Coppell's lack of ambition

[fool]

We're going to be the next Aston Villa.

Urrrrr isn't that a good thing?

[Archie's penalty]

our best league finish ever


and Coppell lacks ambition

If we had played ten defenders and played for nil nil draws all season and gone down 20th.... it would still have been our best league finish ever!

and ure point is?

[Archie's penalty]

We're going to be the next Aston Villa.

Urrrrr isn't that a good thing?

Being Villa would be a good thing from where we have come from. Although of course it would be better to aim higher, which tbh the club is clearly doing..

[fool]

We're going to be the next Aston Villa.

Urrrrr isn't that a good thing?

Being Villa would be a good thing from where we have come from. Although of course it would be better to aim higher, which tbh the club is clearly doing..

I am pretty sure if Coppell or O'Neil would of been at the helm of Villa for a good stint over the last 20 years they would of won something. I am happy for us to make our own path with Coppell at the front.

[Whistle]

I want us to be in Europe next season - simply for the honour and prestige of it. We may never get another chance.

It's that little Reading (losers) mentality that just won't go away

History shows that 'smaller clubs' - e.g. Huddersfield, Blackpool, Forest, Wimbledon, Oxford - tend to have one good era and subside. A friend who supports Oxford bitterly regrets that, after Heysel, they never got the Euro chance for when they won the League Cup and they never will now, he thinks. I want us to get the most out of ours.

Whatever anyone says about building for the future (which I support) it's not inevitable that it will happen. Will Mr Mad and SSC be here in 3 years? I would think we are an even money bet to be relegated in the next 5 years and 90% likely to go down (and possibly up again) in the next 10.

As a matter of interest, what clubs in Europe are like us - first-timers in the top flight from outside the big cities? Villareal? Auxerre? Chievo?

[SpaceCruiser]

Why don't you try thinking long term rather than now. I would prefer our stay in the Premiership to be very very very very very long, rather than a very short stay.

[Whistle]

Why don't you try thinking long term rather than now. I would prefer our stay in the Premiership to be very very very very very long, rather than a very short stay.

Me too. We might get 30 years like Coventry - but the odds are we won't. Make hay ...

[SpaceCruiser]

What odds? Now, let's not be pessimistic.

[Scarface]

Why don't you try thinking long term rather than now. I would prefer our stay in the Premiership to be very very very very very long, rather than a very short stay.

So next season should we expect Coppell to not try and win the Carling or FA Cup again ?

[SpaceCruiser]

Why don't you try thinking long term rather than now. I would prefer our stay in the Premiership to be very very very very very long, rather than a very short stay.

So next season should we expect Coppell to not try and win the Carling or FA Cup again ?

Depends on how strong our squad is.

[Yorkshire Royal]

Next season, once more, is about Premiership experience and survival. As it stands, we have a decent reserve side, and some up and coming youngsters. I don't think we will take the Carling Cup seriously, but I think we will have a go at the FA Cup.

Take RB for example, we have Murts, DLC and Halford. For CB we have Sonko, Ivar, Doobs, Bikey, Bennet and Pearce.

We need to strengthen the midfield, but on the left we have Convey and Hunt. Seol and Little on the right. Could probably do with another wide player who can work on both wings.

Up front we have Lita, Doyle, Kitson and Long. As well as Cox if he comes back. Basically we have the foundations of a good squad.

You people want the moon on the stick. I will be happy with what I said this year. 4th from bottom will still do.

[Whistle]

What odds? Now, let's not be pessimistic.

Like I suggested before. Any betting man care to comment?

Even money to go down in next 5 years.
1-10 to have gone down in next 10 years.

If you want pessimism how long did it take Bradford to go from Prem to League Two! Very much doubt that would happen to us.

[SpaceCruiser]

What odds? Now, let's not be pessimistic.

Like I suggested before. Any betting man care to comment?

Even money to go down in next 5 years.
1-10 to have gone down in next 10 years.

If you want pessimism how long did it take Bradford to go from Prem to League Two! Very much doubt that would happen to us.

Bradford went down very quickly because they overspent and didn't keep their wage structure in check.

Reading's brick by brick approach is working well so far, no reason why not that we can't keep on progressing over the next few years.

[Behindu]

What odds? Now, let's not be pessimistic.

Like I suggested before. Any betting man care to comment?

Even money to go down in next 5 years.
1-10 to have gone down in next 10 years.

If you want pessimism how long did it take Bradford to go from Prem to League Two! Very much doubt that would happen to us.

Most promoted clubs go straight back down, I'd say our chances of being here for a few years are now stronger than they were a year ago.
If we stay for 3 years I suspect we'll stay for more than 5.

I don't think anyone would give you sensible odds on what might happen in 5 years - in that time just about every club will have changed managed, their entire playing staff and probably their owner....

