Predictions

[papereyes]

He is right though.

What is most damning is the five, six players that have been record signings. Other than short term successes with Lita and Convey, they have all been a bit poor. This coming at a time when we needed players to come in and improve the first team squad.

i dont know if lined up side by side there would be a huge ammount of difference in the two lists
but that is by the by.

seol was a short term success too

'greed about the the record signings

maybe what we need to do is make one horrendous cock up signing at ten million
then we wont have to worry about record signings for a good decade-leaving us to sign who we want without worrying about the "curse of the record signing"

Seol, Lita and Convey debatable. Just because Seol moved on, doesn't mean he was that successful here. Just because he was a fantastic dribbler and not all that bad a player, also, does not mean he was successful here. Convey has had one fantastic season then been out injured. That does not mean he was succesful here. Lita's Premiership career defines hit and miss.

They're not bad players, it's not a case of me 'hating' them. I just don't think you could ever describe the three of them as truly successful signings. Now, given they were all(or was Convey merely joint?) record signings, this isn't good reading, is it?

Its just that since we looked like going up, we have had 5 transfer windows and failed to bring in anyone, bar Duberry and maybe Matejovsky, who has really improved the side. That is 5 missed opportunities. Given that we went down, is there any point pretending that this isn't the case? Is the next, logical, step then to look at why this is the case?

[papereyes]

car crash of a season we have ahead

We still have a chance to avoid it, tbf. That's the key point about this - do nothing, like last summer, and its a mess.

[Roger the Rabbit]

car crash of a season we have ahead

We still have a chance to avoid it, tbf. That's the key point about this - do nothing, like last summer, and its a mess.

Isn't there a major difference though ?

Last summer Coppell made a conscious decision to push the players he had to do more (plus he made several signings which on the face of it added to the squad). In hindsight it was the wrong call. The players had stepped up once (even twice in most cases) but they didn;t do it a third time. Coppell knows it was wrong and there is no question this summer that he'll look at the squad, decide that the likes of Doyle, Kitson, Harper etc are still improving and don;t need any new faces. There simply isn;t a secenario in which Coppell doesn;t bring people in. And this summer he's probably back at looking at players of the type he likes - hungry, unknown, young.

He may not succeed, but them Scolari may not succeed.

[papereyes]

car crash of a season we have ahead

We still have a chance to avoid it, tbf. That's the key point about this - do nothing, like last summer, and its a mess.

Isn't there a major difference though ?

Last summer Coppell made a conscious decision to push the players he had to do more (plus he made several signings which on the face of it added to the squad). In hindsight it was the wrong call.

I would accept that simplistic summary if it wasn't for the faffing in and around the January transfer window. Coppell knew he had to strengthen and then went against his first instinct - hell, even his comments about the West Ham game show that he knew we weren't up to the task. It's also easy to say "oh, in hindsight ... " when it was pretty clear at the time that we had gaping holes in the squad. This isn't a case of saying "(player) isn't good enough" but "we don't have a player capable of playing in that position"!

If we do nothing this summer, as we did last, I will start to get worried.

He may not succeed, but them Scolari may not succeed.

An absolute irrelevence.

[g]

Lower-midtable. Reading go on the cheap for signatures and give the new players the DLC treatment. Get a few injuries and the reserves come in and do a horrible job. Only other choice is youth which will never get a chance. We start complaining about squad thinness, Madejski says there will be money to give the squad depth... skip to January, no new signings. And at the end of the season we are told we have to let even more players go. More excuses by Howe and company, about all our signings being one for the future and how we are going to be a premier league club and people will bite into it. Coppell to leave at the end of the season and announce what really happens behind Reading FC. We announce a club link with Babanawa FC.

[Southbank Old Boy]

car crash of a season we have ahead

We still have a chance to avoid it, tbf. That's the key point about this - do nothing, like last summer, and its a mess.

Isn't there a major difference though ?

Last summer Coppell made a conscious decision to push the players he had to do more (plus he made several signings which on the face of it added to the squad). In hindsight it was the wrong call. The players had stepped up once (even twice in most cases) but they didn;t do it a third time. Coppell knows it was wrong and there is no question this summer that he'll look at the squad, decide that the likes of Doyle, Kitson, Harper etc are still improving and don;t need any new faces. There simply isn;t a secenario in which Coppell doesn;t bring people in. And this summer he's probably back at looking at players of the type he likes - hungry, unknown, young.

