Brian: The right decision?

[genome]

I recall an interview with Brian shortly after TSI came on board saying all he ever wanted was to be able to manage and not have to lose his best players. I always thought that was a little naïve to be honest.

naïve?

in context, a perfectly rational response to the last few years of trying to build something, but having to sell all his best players

Very few clubs are in the position where they can keep players that are in demand and wanted by bigger fish. To assume that because there's an injection of cash from a supposedly wealthy new owner, he'll no longer lose his best players was a little naïve in my opinion. We didn't suddenly become Real Madrid or Barcelona overnight, despite what Jay tried to tell us at the time

But we were in a position where we had to sell them just to get by, and we were relying on having a Long, Sigurdsson, Doyle turn up every year.. I think most clubs can afford to keep their best players but wouldn't necessarily turn a good offer down for one.

[melonhead]

I recall an interview with Brian shortly after TSI came on board saying all he ever wanted was to be able to manage and not have to lose his best players. I always thought that was a little naïve to be honest.

naïve?

in context, a perfectly rational response to the last few years of trying to build something, but having to sell all his best players

But how many managers in world football have that luxury?

3 or 4?

we HAD to sell our best 1,2,3 players every year. theres loads o clubs that don't have to do that.
if we had some money in that period we wouldn't have had to lose Gylfi or long when we did.
mo

[genome]

Is there an echo in here?

[Hoop Blah]

we HAD to sell our best 1,2,3 players every year. theres loads o clubs that don't have to do that.
if we had some money in that period we wouldn't have had to lose Gylfi or long when we did.
mo

It doesn't matter why a club has to sell players, they still end up having to lose them and rebuild as a result.

Irrespective of our financial position, when a German top flight team comes knocking with a £8m wedge we're going to be selling.

[Vision]

Do you think the Southampton manager wants to unload his best players each season? And that's with a relatively successful Premier league team. In the Championship it becomes even harder to hold onto sought after players especially if you have a good season but just miss out on promotion.

If we'd just missed out on promotion that season despite having a good run at it, do you think we'd have turned down big money offers for Jimmy Kebe? Do you think Kebe or virtually any other player wouldn't be banging down the door agitating for a move to the Premier League?

There's an argument that says we might have held on to Gylffi and Long for another season each but certainly no more than that if someone higher up the food chain came in for them. There's also an argument to say that we would have got the deals done earlier so the manager could get replacements in earlier. There's even an argument to say that it would no longer be a specific club policy to rely on selling a big name player each season to cover the deficit in finances and keep competitive in wages across the squad.

There is no valid argument that says we wouldn't have had to lose our best players if a bigger fish had come in for saleable assets (even the current mob couldn't resist the money on offer for Hector). The players (agents) make sure of that. .Our commitment to being self sufficient financially and then honouring FFP was still there under TSI.

So yes I'd say it's a "little naïve" as the manager of Reading to think you'll no longer lose your best players.

[melonhead]

Do you think the Southampton manager wants to unload his best players each season? And that's with a relatively successful Premier league team. In the Championship it becomes even harder to hold onto sought after players especially if you have a good season but just miss out on promotion.

If we'd just missed out on promotion that season despite having a good run at it, do you think we'd have turned down big money offers for Jimmy Kebe? Do you think Kebe or virtually any other player wouldn't be banging down the door agitating for a move to the Premier League?

There's an argument that says we might have held on to Gylffi and Long for another season each but certainly no more than that if someone higher up the food chain came in for them. There's also an argument to say that we would have got the deals done earlier so the manager could get replacements in earlier. There's even an argument to say that it would no longer be a specific club policy to rely on selling a big name player each season to cover the deficit in finances and keep competitive in wages across the squad.

There is no valid argument that says we wouldn't have had to lose our best players if a bigger fish had come in for saleable assets (even the current mob couldn't resist the money on offer for Hector). The players (agents) make sure of that. .Our commitment to being self sufficient financially and then honouring FFP was still there under TSI.

