on an anniversary present.

Brendan must be truly proud, Mrs R.

You are quite the little troll aren't you? you never read what others have to say and you'll twist every word to make it suit your agenda.

Do you just want a badge saying "I hated brendan and looks he iz gone and now we iz winning! mega lolz!!!' . Forgive me for presenting a rational analysis based on statistical evidence and a few thoughts based on information we had at the time and subsequently.

I never said anyone couldn't judge him, I said it was ludicrous to not consider that Brendan had SOME role, to a varying extent in the recent bouce in form. I based that on the fact that he had started to get results and his signings were doing well.

And a giant great big LOL at the 'Brian hasn't spent any money' argument. Thats the point the money had been spent and now Brian has those players at his disposal fit and ready to go. He's not had to deal with players leaving the club, he's not had to deal with cutting the cloth and he's not had to deal with settling new players into the club. He's also been allowed to bring in 2 Premier league players in and presumably we're paying a part of their wages (thought I'm open to correction) so actually, yes he has spent money you utter fool.

More to the point where the hell have you got £6 million from btw?! Nobody from the club has said they ever fell out over money. As far as I'm aware Brendan said he wanted a fresh face or 2, how do you know that wasn't on loan?
Regardless unless someone comes out and says 'he demanded 2 million' I am only basing my opinions on what we know, not what the rumour mill spouts.

I don't doubt Brian, I'm encouraged by his start but as someone who has seen the likes of Bullivant suceed, and get us to a cup quarter final during his first few games I'd rather wait and see before judging him thanks. The Blackpool and Plymouth performances were utter garbage and up there with anything that Brendan produced. I'm happy to write them off as blips but they serve as a note of warning that it's not 100% right JUST YET. Even Brendan won a few games, but as you all keep saying didn't do it regularly enough, so why on earth are you taking 5 league games and a few storming cup ties as signs we're now so so much better. Brian's won 5 out of his last 7 in the league, Brendan won 3, drew 2 and lost 2 of his last 7. Yeah Brian's had the better record no question, no argument but is 11 from 18 THAT BAD?

Don't know how many times I have to say it, but I'm backing Brian 100% and will sing his name loud and proud and give him every oppertunity to prove himself. He's the manager of Reading FC, is doing a great job and long may that continue.

So if you want to argue with me, that's great I'm not saying I'm right, I'm stating an opinion. But the fact you need to go and call people names and just rip into Rodgers without even accepting the notion that there are other opinions out there, makes you look like an utter pcunt.

Some people on this forum REALLY have a problem with Brendan and will take any suggestions of positivity towards Rodgers as if I was insulting their own mother, or gunning for Brian to be sacked.

I think that considering its past fecking history, its possible for a fan to take a look at the old regime and speculate over what might have been, without wanting Brian out and seeking to undermine him.

Brian has spent nothing in the transfer market whereas Rodgers said he needed more than the four million he was given in order to keep us up because the squad he'd assembled wasn't good enough to do the job.

How many of our relegation rivals do you think have been blessed with a fraction of those resources in this campaign?

Never before have we given a manager at this level those kind of resources and he has Coppell's success to thank for the fact he could spend 2 million on Mills.

Just because most of us don't agree with your tedious reams of pro Brendan guff doesn't mean we haven't read them.

And, had you bothered to read what I said when Rodgers was appointed you would know that I was very supportive of him and no Rodgers hater.

The difference here is that whereas most are prepared to conceded that, sadly, it was a disaster others, like close relatives perhaps, refuse to see the wood for the trees...............................why not give that long suffering keyboard a break?

[floyd__streete]

Fair play to you Wimb, thanks for your reasoned reply. Whilst I may not agree 100% with you, I am sure we can both agree that we are delighted with the turn-around and that we can (cautiously) look forward to the future.

[Wimb]

Brian has spent nothing in the transfer market whereas Rodgers said he needed more than the four million he was given in order to keep us up because the squad he'd assembled wasn't good enough to do the job.

