I thought we had a MASSIVE squad

[Agent Balti]

we dont do things a different way because our chairman doesnt want to dump shedloads of his money into a bottomless pit, because he wants us to be financially viable to increase likelihood of selling.

Yeah, it doesn't matter how we actually do on the football pitch, just make the books look all pretty and shiny for someone else to pay the over inflated rate that JM courts so badly. Nice one!

[brendywendy]

we dont do things a different way because our chairman doesnt want to dump shedloads of his money into a bottomless pit, because he wants us to be financially viable to increase likelihood of selling.

Yeah, it doesn't matter how we actually do on the football pitch, just make the books look all pretty and shiny for someone else to pay the over inflated rate that JM courts so badly. Nice one!

erm weve done better under him than at any time in our history.
and done better under coppell than any other of his managers.
on the football pitch we have exceeded any expectation we ever had in the last three years


+ its Jms money-JMs club-he can do as he likes, and sell for however much he values the club at.

[Agent Balti]

we dont do things a different way because our chairman doesnt want to dump shedloads of his money into a bottomless pit, because he wants us to be financially viable to increase likelihood of selling.

Yeah, it doesn't matter how we actually do on the football pitch, just make the books look all pretty and shiny for someone else to pay the over inflated rate that JM courts so badly. Nice one!

erm weve done better under him than at any time in our history.
and done better under coppell than any other of his managers.
on the football pitch we have exceeded any expectation we ever had in the last three years


+ its Jms money-JMs club-he can do as he likes, and sell for however much he values the club at.

...and that wins us lots of points already in the bag for next season! Christ, Brendy I wish you wouldn't be so liberal!

This is football, not some Shakespeare sonnet! We got relegated last season...didn't you notice or is that just 'football' and a shrug of the shoulders is good enough. You said before that if X happens, you'll be pissed off, if Y happens you'll be pissed off, but when nothing is happening (or at a damn slow crawl) that is just fine. I don't get it.

Yes, you're right (I concede) we've done very well in the last three years (apart from that big blip you missed) - but we are sinking backwards. Your last comment is completely moot - JM can do whatever he likes, so much so that nobody wants to buy us! He doesn't want to spend money as to make the books look good, he puts the valuation based on that bank balance higher than any right investor wants to pay. Ergo, we won't get sold for anything like the money JM wants.

P.S. I used 'ergo'. I am Platypuss.

[brendywendy]

that blip as you call it was the second highest finish in a histroy of league football stretching back to the 19th century.

im not saying im not worried-the longer it goes the more i worry
i just question the people moaning that we will not replace shorey. cos that aint fact

yet

[Agent Balti]

True, but whoever Shorey's replacement is, it won't be as good as Shorey (or that club would be signing THAT player, I'd guess)

What is staggering is that we get to August before it all comes out in the wash. Our 'fingers crossed' attitude with Kebe, Karacan, Shunt, Nhunt...doesn't fill me up with sparkle. It's just all a bit flat and a touch of car boot sale about it. Not like a club that has so called designs on being the new Arsenal not so long ago.

All that bobbins about being the 2nd highest finish since time began is tiresome, it means nothing.

[brendywendy]

True, but whoever Shorey's replacement is, it won't be as good as Shorey (or that club would be signing THAT player, I'd guess)

What is staggering is that we get to August before it all comes out in the wash. Our 'fingers crossed' attitude with Kebe, Karacan, Shunt, Nhunt...doesn't fill me up with sparkle. It's just all a bit flat and a touch of car boot sale about it. Not like a club that has so called designs on being the new Arsenal not so long ago.

All that bobbins about being the 2nd highest finish since time began is tiresome, it means nothing.

true though.

agree if this all fails we will have a carboot feel to us.

to become the new arsenal will take us many many years, and some more ups and downs yet
but im happy to have that as a mission statement

kebe has been good in preseason-better than oster anyway
karacan has looked the business for me since before this year-and im genuinely excited that he may get to play more than a bit part
and im happy with n hunt-think hes looked a good player-and a bargain at 600k

[Southbank Old Boy]

yes, but most negatives on here are saying the "reading way" is to sell and not replace, and not spend any money-which is patently bollarcks

we dont do things a different way because our chairman doesnt want to dump shedloads of his money into a bottomless pit, because he wants us to be financially viable to increase likelihood of selling.

I agree it's not "the Reading way" to not replace in the way some have portrayed.

I'd say it is the Coppell way to not be very proactive in the transfer market and to not spend the money that has been given too him if it means rocking the boat a bit. That's probably led to a lack of squad evolution over the last 18 months or so.

[brendywendy]

agree partly

though i think the evolution he has overseen in bikey, rosenior, and matejovski has been pretty good for me

kebe and others still to prove it to me-but showing signs of why we thought they would be good enough when scouted

and along side the stop gaps like duberry etc i think i our transfer activity hasnt been as awful as portrayed by some

but then im in the RTGB-so i would say that, wouldnt i

[Ian Royal]

Only another 3 - 4 months before we can really have a decent idea of how we're going to do this year. Isn't that going to be fun!

[readingbedding]

10 games will tell me all I need to know.

[Ian Royal]

That was my guess for how long it is before we've played 10 in the league.

4th October! Bloody hell that's only 2 months.

[Alan Partridge]

That was my guess for how long it is before we've played 10 in the league.

4th October! Bloody hell that's only 2 months.

ALOL So if 10 games took 4 months then the season would be 18 months long then.

[Ian Royal]

That was my guess for how long it is before we've played 10 in the league.

4th October! Bloody hell that's only 2 months.

ALOL So if 10 games took 4 months then the season would be 18 months long then.

I've never been very good at thinking more than a week in advance.

[Southbank Old Boy]

That was my guess for how long it is before we've played 10 in the league.

4th October! Bloody hell that's only 2 months.

ALOL So if 10 games took 4 months then the season would be 18 months long then.

I've never been very good at thinking more than a week in advance.

You are Steve Coppell and I claim etc etc...

[Sir Rodger Doyle]

I heard on the radio that Coppell had learnt from his mistakes.

I wonder what that meant?

He is guilty of having too much loyalty to his playing and coaching staff. Mind you he has known this for twenty years.