He may not succeed, but them Scolari may not succeed.

lol

He might bring some players in but they need to be up to the job.

[Roger the Rabbit]

I would accept that simplistic summary if it wasn't for the faffing in and around the January transfer window. Coppell knew he had to strengthen and then went against his first instinct - hell, even his comments about the West Ham game show that he knew we weren't up to the task. It's also easy to say "oh, in hindsight ... " when it was pretty clear at the time that we had gaping holes in the squad. This isn't a case of saying "(player) isn't good enough" but "we don't have a player capable of playing in that position"!.

Ignoring the fact of course that Coppell did make signings in January, one of whom was good enough to be a starting player at Euro 2008 ! Of course we needed probably one more player, but even then there we no guarantees.

If we do nothing this summer, as we did last, I will start to get worried. .

I thought you started to get worried several years ago !

He may not succeed, but them Scolari may not succeed.

An absolute irrelevence.[/quote]

Not at all, it's very relevant.

[howser]

Preeictions ?? We will sell our most valuable assets and make a few millions maybe 12-15 and buy unkonown foreign guys coz they are cheap to buy and pay and use the alleged better academy coz they are cheap to pay.............................thus sums up Reading at the moment.............do anything as long as it is cheap !

[PEARCEY]

I cannot believe Royalee says Coppell has had one good season only at the club. There was me thinking that seasons 2005/06 and 2006/07 were the most incredibly successful the club have had by miles. Season 2003/04 and 2004/05 were also right up there amongst the highest finshes this club has ever achieved....so lets get last seasons disappointment into some kind of context.
This does not make Coppell exempt from criticism though and he does need to ensure the squad assembled by the start of August (not end of August) is of comparable strength to the squad that started 2005/06 otherwise we will be going backwards...lets ship out those that dont want to stay now and get the new boys in by end July so that they are ready for the first few fixtures so that we can get off to a cracking start.
As for his signings overall I think he has been reasonably successful. Marek was an absolute steal, so was Bikey. You can add Sonko, Lita, Doyle, Long and Hunt to that list as they would all fetch a damn sight more in the market than he paid for them. The signings of Convey, Rosenior and Cisse are probably somewhere in between whilst Fae is the only really bad buy which has cost the club money particularly as we recouped on Halford. Its what happens over the next few weeks that will determine how we do next season...so be a bit bolder Steve

[Stranded]

Whilst I agree with your comments PEARCY the problem we have is we can't ship players out unless clubs come in for them and also bid a fair amount.

We are a tad hamstrung in that respect as until we have sold we can't really make wholesale changes, we can do some business (or at least attempt to) if the N.Hunt bid is anything to go by, but by no means the major surgery that some want to see.

[PEARCEY]

Whilst I agree with your comments PEARCY the problem we have is we can't ship players out unless clubs come in for them and also bid a fair amount.

We are a tad hamstrung in that respect as until we have sold we can't really make wholesale changes, we can do some business (or at least attempt to) if the N.Hunt bid is anything to go by, but by no means the major surgery that some want to see.

Yes you are right and I knew when I posted what the reality was...its just my impatience to see things move forward...and if Shorey wants to go I hope the management move him on as quickly as possible. There is also a danger we will miss out on players if things dont progress.

[Roger the Rabbit]

Preeictions ?? We will sell our most valuable assets and make a few millions maybe 12-15 and buy unkonown foreign guys coz they are cheap to buy and pay and use the alleged better academy coz they are cheap to pay.............................thus sums up Reading at the moment.............do anything as long as it is cheap !

Does it ?
The criticism on here seems to be that the club has done nothing....
I'm not really convinced that there is too much 'doing it on the cheap' is there ?

[Sydneyroyal]

Wow! So much pessimism - glad to see things haven't changed much since 1979.

I am confident that we have the talent and experience (depending on transfers over the next 5 - 6 weeks) to get promoted. What will be different for our club is how our opponents will be viewing their fixtures against us. I am sure that we will now bring out the best in our opposition who will be wanting to match up against us given our recent history. Despite this - I'm predicting at least 6th.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Royalee showing his support for the club.

Yep - as soon as Coppell goes and someone who wants the job comes in who wants to take everyone on, send scouts to tournaments instead of quivering in a corner biting his lip and try and manage foreign players without having some stupid complex about language barriers, I'll be the first in line for a season ticket and all away games again as it'll mean my support will actually be in favour of something positive.

