RUMOUR: Clarke to Fulham

[Drew_3]

And we get the compensation. And we can now send back the Chelsea loanees who were doing us no favours.

Taxi for Clarke, Piazon and Hector.
Drop Clarke off first.

You were doing so well until you included Hector in all of that. Whilst he has had his moments he is still young and is still learning and at times has been brilliant. Piazon on the other hand will never make it anywhere based on his performances here.

[Sutekh]

SC is taking training at Hogwood this AM (he is there according to CW) so he may not actually be going anywhere, this talk could all be being used as bargaining points in extracting as good a position as possible from RFC board in terms of what happens in January.

Until the club make that statement that he has indeed gone then it's business as usual.

Personally though I'm expecting this AM to be SC's farewell to the players and us to be having a caretaker; Steven Reid? Kevin Keen? on Saturday.

[Rollerbob]

Ugh. This is a spanner in the works. I don't think Clarke is the best manager in the world, but nor do I think he's a waste of space. I actually think he's done a good job here. His contacts are especially strong. I just worry for the disruption that this will cause to his squad, and this season. Hope we can replace him quickly and sensibly. New managers can take a while to get teams responding to new ideas etc.

Bolton will be interesting. Up against a team in free-fall, does Clarke leaving leave us in a better or worse situation? Team itching to to play well despite off-field circumstances? Or clueless team, missing direction?

Presumably Keen will be in charge? Will also be interesting to see the team selection. Hopefully Piazon isn't anywhere to be seen.

This period will ask more questions of our Thais. They need to bring in someone worthy of their apparent vision. So far they've surprised me in every good way possible (funding, signings, infrastructure etc), so fingers crossed they show copious amounts of ambition.

[Sutekh]

By Daniel Lewis, Football League Correspondent
Filed: Thursday, November 19, 2015 at 10:14 UK
Last Updated: Thursday, November 19, 2015 at 10:14 UK


Reading are reportedly planning to move quickly in replacing Steve Clarke by appointing Nigel Pearson as their new manager.

Clarke is expected to be confirmed as Fulham boss at some stage today after cancelling his weekly Madejski Stadium press conference.

Should the 52-year-old's switch to West London be completed by this evening, then it is suggested by The Sun that a replacement - thought to be Pearson - could be brought in before Saturday's match against Bolton Wanderers.

The ex-Leicester City chief earned promotion from the Championship two seasons ago with the Foxes, while also pulling off the ultimate great escape in the Premier League last term before losing his job.

However, the same report claims that Pearson will have to appoint a new team of backroom staff due to his former coaches retaining their jobs at Leicester under the watch of Claudio Ranieri.

[genome]

I'd be very pleased if true.

[CountryRoyal]

Keen is Steve Clarkes bezzie bff and has already worked at Fullham.

I'd suspect he'd go as well.

[Rollerbob]

Hm, Daniel Lewis, spotty teenager from Sports Mole?

Seems like he's read Charles Watts twitter, BBC website and Tilehurst End and put the three articles together.

[andrew1957]

SC is taking training at Hogwood this AM (he is there according to CW) so he may not actually be going anywhere, this talk could all be being used as bargaining points in extracting as good a position as possible from RFC board in terms of what happens in January.

Until the club make that statement that he has indeed gone then it's business as usual.

Personally though I'm expecting this AM to be SC's farewell to the players and us to be having a caretaker; Steven Reid? Kevin Keen? on Saturday.

If Clarke is playing games he has made a mistake as he has now alienated most of our fan base. He could have come out last night and said no truth in the rumours but he kept silent. Even the BBC are reporting he is off to Fulham so I think it is best he goes now.

[maffff]

SC is taking training at Hogwood this AM (he is there according to CW) so he may not actually be going anywhere, this talk could all be being used as bargaining points in extracting as good a position as possible from RFC board in terms of what happens in January.

Until the club make that statement that he has indeed gone then it's business as usual.

Personally though I'm expecting this AM to be SC's farewell to the players and us to be having a caretaker; Steven Reid? Kevin Keen? on Saturday.

If Clarke is playing games he has made a mistake as he has now alienated most of our fan base. He could have come out last night and said no truth in the rumours but he kept silent. Even the BBC are reporting he is off to Fulham so I think it is best he goes now.

Yep.

[Chipp Royals]

Everyone saying Clarke triggered this, and is judaa but is it possible that Fulham approached offered to pay off contract + compensation. Business side of club said yes Clarke not convinced them. Clarke went oh they don't really want me and went to chat...

Just an idea

[genome]

Everyone saying Clarke triggered this, and is judaa but is it possible that Fulham approached offered to pay off contract + compensation. Business side of club said yes Clarke not convinced them. Clarke went oh they don't really want me and went to chat...

Just an idea

It all makes sense now.

[Jano]

Still can't see it as anything but a backwards step for Clarke. Listening to BBC Berks this morning and they raised a pretty good point which I hadn't thought of. It's entirely possible that while Clarke has obviously been backed by the club, he may not be too happy with some of the off the field antics of the owners, Sasima's song is a good example. While it's not done any harm in my view, it may be that he sees the owners as a distraction and may have decided it's not for him. Fulham obviously have money, and their owner seems to have kept out of the limelight, maybe it would be more to his liking there due to that.

[Lacoste]

Still can't see it as anything but a backwards step for Clarke. Listening to BBC Berks this morning and they raised a pretty good point which I hadn't thought of. It's entirely possible that while Clarke has obviously been backed by the club, he may not be too happy with some of the off the field antics of the owners, Sasima's song is a good example. While it's not done any harm in my view, it may be that he sees the owners as a distraction and may have decided it's not for him. Fulham obviously have money, and their owner seems to have kept out of the limelight, maybe it would be more to his liking there due to that.

Naaah

[Chipp Royals]

Everyone saying Clarke triggered this, and is judaa but is it possible that Fulham approached offered to pay off contract + compensation. Business side of club said yes Clarke not convinced them. Clarke went oh they don't really want me and went to chat...

Just an idea

Also to add maybe when club received offer, discussion had with Pearson they let him know the offer for clarke, say we will give job. Pearson turns Fulham down, as reading have said they want him as no 1 choice, which Fulham had not...

Conspiracy theories!!!!

[genome]

I find it really hard not to read that post in a Russian accent.

[holsgrove breaks a leg]

I keep hearing that clarke had been interviewed for the fulham job before but it was given to symons due to the good run he had last season. If that's the case maybe it's fulham coming running back to their former front runner?. If so thats a real smack in the face and did the board not look at his long term commitment here before we appointed him? Some of the hna posters who predicted he would be here as a stepping stone may well have been right. The current news black out and returning to hogwood for training is bizarre though.

[Sutekh]

Well it is now officially underway it seems :

Steve Clarke is set to leave Reading and take over at Fulham .

Royals’ boss has been given permission to talk to the west London club ahead of a shock switch to Craven Cottage.

[JIM]

Pearson talks failed, I dont think Clarke would take second best from fulham,

[leon]

I was underwhelmed when he was announced as manager and I'm underwhelmed when it looks like he's leaving.

Apart from a couple of games in the cup and September where we looked like world beaters - only to look utter shit in October we've looked pretty mediocre.

I'm struggling to muster any form of emotion.

[genome]

Charlie's been quiet on Twitter for a couple of hours so I reks somefins guna happen enit