So yes I'd say it's a "little naïve" as the manager of Reading to think you'll no longer lose your best players.

I disagree.
I think its plausible to imagine a scenario where we didn't have to sell 5-10 million pounds worth of players a season just to break even.
agreed, that if a prem team came in with really good money we would have to consider it, but I do believe if we hadn't been touting gylfi/long out to anyone who would listen we could have kept them for at least another season each. and another season of gylfi, with long in his pomp could easily have seen promotion, and that extra year extending to two.

brian was devastated to have to sell, and I believe gylfi himself only went because the club said it had to have the money

[Vision]

Do you think the Southampton manager wants to unload his best players each season? And that's with a relatively successful Premier league team. In the Championship it becomes even harder to hold onto sought after players especially if you have a good season but just miss out on promotion.

If we'd just missed out on promotion that season despite having a good run at it, do you think we'd have turned down big money offers for Jimmy Kebe? Do you think Kebe or virtually any other player wouldn't be banging down the door agitating for a move to the Premier League?

There's an argument that says we might have held on to Gylffi and Long for another season each but certainly no more than that if someone higher up the food chain came in for them. There's also an argument to say that we would have got the deals done earlier so the manager could get replacements in earlier. There's even an argument to say that it would no longer be a specific club policy to rely on selling a big name player each season to cover the deficit in finances and keep competitive in wages across the squad.

There is no valid argument that says we wouldn't have had to lose our best players if a bigger fish had come in for saleable assets (even the current mob couldn't resist the money on offer for Hector). The players (agents) make sure of that. .Our commitment to being self sufficient financially and then honouring FFP was still there under TSI.

So yes I'd say it's a "little naïve" as the manager of Reading to think you'll no longer lose your best players.

I disagree.
I think its plausible to imagine a scenario where we didn't have to sell 5-10 million pounds worth of players a season just to break even.
agreed, that if a prem team came in with really good money we would have to consider it, but I do believe if we hadn't been touting gylfi/long out to anyone who would listen we could have kept them for at least another season each. and another season of gylfi, with long in his pomp could easily have seen promotion, and that extra year extending to two.

We didn't have to "tout" them. They were stand out players who were young as well which added to their value. Hence offers being made which were too good to turn down even if we weren't necessarily looking to sell. Every player has his price.

Interesting point about them playing together though. I'm not so sure it would necessarily have worked out as you think. To get the best out of Gylffi we played a certain formation and style. To get the best out of Long he had to go a completely different formation and style. There's no guarantee we'd have changed to accommodate Long and get the best from him if Gyllfi had stayed another season. In fact there's a case to be made for the selling of Gylffi being the making of Long.

[Ian Royal]

Vision, as always you're an example to us all.

Do you want the job?

[melonhead]

Do you think the Southampton manager wants to unload his best players each season? And that's with a relatively successful Premier league team. In the Championship it becomes even harder to hold onto sought after players especially if you have a good season but just miss out on promotion.

If we'd just missed out on promotion that season despite having a good run at it, do you think we'd have turned down big money offers for Jimmy Kebe? Do you think Kebe or virtually any other player wouldn't be banging down the door agitating for a move to the Premier League?

There's an argument that says we might have held on to Gylffi and Long for another season each but certainly no more than that if someone higher up the food chain came in for them. There's also an argument to say that we would have got the deals done earlier so the manager could get replacements in earlier. There's even an argument to say that it would no longer be a specific club policy to rely on selling a big name player each season to cover the deficit in finances and keep competitive in wages across the squad.

There is no valid argument that says we wouldn't have had to lose our best players if a bigger fish had come in for saleable assets (even the current mob couldn't resist the money on offer for Hector). The players (agents) make sure of that. .Our commitment to being self sufficient financially and then honouring FFP was still there under TSI.

