Dolan Press Conference

[JR]

For someone who used to like the attention of both the fans and the media, Sir John has been very very quiet. No little tribute to Brian - nothing. Maybe he wasn't really consulted on this - with TSI owning 51% they can more or less ride roughshod over SJM and there's not a thing he can do about it.

I do think if we appoint Dolan until the end of the season it's daft and we might as well have kept Brian on but AZ could have taken him to one side and said, if we go down, I'm going to suggest we part by mutual consent. At least McD would have known where he stood - if he didn't like it, he could have resigned. The players might have given one more push to stay up - but if some of us are a bit down at this situation, imagine how the players feel....

There's no point keeping him on if they've decided that a) he's got no hope of keeping the side up because he's not made any progress in the time given and the team need something different and/or b) he's not the man for the long term direction they want to take the club in.

The ideal scenario is that the next manager gets the last 4 or 5 games to assess the squad and then really gets to work on the rebuild. In the meantime the change of manager now might just, and it's very unlikely, give the squad an impetus to get a few results that really didn't look likely with McDermott in charge.

This is 100% right. How many of you came away from the Villa came thinking we were going down? If you did then the only sensible choice in the short and long term for AZ was to sack the manager this week, sad as it was.

[Eaststandman]

Has a fellow manager ever come out and said sacking one of his colleagues was the right thing to do?

This isn't just any "fellow manager" though is it?

Good to see you're finally off that fence that you like to sit on though.

The same idiot that said Robin van Persie could have been KILLED by a football on the pitch.

The same 'idiot' who is the most successful manager in the world, what could he possibly know!

[Royal Rother]

There's no point keeping him on if they've decided that a) he's got no hope of keeping the side up because he's not made any progress in the time given and the team need something different and/or b) he's not the man for the long term direction they want to take the club in.

The ideal scenario is that the next manager gets the last 4 or 5 games to assess the squad and then really gets to work on the rebuild. In the meantime the change of manager now might just, and it's very unlikely, give the squad an impetus to get a few results that really didn't look likely with McDermott in charge.

This is 100% right. How many of you came away from the Villa came thinking we were going down? If you did then the only sensible choice in the short and long term for AZ was to sack the manager this week, sad as it was.

Also agreed.

[Royal Lady]

Maybe so, but installing his clone aka Dolan, seems somewhat shortsighted doesn't it? In what way do you think we will be any different in however many games Dolan is in charge for - especially considering he's openly stated he has spoken with McD regarding team selection etc? It was short sighted and smacks of knee-jerk reaction. Had he, in his mind, allowed McD a certain number of games before getting rid of him so unceremoniously, surely he would have had someone in mind who would come in when McD left?

[Divvy]

Maybe so, but installing his clone aka Dolan, seems somewhat shortsighted doesn't it?

In the short-term it was all we had left really. Let's just hope AZ is as ambitious as he says and gets an experienced manager in. The thought of Dolan or Parky is unbelievably uninspiring. It's not exactly a statement of intent to the fans he will want to see renewing their season tickets for a 'promotion push' next season.

[SpaghettiHoop]

Perhaps AZ does have a manager in his mind / lined up, but he is currently employed by another club and AZ doesn't want to be accused of "tapping up".

[Hoop Blah]

Maybe so, but installing his clone aka Dolan, seems somewhat shortsighted doesn't it?

If you'd ever watched much of Dolan academy sides you'd see that he isn't a clone in the way his teams play. He might well have come across as similarly dead pan in his conference the other day but don't forget the guy is basically sitting in his mates seat after he was sacked. I can't imagine he felt overly comfortable.

I can't imagine he's going to be a long term solution anyway, but just A change was quite possibly required, irrespective of who runs the show in the short term.

[Hoop Blah]

The same idiot that said Robin van Persie could have been KILLED by a football on the pitch.

The same 'idiot' who is the most successful manager in the world, what could he possibly know!

You have to take into account his perspective on the decision and his agenda when asked (and that's why he's commented because the managers always get asked about other managers getting sacked or being under threat of the sack).

As a professional manager he doesn't want or need to slag one off and say it was the right thing to do. What would he gain from it? Fergie, for all his other faults is always talked of highly by the rest of his profession for taking the time to give them support and words of wisdom along the way, that doesn't stop him from talking rubbish a lot of the time though.

[glass half full]

If my Senior manager sacked my line manager then found out I was phoning him for advice because I was not up to making my own decisions then I would probably be the next one out of the door.
He is making his boss (Anton) look like a right prat

Anton does not have to LOOK a right prat.....

[glass half full]

I would back Martin Kuhl as I seem to remember some tenious family link to him when he played for Brum during the 80's

And his son is in our academy.