[Man Friday]

Ian Royal: "I think some people either are really thick or struggle to remember that we have more 3 good players these days.
...That means rotating the squad where you can and giving those not currently featuring in the starting line up a chance to prove themselves and tkeep themselves match ready."
My response: I think you're the thickie because you've just argued against yourself by referring to players being given a chance to prove themselves. My point is I don't want the cups to be used as an opportunity for players to 'prove themselves'. I want our strongest side to be used for the cups (or at least the FA Cup). I would rather us have, say, 5 years in the premiership having acquired, during that time, a cup plus been beaten finalists, than, say, ten years in the premiership ala Charlton or Villa and never having won anything or even got close to it. I'm not into just surviving for the sake of it. It has to have a purpose and the purpose has to be to try to win something. I don't want to be the equivalent of a person who has lived a very long life by living risk-free. There has to be some sort of middle ground to make the whole thing seem worthwhile and not futile.

[Ian Royal]

Ian Royal: "I think some people either are really thick or struggle to remember that we have more 3 good players these days.
...That means rotating the squad where you can and giving those not currently featuring in the starting line up a chance to prove themselves and tkeep themselves match ready."

My response: I think you're the thickie because you've just argued against yourself by referring to players being given a chance to prove themselves. My point is I don't want the cups to be used as an opportunity for players to 'prove themselves'. I want our strongest side to be used for the cups (or at least the FA Cup). I would rather us have, say, 5 years in the premiership having acquired, during that time, a cup plus been beaten finalists, than, say, ten years in the premiership ala Charlton or Villa and never having won anything or even got close to it. I'm not into just surviving for the sake of it. It has to have a purpose and the purpose has to be to try to win something. I don't want to be the equivalent of a person who has lived a very long life by living risk-free. There has to be some sort of middle ground to make the whole thing seem worthwhile and not futile.

If you actually read my post it contains references to how you can't get anywhere just playing your strongest 11 every game. Football these days is about squads, not first 11's and if you think we would have won the FA cup/League cup and finished in the top 10 of the premiership then you are deluded.

We will go out to as well as we possibly can whilst maintaining our squad at the highest level we can without compromising our performances over the course of the entire season. Your idea of playing the strongest 11 is short termist in the extreme and leaves the club with no ready replacements to step into any breaches caused by injury tiredness and suspension.

[Ian Royal]

Why don't you try thinking long term rather than now. I would prefer our stay in the Premiership to be very very very very very long, rather than a very short stay.

So next season should we expect Coppell to not try and win the Carling or FA Cup again ?

no we should expect Coppell to try and get the best out of every game without compromising his resources for the bigger picture of the season as a whole. Should we get to a semi final of a cup and be looking good for survival then you may see priorities temporarily change. To win a cup you really need to be in the premiership.

Concentrating on being in the premiership is the best way of giving your self the platform to win a cup. The ultimate way of increasing your chances of winning a cup is to become one of the big 4/5. We have the potential at some point down the line to make that. Even if it is unlikely. We certainly have the potential to become an established Prem club with a squad big enough to fully compete in several competitions at once. Why not try to get to that stage before we start trying to run and end up in League 1 in 3 years time.

[papereyes]

I would rather us have, say, 5 years in the premiership having acquired, during that time, a cup plus been beaten finalists, than, say, ten years in the premiership ala Charlton or Villa and never having won anything or even got close to it.

Why cite a team that has two premiership-era League cups, plus UEFA cup quarterfinals, plus has been a beaten FA Cup Finalist (and one or two semi-final spots) as something you don't want to be when you've basically cited their premiership-era record as something you want to have, albeit in a shorter timeframe?

If, over the next ten-fifteen years, we match Villa's successes over the last ten-fifteen years, would we have much to complain about? No.

As for IR. I agree. Look at the season as a whole. Cup games are not independent of Premiership ones.

[Woodcote Royal]

I want us to be in Europe next season - simply for the honour and prestige of it. We may never get another chance.

It's that little Reading (losers) mentality that just won't go away

History shows that 'smaller clubs' - e.g. Huddersfield, Blackpool, Forest, Wimbledon, Oxford - tend to have one good era and subside. A friend who supports Oxford bitterly regrets that, after Heysel, they never got the Euro chance for when they won the League Cup and they never will now, he thinks. I want us to get the most out of ours.

Whatever anyone says about building for the future (which I support) it's not inevitable that it will happen. Will Mr Mad and SSC be here in 3 years? I would think we are an even money bet to be relegated in the next 5 years and 90% likely to go down (and possibly up again) in the next 10.

As a matter of interest, what clubs in Europe are like us - first-timers in the top flight from outside the big cities? Villareal? Auxerre? Chievo?

What you're advocating is short termism on the basis that you see us as a little club that is having its day in the sun. This is the losers mentality that has infected our fan base thanks to years of failure.

Thank God Coppell is ignoring this defeatist view whilst he and the Chairman build a club that looks more like Aston Villa than Blackpool by the day.

[RoyalBlue]

Behead Farnborough Royal and anyone else who dares criticise Sir Steve! Death to the infidels!

Personally I'll accept being the next Aston Villa for a few seasons.