RUMOUR: Denis Bergkamp as new manager?

[royalp-we]

If it happens, we may see this pre season coach trip to Thailand after all...

[strap]

We do have a bit of history when it comes to plucking 1st time managers - Fat Scottish Bastard, Parjudas and BMcD to name 3 off the top of my head - will conveniently forget Terry the Taxi.

We'd be the ideal fit for DK I would have thought. Little pressure out of the PL spotlight and if it did all go pear shaped, the media would simply say he was onto a loser with little old Reading anyway, and it wouldn't diminish his own personal standing.

Plus he would probably like to play attractive football, and would have a lot of contacts at the Ajax Academy.

Can't really see too much of a downside - except he's probably never heard of us, and WCBAP.

Jimmy Floyd has done wonders down Burton way, so why not?

McD managed at Woking and Slough before us.

True, but it was little old Reading that gave him his FL break.

[From Despair To Where?]

Bergkamp is an interesting one. There's lots of pros but a very, very big con.

He was brought up through the Ajax academy and throughout his career was coached by some of the best. He's started his coaching back with the Ajax youth team which suggests he's not the billy big bollocks trading on his playing career and looking at the big job first off (I'm thinking of you Gullit and Van Basten). I think there is a core of our squad who could learn a hell of a lot from him and he must have a fantastic contacts.

All this pinpoints him being a decent coach but he is completely unproven as a manager and going to a club with big expectations but a squad in poor form and low on confidence, would be seriously jumping in at the deep end. A big gamble for the club when what we probably need is an experienced, steadying hand.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Can see him going to Swansea.

[tidus_mi2]

Being managed by a prominent ex-player like Bergkamp could be massive motivation for professional footballers.

[TheBaldOne]

Bergkamp is an interesting one. There's lots of pros but a very, very big con.

He was brought up through the Ajax academy and throughout his career was coached by some of the best. He's started his coaching back with the Ajax youth team which suggests he's not the billy big bollocks trading on his playing career and looking at the big job first off (I'm thinking of you Gullit and Van Basten). I think there is a core of our squad who could learn a hell of a lot from him and he must have a fantastic contacts.

All this pinpoints him being a decent coach but he is completely unproven as a manager and going to a club with big expectations but a squad in poor form and low on confidence, would be seriously jumping in at the deep end. A big gamble for the club when what we probably need is an experienced, steadying hand.

A steadying hand is the last thing we want, in my opinion that was what Clarke was. Now we need someone to take us that further step, someone young and hungry, Bergkamp fits that bill completely.

[Old Biscuitman]

Nice thought but Bergkamp is a very smart man who will assess risk. He will see the leaks in our ship and not jump aboard.

[From Despair To Where?]

Bergkamp is an interesting one. There's lots of pros but a very, very big con.

He was brought up through the Ajax academy and throughout his career was coached by some of the best. He's started his coaching back with the Ajax youth team which suggests he's not the billy big bollocks trading on his playing career and looking at the big job first off (I'm thinking of you Gullit and Van Basten). I think there is a core of our squad who could learn a hell of a lot from him and he must have a fantastic contacts.

All this pinpoints him being a decent coach but he is completely unproven as a manager and going to a club with big expectations but a squad in poor form and low on confidence, would be seriously jumping in at the deep end. A big gamble for the club when what we probably need is an experienced, steadying hand.

A steadying hand is the last thing we want, in my opinion that was what Clarke was. Now we need someone to take us that further step, someone young and hungry, Bergkamp fits that bill completely.

I meant in the sense of restoring credibility to the manager's role. Not sure a novice is the way forward in our current circumstances.

[Ian Royal]

Nice thought but Bergkamp is a very smart man who will assess risk. He will see the leaks in our ship and not jump aboard.

What leaks do you see? I'm not sure I see many... goalkeeper and one weak right back... centre forward and left wing if we go to a traditional 4-4-2 I spose. Excluding injuries, I think we're good... that's one of the reasons Clarke had to go for me, he was totally misusing his resources.

[West Stand Man]

Nice thought but Bergkamp is a very smart man who will assess risk. He will see the leaks in our ship and not jump aboard.

He'd never cut it as a manager then. Anyone with a modicum of confidence in their own capability as a coach/leader would leap at the chance to develop this squad (unless they were already in the PL or equivalent in a managerial role - and Denis isn't).

[M Brook]

Can see him going to Swansea.

Moyes rumoured to be being lined up for Swansea.

[royalp-we]

Please remember we have a squad full of over inflated egos. Getting rid of Clarke who was the first step, what we need is someone to bring this lot back down to earth. Bergkamp could bring out a style in our play once again; but it's the balance you need when HT comes and you need to fire the players up that we are lacking.

Not that he will come here anyway.

[Ian Royal]

Can see him going to Swansea.

Moyes rumoured to be being lined up for Swansea.

That doesn't sound a good fit.

[blueroyals]

Would be happy with this, especially if the alternatives are Alan fcuking Stubbs and McHoofball

[loyalroyaldaz]

In for Dennis.
Talk about contacts and mentors.....,.,
Thierry Henry at training anybody?

[Nameless]

Bergkamp would be a very exciting option.
We absolutely need someone to inject excitement into the club. Our squad is made for someone to come and let them play attacking football. No appointment is ever guaranteed to work but if Bergkamp was the man then I would expect the rest of the season to be at worst interesting.
Of other candidates most least me a little underwhelmed. Warnock (who cannot seriously be on the list ) would mean I took a break from watching the team, could not stomach him as our manager. McD would be pure sentiment and don't think would be right for this squad. Pearson, not sure.

[K9hassel]

The potential appointment of Bergkamp as manager would raise the profile of RFC to levels never imagined.Ajax have just parted ways with Wim Jonk who would make a great assistant with his coaching skills on how to play attacking football and really bring along the Academy players to first team action.
While our Academy has developed a fine reputation imagine the recruiting power of Bergkamp with his pedigree and upbringing in a youth driven setup.Would offer some serious competition to the PL academies such as Southampton and Chelsea.The impact on player's such as Stacey,Fosu, and Samuel I believe would be quite dramatic.

Would he get us promoted this season? I don't think so. Will he bring a culture of how the game should be played and set us up for next season? Yes.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Can see him going to Swansea.

Moyes rumoured to be being lined up for Swansea.

and today it is Rodgers

[West Stand Man]

The potential appointment of Bergkamp as manager would raise the profile of RFC to levels never imagined.Ajax have just parted ways with Wim Jonk who would make a great assistant with his coaching skills on how to play attacking football and really bring along the Academy players to first team action.
While our Academy has developed a fine reputation imagine the recruiting power of Bergkamp with his pedigree and upbringing in a youth driven setup.Would offer some serious competition to the PL academies such as Southampton and Chelsea.The impact on player's such as Stacey,Fosu, and Samuel I believe would be quite dramatic.

Would he get us promoted this season? I don't think so. Will he bring a culture of how the game should be played and set us up for next season? Yes.

Please let us have some evidence to support that final assertion. What has he done as a coach to convince you of that, very clear, belief that he would so radically change us?

[Nameless]

Not a radical change surely. We saw for a month or more this season that we have the players in the squad who can play really good exciting football with a very solid defence behind them. The new manager doesn't have to make any radical changes, just restore the confidence to the side that was there in abundance not long ago.
You'd expect someone of Bergkamp's stature with solid experience at a club with a top class reputation for it's football would be ideal, but whether in practise he's the man we will only find out if he gets the job.
We also have no idea if McD can take the current squad and do any thing with it, he was great last time but with a very different sort of squad.