Coppell's latest backtrack

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

He's not stupid, he realises he needs this club to stay up to make his money, which at the end of the day is all he's interested in.

all he's interested in?

He's been here for nearly 18 years and lost millions. He's also been to more matches in that time than virtually every single poster on this board. To state he's in it for the money is of an absurdity level that'd have Area 51 fanatics laughing with incredularity.

Sometimes I feel that people here, in their quest for ever more ridiculous theories to explain a rare poor season, will be taking a trick from the moon conspiracy theorists, and claim the last two seasons didn't exist and were filmed in a studio with actors.

[Platypuss]

He's not stupid, he realises he needs this club to stay up to make his money, which at the end of the day is all he's interested in.

all he's interested in?

He's been here for nearly 18 years and lost millions. He's also been to more matches in that time than virtually every single poster on this board. To state he's in it for the money is of an absurdity level that'd have Area 51 fanatics laughing with incredularity.

How much has JM "lost" then?

How many games did he see when he was in Malaysia for a year for reasons of tax avoidance?

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

He's not stupid, he realises he needs this club to stay up to make his money, which at the end of the day is all he's interested in.

all he's interested in?

He's been here for nearly 18 years and lost millions. He's also been to more matches in that time than virtually every single poster on this board. To state he's in it for the money is of an absurdity level that'd have Area 51 fanatics laughing with incredularity.

How much has JM "lost" then?

How many games did he see when he was in Malaysia for a year for reasons of tax avoidance?

It's cost him around £50 million by popular estimates. For the first 16 years there wasn't any prospect of him getting a penny back.

No, he didn't see games when he was out of the country, but in 18 years I'd stand by my statement that he's been to more Reading games that virtually everyone on this board.

[Platypuss]

He's been here for nearly 18 years and lost millions. He's also been to more matches in that time than virtually every single poster on this board. To state he's in it for the money is of an absurdity level that'd have Area 51 fanatics laughing with incredularity.

How much has JM "lost" then?

How many games did he see when he was in Malaysia for a year for reasons of tax avoidance?

It's cost him around £50 million by popular estimates. For the first 16 years there wasn't any prospect of him getting a penny back.

Lost or converted into loans and shares?

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Lost or converted into loans and shares?

He owns the club 100%. What would be the benefit of giving himself extra shares?

[Platypuss]

Lost or converted into loans and shares?

He owns the club 100%. What would be the benefit of giving himself extra shares?

The high 90s anyway.

So, how mch has he actually lost?

[Royal Rother]

Sometimes I feel that people here, in their quest for ever more ridiculous theories to explain a rare poor season, will be taking a trick from the moon conspiracy theorists, and claim the last two seasons didn't exist and were filmed in a studio with actors.

Excellent!

And thanks Uke for your uncannily accurate assessment of my reaction to the possibility of us playing Swansea next season!

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Lost or converted into loans and shares?

He owns the club 100%. What would be the benefit of giving himself extra shares?

The high 90s anyway.

So, how mch has he actually lost?

currently £50 million or so.

Even if every penny of it was structured as loans, the lack of any years of making profit at the club will mean hardly any of it will have been paid back. And if he did sell the club the amount of debt would be heavily reflected in the price of the club.

[Royal Rother]

And what might he have done with an extra £50m in his own bank account, and 18 years of his time and energy to invest in money-making business ventures rather than a loss making football club?

[Platypuss]

And what might he have done with an extra £50m in his own bank account, and 18 years of his time and energy to invest in money-making business ventures rather than a loss making football club?

You'll have to show me better evidence of this £50M loss than just your say-so I'm afraid.

No one's seriously suggesting he hasn't been pursing other business interests while being chairman of RFC,
are they?

[Royal Rother]

No they are not - but I am suggesting that the amount of time and energy he has put into the club over 18 years could have been better directed into other money-making pursuits if he was only in it for the money, as has previously been suggested.

(Not having £50m in one's bank account does not mean £50m has been lost, it just means it isn't there to be spent.)

[The Goat was fed]

The simple fact is that our current situation is/was avoidable.

The board has gambled (and, sadly I fear, lost) on saving cash to develop the stadium to take us on to the next level. I cannot believe Coppell would not want to push the boat out on transfers if it was in this power to do so.

However, not to spend on a defence which is now joint worst in the Premiership or sign a right winger of Prem iership quality is what of the biggest mistakes in our club's history, given what is at stake.

[Royal With Cheese]

He's been here for nearly 18 years and lost millions. He's also been to more matches in that time than virtually every single poster on this board. To state he's in it for the money is of an absurdity level that'd have Area 51 fanatics laughing with incredularity.

How much has JM "lost" then?

How many games did he see when he was in Malaysia for a year for reasons of tax avoidance?

It's cost him around £50 million by popular estimates. For the first 16 years there wasn't any prospect of him getting a penny back.

No, he didn't see games when he was out of the country, but in 18 years I'd stand by my statement that he's been to more Reading games that virtually everyone on this board.

LOL!

Anyone that states they categorically know what Madejski has or hasn't lost must be either:

a) John Madejski or
b) John Madejski's accountant.

I would doubt that Madejski has lost anything with his backing of the Royals - despite what he says not because of it.

Would agree about the point that he does go to all the games though.

[Platypuss]

No they are not - but I am suggesting that the amount of time and energy he has put into the club over 18 years could have been better directed into other money-making pursuits if he was only in it for the money, as has previously been suggested.

I think a large amount of people would agree that the ego-stroking opportunity probably forms the largest component.