How many of our relegation rivals do you think have been blessed with a fraction of those resources in this campaign?

Never before have we given a manager at this level those kind of resources and he has Coppell's success to thank for the fact he could spend 2 million on Mills.

Just because most of us don't agree with your tedious reams of pro Brendan guff doesn't mean we haven't read them.

And, had you bothered to read what I said when Rodgers was appointed you would know that I was very supportive of him and no Rodgers hater.

The difference here is that whereas most are prepared to conceded that, sadly, it was a disaster others, like close relatives perhaps, refuse to see the wood for the trees...............................why not give that long suffering keyboard a break?

Totally agreed Floyd, onwards and upwards and Wembleywards

WR, I apologise for miscasting you as always anti Rodgers.

But I ask how you can compare Rodgers spending to anyone else in our Championship history baffles me. I don't recall any other manager at our level selling £12 million worth of talent and also seeing let go 6 or 7 key experienced players the calibre of Lita, Murty, Doobs, USA, Harper, Rosie etc.

Its a totally unique situation we find ourselves in, never before has a manager (or managers) had to build a totally new team at tier 2 level against that backdrop of circumstances. So yes Brendan did spend more then anyone else at this level before, but if he or anyone else hadn't we'd be utterly screwed. Yes feel free to blame him for bad signings if thats how you view them but don't insult yourself by comparing the situation Brendan inherited to the likes of Pardew or SSC, or even bloody Branfoot, Quinn/Gooding or Bullivant.

This will be my final thoughts on Brendan and yes I'm going to stop bashing this keyboard at long last

I'm not Rodgers biggest fan, I think he wasted a great chance to build something at his adopted hometown club and he needs to shoulder a significant portion of the blame for us being in 21st when he left the club. My only points throughout this is that I felt we were showing signs of turning the corner and that I felt he should have been given the next transfer/loan window, to see if he could shore up a team that Brian has proved only needed a player or 2 to really start to perform. However, Football is a results business and in those circumstances I understand why the board and some fans felt the need to change, I don't agree with the timing of the decision but understand far more qualified folk then me are made it.

Being a manager is also a people business and for a variety of reasons that yourself, RL and many others have pointed out he didn't exactly equip himself well (at least in public), Rodgers didn't help himself with overambition and curious sound bites and rubbed people up the wrong way.

I don't know If Brendan would have overseen a bounce such as this, frankly nobody will ever know as it's ifs and buts now. But what I believe is that he bought in a few good players and gave younger players a chance who will serve us in good stead for the future. His time here was a failure on paper and in the eyes of many, but I and a few others felt the potential was there but just never got, or never had the chance, to be realised.

I believe we now have the right manager for the position we find ourselves in. Brian is a good honest bloke who knows this club and knows the players and for whatever reason has them playing more effectively then BR ever did. My only reservation is seeing a manager perform over time, until that point it could be a wonderous stroke of luck, or the signs of a new championship winning team, but who knows. Some will see the former, others the later some in the middle.

I just want us safe this season, to use some of the funds from this cup run to back Brian in the market next summer and then push back up the table.

[Ark Royal]

If we stay up - and it is still a (not so) big if - then next season will be a very big one for the club. I doubt if Griffs and Millievanilli will be around and Plastic may well go back to Chelsea. They will have to replaced as a matter of urgency. Feds, Church, Sigs, Karacan, HRK and Mills could well form the spine of a team that could have a realistic chance of the play offs. I have been seriously impressed with the way that the young guns have come on - except Pearce, who I think is a total liability - and they can only grow and be even better next season.

It will all hinge on how far Mr Mad will be prepared to prise open his hermetically sealed wallet and in an ideal world I would expect some of the proceeds from this welcome and surprising cup run to go to BMcD.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Woody is only anti failure, Copps failure to keep us up, and his failure to take us back up, are seen as mega fails.