I love Reading Football Club, not Steve Coppell. I pay money to watch progression and ambition, not some glorified League 1 player who runs about a lot being paid £25k a week for caring so that he can buy the best hair products for his ridiculous mullet now that he's become a poser. I want to see decent youngsters given a chance in games as opposed to playing our cast-offs in cup games who are resigned to leaving the club anyway and us retain our image as a community-based club which has produced top quality players like Scotty Taylor and Adrian Williams as opposed to blooding crap like Sam Sodje for the sake of it.

I don't want to be asked to sing by the club and patronised with Bring It On banners when I give my support year on year and want to see the club succeed more than half of the players put together given the performances of some. I don't want to have to ask for my Bovril 3 times before the idiot behind the counter at the Mad Stad realises it's a drink and not a brand of Rizla and ambles over to tell his friend (who is doing nothing but staring at the ceiling) to go and get it before an awkward pause. I don't want to see 'Play Your Shirts Right' at half time and be subjected to a video which tells me why I need to support the club to pass the time despite the fact that I'm already there and have been all season.

ALL I want is for the club to show some ambition, maybe sign a few decent players once in a while and show some intent by sending scouts further than Newbury (although they don't even appear to be able to do that these days), try to improve and make the matchday experience as fun as it was in days gone by (and I'm not just referring to 05/06 before some idiot pipes up) and not tell me they're doing their best and I need to be patient every two minutes on the official site.

be honest, you want to support a premier league team, and anything less isn't good enough for you any more.

[Royalee]

Nope, that statement is bollocks, much like the majority of your posts.

[crossie]

Royalee showing his support for the club.

Yep - as soon as Coppell goes and someone who wants the job comes in who wants to take everyone on, send scouts to tournaments instead of quivering in a corner biting his lip and try and manage foreign players without having some stupid complex about language barriers, I'll be the first in line for a season ticket and all away games again as it'll mean my support will actually be in favour of something positive.

I love Reading Football Club, not Steve Coppell. I pay money to watch progression and ambition, not some glorified League 1 player who runs about a lot being paid £25k a week for caring so that he can buy the best hair products for his ridiculous mullet now that he's become a poser. I want to see decent youngsters given a chance in games as opposed to playing our cast-offs in cup games who are resigned to leaving the club anyway and us retain our image as a community-based club which has produced top quality players like Scotty Taylor and Adrian Williams as opposed to blooding crap like Sam Sodje for the sake of it.

I don't want to be asked to sing by the club and patronised with Bring It On banners when I give my support year on year and want to see the club succeed more than half of the players put together given the performances of some. I don't want to have to ask for my Bovril 3 times before the idiot behind the counter at the Mad Stad realises it's a drink and not a brand of Rizla and ambles over to tell his friend (who is doing nothing but staring at the ceiling) to go and get it before an awkward pause. I don't want to see 'Play Your Shirts Right' at half time and be subjected to a video which tells me why I need to support the club to pass the time despite the fact that I'm already there and have been all season.

ALL I want is for the club to show some ambition, maybe sign a few decent players once in a while and show some intent by sending scouts further than Newbury (although they don't even appear to be able to do that these days), try to improve and make the matchday experience as fun as it was in days gone by (and I'm not just referring to 05/06 before some idiot pipes up) and not tell me they're doing their best and I need to be patient every two minutes on the official site.

be honest, you want to support a premier league team, and anything less isn't good enough for you any more.

Don't we all?

[The whole year inn]

Scraping top half

9th - 12 th

[Fezza]

Scraping top half

9th - 12 th

What he said!

Also - Coppell walks at Christmas after an awful start and having waited until the best players were gone before going into the transfer market in August.

Mr Mad spends the whole season telling people what a fantastic buy Reading would be.

Marek is injured until late October only to be brought back to early and injured again.

Bus prices rise.

Mad Stad sees regular attendances of 15k

[Norfolk Royal]

Far too early.

I'll know more after 10 games.

Too early for me as well. I'll be making my prediction in injury time of the last game of the season.

[Roger the Rabbit]

Marek is injured until late October only to be brought back to early and injured again
---------

Either he was brought back to a location in Earley

or he returned prematurely.

Which one is it ?