Having seen him in action a few times, I am of the opinion that Kuhl jnr., if he continues to progress, could be one of our hottest prospects for the future. he is a little pocket dynamo.

[ZacNaloen]

Where on Earth did Eamon actually say he was phoning Mcdermott for advice?

[72 bus]

Where on Earth did Eamon actually say he was phoning Mcdermott for advice?

http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/footb ... face_man_u

[Millsy]

You'd hope, even though Dolan had a close relationship with BM, that he would grasp this opportunity with both hands and be his own man, and try and earn the right to take the job full-time. Not speak to BM every day for advice, and team selection guidance... The sooner we appoint someone the better.

My thoughts exactly. Very uninspiring and he reminded me of McD alot, which isnt really what we need. Surely we sacked McD and the other coaching staff to change the way the team plays? Thats not going to happen with a youth team manager who was living in McDs pocket in charge.

So Pardew wasn't living in Taxi's pocket?

Its quite sensible to ask for advice. Doesn't mean you have to take it. In this case it might be

ED: Hey Brian, do you think I should start with Taylor or McCarthy?

Brian: I'd say Taylor

ED: ok thanks *writes "start with McCarthy" on note paper*. Now do you think I should start Legs?

Etc

[ZacNaloen]

Where on Earth did Eamon actually say he was phoning Mcdermott for advice?

http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/footb ... face_man_u

Creative interpretation of some quotations in there.

[Hoop Blah]

Maybe so, but installing his clone aka Dolan, seems somewhat shortsighted doesn't it?

If you'd ever watched much of Dolan academy sides you'd see that he isn't a clone in the way his teams play. He might well have come across as similarly dead pan in his conference the other day but don't forget the guy is basically sitting in his mates seat after he was sacked. I can't imagine he felt overly comfortable.

I can't imagine he's going to be a long term solution anyway, but just A change was quite possibly required, irrespective of who runs the show in the short term.

Still think he's a clone RL?

[Royal Lady]

NO! I apologise and take it all back. He got us passing the ball today and was way more animated - so no, not a clone at all. Well done to him, in fact.

[Divvy]

NO! I apologise and take it all back. He got us passing the ball today and was way more animated - so no, not a clone at all. Well done to him, in fact.

This!! Very impressed with his and the teams performance. Non-stop instructions to the players, urging them to pass, keep it, take their man on and gamble. I can't remember the last time I saw a Reading manager so animated in fact! He did though look like he didn't want to be in that position! Perhaps feeling guilty being in what he felt should be Brian's position. Proud of every single on of them tonight, and loved ED's comment in the press conference afterwards:

On Vidic's push on Mariappa - "It was a clear penalty, but maybe the ref thought I was on work experience"

[Big Ern]

Seems some are ready to hail Dolan as the new messiah after just one game.

Any Reading fan would have seen an improvemrtn in our style of play today, but for me, the real test of Dolan's credentials will be against Southampton. however I have this strange feeling that Southampton at home will be Adkins' first game in charge. Football has a habit of throwing up these twists of fate.

[Libertine]

Well I liked what I saw on Saturday out of our Dolan led team yesterday. I think we completed more passes than any three games combined (no and don't stat check that for me snowball, lol...just some hyperbole). We looked very well organized and kept possession well. What was it 48% against Man Utd @ Old Trafford? Outside of the fluke goal they never really tested Taylor in open play. And right up to the final whistle there was an opportunity to get something out of this game, and even if we were doing better that is all you can ask of a team playing Utd at their place to do. If I remember right the final whistle went as we were entering the final third. Usually the team on the attack are given the opportunity to get one more attempt on goal or give possession away before the whistle goes in injury time. Didn't happen Saturday but I guess when injury time is up, it is up...but right up to it we were attacking. I liked the formation and the substitutions. Going from one attacker to two attackers with the double substitution was the right move, at the right time, with the right players. I know sacrificing HRK for one of the strikers was harsh, he had a very good game, likely our MoTM, but we needed to press the play more at that point.

All I took out of this game was positive. I really never expected we'd get something out of this game so losing doesn't bother me about this game. The way we passed it and the way we were organized was probably almost the best I have seen from the team this season. No, ED isn't the "messiah", but what he did with the team was very positive. Pogrebnyak is back for the Arsenal game, that'll help. Saw improvements in some areas of our game (which pains me to say because I am a fan of Brian) and that is all we can ask for at this point. Improve our play, and hopefully it will be as good if not more improved against Arsenal...

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

From the BBC website:

"It was a clear penalty [on Adrian Mariappa] but I think the referee thought I was on work experience and 'perfect a little 1-0 loss for Reading' and would be fine.

"I wouldn't have expected that from the referee but what can you do?""

Nice one Eamon.