Why wont the club tell us the truth?

[Binfield Royal]

So, it would seem, at least to those of us not ITK, that this last week of the transfer window was an abject failure.

I base this on the many and various comments from The Manager, The Owner and others from the club where we have been consistently told, via the various media sources (BBC (all platforms), Reading Post, The Chronicle etc) that we were variously "going to sign 7 new players", "3 more before the window closes", "Expect some signings before the deadline" etc. All of these were in a radio montage on BBCRB this morning so its on record.

If the clubs policy is to balance the books (still), then fine. I would be happy with a financially well run club that will not be at risk of doing a Portsmouth or Leeds.

What I object to is the bullshit.

If it is the plan to work within a budget, make the best of what we have, aim to compete in the Championship and if we are really lucky (as we have been twice before), spend a short and mainly losing spell in the PL before returning to our natural habitat, then fine. I can live with that and although I love to see our team win. the fact that its by no means certain that we will win adds something to the experience.

It appears to me that The Reading Way never left us. All this crap about new billionaire owners taking us to the next level appears to be just that. We have signed three good players while at the same time selling (arguably) our two most talented players from last year which to me (at least for now) suggests we are going backwards, or at best standing still.

My final worry is whether the manager will feel he has been misled. If he joined us thinking (as we all did) that Antons Dads deep pockets would mean we can build for a sustained stay in the PL, when the reality looks like the opposite, will he start to "tread water" rather than do all he can to motivate and drive the team?

We are your customers Reading FC. Be honest with us!

[LoyalRoyal22]

Spot on.

[LoyalRoyal22]

We have reduced the wage bill with all the players we let go and then sold. Also brought in 5m on transfers. Genuienly made a profit and left us with a squad that wont be able to deliver a automatic promotion place. Wouldnt be so bad if they hadnt of given it the big talk in the media and to the fans.

[super darren caskey]

We would have kept Kebe and Mariappa if we could have.Once clubs in a higher league take an intrest we are pretty much fcuked well...with the Jimmy Kebe situation we certainly was.There was only going to be one outcome with Jimmy and it wasnt going to be him staying

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

But they do tell us the truth, they told us we were after three players, no one ever said we were going to break the bank.

We work on a budget, that as so often includes wages.

We failed to lose Pog, so depending on his wages we have to find up to £1mill for him over the next four months, thats a lot of money believe it or not.

[melonhead]

u cant handle the truth

etc

[paultheroyal]

and in graphic form...

[melonhead]

It appears to me that The Reading Way never left us. All this crap about new billionaire owners taking us to the next level appears to be just that.

tbf he said the only thing that would change is that we wouldnt need to sell our best players for financial reasons, and would invest in infrastructure.

both delivered


the bit where he promised to start spending way more than we bring in every season was just in your heads

[Waylenstreet]

Spot on.

+ 1

[TBM]

Its obvious that Hammond is the problem

Get rid of him and get someone like Joe Kinnear in, someone who knows their beans

[rfc58]

It appears to me that The Reading Way never left us. All this crap about new billionaire owners taking us to the next level appears to be just that.

tbf he said the only thing that would change is that we wouldnt need to sell our best players for financial reasons, and would invest in infrastructure.

both delivered


the bit where he promised to start spending way more than we bring in every season was just in your heads

No one with a sensible head expects us to spend beyond our means, but if this was really in peoples heads, how does AZ expect to establish us as a regular top flight club ?

[melonhead]

through building the clubs infrastructure, getting a stream of kids from the academy, hopefully increasing the capacity of the stadium, & spending what money we do have wisely on fees and wages for players we think will really make a difference.

brick.by.brick.


two years ago id have been blown away by the idea of signing bridge, drenthe, and a decent german trained midfielder.
and id say that if all three had happened last night at 10.55 than many of the people moaning on here would be moaning a lot less.

im also convinced we will bend over backwards to get a loan or a free in.
if we dont, promotion is off the cards imo (unless pog gets a sudden change of attitude/surge in ability)

[tee peg]

[What I object to is the bullshit.

This more than anything else.Expectations have been raised which is fine but you then must deliver.

[Y21]

Its obvious that Hammond is the problem

Get rid of him and get someone like Joe Kinnear in, someone who knows their beans

Is this the same Hammond who got us Drenthe and Bridge? Yeah, he sucks.

[melonhead]

if the clubs expectations themselves werent raised, they wouldnt have said any thing
they obv thought these deals would happen.

[sandman]

Going on and on about signing Bridge, Drenthe, Williams is actually rubbing in the disappointment more because it's a reminder that they started off the TW so well and have seemingly let it flounder.

[Hoop Blah]

through building the clubs infrastructure, getting a stream of kids from the academy, hopefully increasing the capacity of the stadium, & spending what money we do have wisely on fees and wages for players we think will really make a difference.

brick.by.brick.


two years ago id have been blown away by the idea of signing bridge, drenthe, and a decent german trained midfielder.
and id say that if all three had happened last night at 10.55 than many of the people moaning on here would be moaning a lot less.

im also convinced we will bend over backwards to get a loan or a free in.
if we dont, promotion is off the cards imo (unless pog gets a sudden change of attitude/surge in ability)

It's not often I say this, but I agree brendy.

We need to do a bit more business to give us the right balance in the squad, but we also needed to get rid of some of the driftwood in the squad and we've done that. We've also added some real quality, just not quite enough yet and not late in the day.

[TBM]

Its obvious that Hammond is the problem

Get rid of him and get someone like Joe Kinnear in, someone who knows their beans

Is this the same Hammond who got us Drenthe and Bridge? Yeah, he sucks.

What exactly has Drenthe done, apart from sulk around the pitch and look unfit/lazy?!

And between him and Bridge, it was their fault we lost to Blackpool

[Norfolk Royal]

I'm with Brendy on this. The most relevant things were said when SJM sold up, ie that we would not be throwing the baby out with the bathwater, and sticking to the principles which have brought us success in recent years beyond anything we had in the 100 or so years before that.

I don't think there has been any official comment which could be construed anywhere as needlessly raising expectations or acting the big bollocks. I'm happy, in short.

[Scutterbucketz]

We would have kept Kebe and Mariappa if we could have.Once clubs in a higher league take an intrest we are pretty much fcuked well...with the Jimmy Kebe situation we certainly was.There was only going to be one outcome with Jimmy and it wasnt going to be him staying

I don't think there are many people who don't understand the position the club were in with those two. It's the lack of additonal talked about signings that have pissed most people off.