So yes I'd say it's a "little naïve" as the manager of Reading to think you'll no longer lose your best players.

I disagree.
I think its plausible to imagine a scenario where we didn't have to sell 5-10 million pounds worth of players a season just to break even.
agreed, that if a prem team came in with really good money we would have to consider it, but I do believe if we hadn't been touting gylfi/long out to anyone who would listen we could have kept them for at least another season each. and another season of gylfi, with long in his pomp could easily have seen promotion, and that extra year extending to two.

We didn't have to "tout" them. They were stand out players who were young as well which added to their value. Hence offers being made which were too good to turn down even if we weren't necessarily looking to sell. Every player has his price.

Interesting point about them playing together though. I'm not so sure it would necessarily have worked out as you think. To get the best out of Gylffi we played a certain formation and style. To get the best out of Long he had to go a completely different formation and style. There's no guarantee we'd have changed to accommodate Long and get the best from him if Gyllfi had stayed another season. In fact there's a case to be made for the selling of Gylffi being the making of Long.

Never said there was a guarantee.
Just think that gylfi through balls to long would have resulted in goals.

Under brian- every good offer accepted
Without the need for that money only the player forcing the move would result in a sale. And I dont believe either would have forced it at those points to those teams.

Accept it's all just guesswork on both sides. Still don't think it's naïve though

[Vision]

I'd suggest it's a "little naïve" (and "a little naïve" is all I originally said) to think he'd get what managers at over 90% of other clubs don't.

Still I'll leave at this juncture as it really doesn't have much to do with the thread anymore.

[Hoop Blah]

Under brian- every good offer accepted

How do you know?

Without the need for that money only the player forcing the move would result in a sale. And I dont believe either would have forced it at those points to those teams.

Accept it's all just guesswork on both sides. Still don't think it's naïve though

I don't think that's quite what Vision was on about though brendy. He said it was naive of McDermott to think he'd just be able to build teams without losing key players. A club the size of Reading are always going to lose their best players, it's just how it is.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Way to drag out a boring point guys.

[genome]

To sum up:

Brian wanted to keep his best players, and we should criticise him for it.

[RG7Fan]

I always found his post match interviews difficult to watch / listen to, like he was really camera shy or something.

through all my #bringbrianback campaigning I have never once thought of it like that. You have really put a different angle on things and opened my eyes, RG7Fan. I have* now moved to the brianout camp.

*not

Glad to be of help Winston. If you need me to assist with boosting your brain cell again in the future feel free to let me know ...

[Cureton's Volley]

[melonhead]

Under brian- every good offer accepted

How do you know?

Without the need for that money only the player forcing the move would result in a sale. And I dont believe either would have forced it at those points to those teams.

Accept it's all just guesswork on both sides. Still don't think it's naïve though

I don't think that's quite what Vision was on about though brendy. He said it was naive of McDermott to think he'd just be able to build teams without losing key players. A club the size of Reading are always going to lose their best players, it's just how it is.

I think it was the rate of loss that he was more annoyed at. obvs every team loses players they ant to keep (unless youre barca or real)
it was things like gylfi, where If it were up to brian and gylfi, he wouldn't have gone or at leat 1 year. imo
we had one amazing year out of him, I dont think it was mad to expect a little more from him before the sale.

[Extended-Phenotype]

+1

We would not have lost Gylfi or Long when we did if we didn't need the money.

Brian was talking about losing players that were forced out by circumstance.

[One Beer is never enough.]

I voted no first time round, and would be so happy if he is eventually re-appointed, his sacking was down to the the Russian Charlatan wanting a bigger name, and a complete travesty.

We went up a season too early, he should've been allowed to let us play , and improve for the following season, it wasnt fair to judge him to Premiership standards when he wasn't backed financially

I hope his personality and man management skill are bourn out

If this happens, I am happy......

[Royal_jimmy]

Bring him back asap so we can play the old Reading way!!

[Z175]

And the answer was no.