BR was the worst thing that JM could have done, we know what JM thinks about loyalty, yet as i have stated time and again Rodgers was totally disloyal to Watford, the team that gave him his first managers job, he was determined to succeed and get into the Prem so he took a job that, with all honesty had not much more chance of a promotion than staying where he was.

Bright lights big city syndrome.

[working class hero]

Bright lights big city syndrome

You can refer to Reading in these terms with a straight face???

More like jumped up little town with 60 watt bulbs!

[Man Friday]

wot the hell you on!

rodgers was shite here, useless, talked crap, brought crap in, and did f all in anyway to take this club forward, he took us backwards, and wow, we change manager, and we fly, surprise, hell no.
he did f all at watford.
and since he left he talks more crap, bout how he would have done things different if he known he had little time, what a load of tosh.
he had more time than most people get now, and with that ass comment of his must of felt he was doing things wrong too.

great he went, fantastic job by mcd, URZ! fuk rodgers

...But then maybe he was trying to soften the blow that this club wasn't going to be challenging the top 4 of this league for a couple of seasons?

History re-writer. He said (and kept on saying) we'd get automatic promotion this season. What, forgotten so soon? How convenient.

[Man Friday]

wot the hell you on!

rodgers was shite here, useless, talked crap, brought crap in, and did f all in anyway to take this club forward, he took us backwards, and wow, we change manager, and we fly, surprise, hell no.
he did f all at watford.
and since he left he talks more crap, bout how he would have done things different if he known he had little time, what a load of tosh.
he had more time than most people get now, and with that ass comment of his must of felt he was doing things wrong too.

great he went, fantastic job by mcd, URZ! fuk rodgers

The greatest shame of the whole thing isn't the fact that Rodgers was sacked, this is football, he's made a good bit of money from it and I'm sure he'll bounce back. It's the fact that we'll never know if he could have carried us forward in the long term. Brendan clearly cared for this club deeply and was desperate for it to succeed, how great would it have been for a 'fairytale' that started as a YTS lad cleaning boots alongside Ady Williams at Elm Park to end in promotion to the Premier League lifting the trophy with a team built around a core of academy players he helped to sign and develop?

Every fan is entitled to their opinions but I saw enough potential both in the man and in displays on the pitch, to suggest that he was learning and learning quickly enough to take this club forward over a period of time. Sadly, in my opinion, that's something we'll never know.

Yes we will when he fails at MKD.
Opinions yes but, man, you are seriously deluded.

[Ian Royal]

wot the hell you on!

rodgers was shite here, useless, talked crap, brought crap in, and did f all in anyway to take this club forward, he took us backwards, and wow, we change manager, and we fly, surprise, hell no.
he did f all at watford.
and since he left he talks more crap, bout how he would have done things different if he known he had little time, what a load of tosh.
he had more time than most people get now, and with that ass comment of his must of felt he was doing things wrong too.

great he went, fantastic job by mcd, URZ! fuk rodgers

...But then maybe he was trying to soften the blow that this club wasn't going to be challenging the top 4 of this league for a couple of seasons?

History re-writer. He said (and kept on saying) we'd get automatic promotion this season. What, forgotten so soon? How convenient.

The only thing I remember him saying wasbefore the season started: that the aim was promotion and that whilst it wasn't realistic this season it was still what he'd be aiming for.

He then went on to talk a lot during the season about how we were only a small run away from the play offs, and then failed to produce said run and get there, or even pull convincingly away from the relegation zone.

[Terminal Boardom]

Brendan who?

Big mouth, big watch.

Glad he has gone. Much prefer the subtleties of Uncle Brian.

[Man Friday]

"and that whilst it wasn't realistic this season"

The only stage he said this was when we had dropped into 20th/21st.

At no stage prior to that was he talking about it being unrealistic this season. We may have been but he certainly wasn't.

Besides, even he wouldn't say "it's our aim" whilst contradicting it with "it's not realistic".

[weybridgewanderer]

do seem to remember him talking about making the play offs while we were all watching a relegation scrap develop

part of the reason i considered him clueless