[Coppelled Streets]

The simple fact is that our current situation is/was avoidable.

The board has gambled (and, sadly I fear, lost) on saving cash to develop the stadium to take us on to the next level. I cannot believe Coppell would not want to push the boat out on transfers if it was in this power to do so.

Exactly. Nail firmly hit on the head there!

[Royal Rother]

No they are not - but I am suggesting that the amount of time and energy he has put into the club over 18 years could have been better directed into other money-making pursuits if he was only in it for the money, as has previously been suggested.

I think a large amount of people would agree that the ego-stroking opportunity probably forms the largest component.

And on that you might well be right, (although it does not diminish what he has done for the club of course) but the statement I was taking issue with was:

He's not stupid, he realises he needs this club to stay up to make his money, which at the end of the day is all he's interested in.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

He's not stupid, he realises he needs this club to stay up to make his money, which at the end of the day is all he's interested in.

all he's interested in?

He's been here for nearly 18 years and lost millions. He's also been to more matches in that time than virtually every single poster on this board. To state he's in it for the money is of an absurdity level that'd have Area 51 fanatics laughing with incredularity.

Sometimes I feel that people here, in their quest for ever more ridiculous theories to explain a rare poor season, will be taking a trick from the moon conspiracy theorists, and claim the last two seasons didn't exist and were filmed in a studio with actors.

Every penny he's given has been a loan, he's taking it all back now.

Nothing wrong with that, but he's not doing this out of the goodness of his own heart. He's taken as risk and it's payed off big time. Fair play to the lad.

Your right though, it's not just about money, it's about buying a Knighthood too.

[premiership_bound]

Same old crap here:

STEVE COPPELL admits his loyalty to his players will be put to the ultimate test in the run-in.

With the transfer window now closed the Royals boss will have to rely on his current squad.

He did bolster his numbers with the signings of Czech Republic international Marek Matejovsky and France-born Jimmy Kebe from Lens.

Matejovsky made a promising first start for his new club in the woeful 2-0 defeat at home to Bolton on Saturday, while I understand Kebe has recovered from a hamstring strain and will make his first appearance in a Reading shirt for the reserves in the rearranged match against Portsmouth.

The game, which will be played at Havant and Waterlooville’s Westleigh Park, was originally scheduled for tomorrow night, but the clubs are hoping to bring it forward a day to tonight.

Coppell was looking to bring in defensive reinforcements at one stage during the transfer window, but decided the centre of defence is well served by Ivar Ingimarsson, Kalifa Cisse, Michael Duberry, Andre Bikey and Ibrahima Sonko.

Duberry is recovering from a knee injury, while Bikey is still on international duty with Cameroon at the African Cup of Nations.

Sonko, though, returned from Ghana early after Senegal were knocked out, and he came on as a substitute for Reading against Bolton.

The Trotters fielded England Under-21 centre-back Gary Cahill, their new £6m signing from Aston Villa.

And Coppell told the Evening Post: “There were players available, but I didn’t think there were any who would give us something that we didn’t already have at the moment.

“We looked at Cahill, who had a terrific game for Bolton against us.

"But I made the decision that – with Sonko and Bikey coming back – we couldn’t have added a great deal. It might have been the wrong decision – we’ll have to see. I might be naive and only time will determine that.

“I do have loyalty to my players here. That is something I have been fairly consistent with.

“When they are playing well I’m more than happy with them. When they are not, no-one hurts more than me and I feel it more than anyone.

“I know they have much more in the locker, but we have to get back to producing what we did last year.

“We all want to do well, none more so than me. I know how much work they put in.”

Coppell is without several of his stars as Graeme Murty is away with Scotland for a training camp in Loch Lomond, while Matejovsky is away with Czech Republic and Kevin Doyle, Stephen Hunt and Shane Long are with the Republic of Ireland for tomorrow night’s prestigious friendly with Brazil.

But Royals’ boss insisted: “I don’t think having a few of them away will be a problem. The mood is good at training because everyone wants to put things right.

“There is a really good work ethic when we have had a defeat like we did on Saturday.

“We all know we have a real job on our hands.

“We have have fallen rapidly over the last month, but we have a third of the season to go and it’s down to us to put it right.”

First printed in: Reading Evening Post

[Y25]

I wouldn't blame Coppell for the fact that big money signings haven't come in

1st reason

A lot of players still aren't interested as up to 5 years ago we didn't have much of a glamourous past and fear that we might go straight back down.

2nd reason

Leeds Utd, Coventry, Nottingham Forest, Derby County, Norwich City, Ipswich all oxf*rd up by overspending in the Prem. Yes it's dissapointing after last season finishing so high that we havent attracted or spent big but it makes financial sense to JM who has now had enough.

So I wouldn't blame Coppell who is still a little legend to me - some of his signings have been poo (Halls, Halford) but at least he has done something about that and the majority of the players brought in have been immense - Doyle, Lita, Hunt, Sonko, Ingimarson, Cisse (now coming good) and the Czech Mate

I still think we will stay up! so now January is over so we need to get behind what we have got

[Leamington Royal]

I wouldn't swap JM for another Chairman . He's brought a long term, realistic but ambitious plan that has yielded indisputable success without bankrupting the club or him. If we were to be relegated at the end of this season we'll be left in a far better financial shape than we could have imagined even 5 years ago (and made a bit of history too). So whether JM has made money out of it is of no consequence. If he's done all this and made something for himself then good luck to him!

That aside, I hope that the club hasn't been too short termist by not strengthening our defence/ right midfield.