Next Season

[Royal Rother]

For me, one change should be non-negotiable. Another Coppell led campaign would seriously test my sanity

You'll only realise what we've got when he's gone.

I too will look forward with some excitement to a new broom, but in reality it seems almost inevitable that the next man won't be as good as Coppell.

[howser]

Tend to agree with you there Woodcote, I seriously hope that if there is to be a new man at the top then he is able and ready to take over as soon as possible, and we dont wait until the summer break is over, its essential that he has time to decide who and what he wants, and hopefully he already has a knowledge of the Reading players and the clubs transfer policy.

[Hoop Blah]

For me, one change should be non-negotiable. Another Coppell led campaign would seriously test my sanity

You'll only realise what we've got when he's gone.

I too will look forward with some excitement to a new broom, but in reality it seems almost inevitable that the next man won't be as good as Coppell.

I tend to agree but we'll never know what a different manager could've achieved with this current squad had they taken over last summer.

Coppell has been over seen the most successful period in the clubs history. Personally I think he's had some significant luck in his time here and has made some glaring errors that have cost us dearly. Overall though he has done a fantastic job of delivery unrivalled success and done it without spending too much money.

[Woodcote Royal]

You'll only realise what we've got when he's gone.

I too will look forward with some excitement to a new broom, but in reality it seems almost inevitable that the next man won't be as good as Coppell.

I know we've gone from UEFA Cup candidates to a very average Championship side in less than 2 years and have watched us being out played this season by teams assembled on a fraction of the resources at our disposal.

Whilst I will be eternally grateful for the 2 best seasons in our history, the last 2 have represented massive under achievement added to the refusal to fully utilize the product of our academy.

Sorry, but I won't be missing Steve Coppell

[Barry the bird boggler]

Quite agree, and they've been really frustrating. Last season it seemed to be the club didn't want to stay up thus the non event of the January transfer window and this season they've more or less thrown it away with a string of awful performances when we all know damn well they can do better.

I don't mind failing, but seemingly not trying and then failing is unacceptable.

Therefore, next season, it should new blood all round.

[papereyes]

For me, one change should be non-negotiable. Another Coppell led campaign would seriously test my sanity

You'll only realise what we've got when he's gone.

I too will look forward with some excitement to a new broom, but in reality it seems almost inevitable that the next man won't be as good as Coppell.

The one thing I genuinely believe about our club is that our management structure is going to act as a safety net for the next man. If he's bad, we'll only be as bad as we were in 03-05.

I don't mind failing, but seemingly not trying and then failing is unacceptable.

YES

[Royal Lady]

Agreed wholeheartedly.

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

Think Coppell will definitely leave and with him the best part of the backroom team - dependant on which of them Brendan Rodgers want to keep on!

Mike Kearney, his father-in-law, may become his first team coach - keep it in the family!

Its time to give the youngsters a shot and form a new Reading team - so happy for the egos, the underachievers and the old brigade to move on -

Would be good if we kept Doyle Armstrong Bikey but cant see it happening...

[Deathy]

Armstrong wont go anywhere.

[Royal Lady]

Armstrong wont go anywhere.

He will at the right price to the club.

[SLAMMED]

What do you think then? I don't think we'd need to go lower than £2.5m - he has a certain reputation and has done well at international level so would probably bring more than the player we've seen for most of the last 18 months might appear to be worth.

Or were you suggesting £3m is too low?

If a club offered £2m for him i would take it so fast id pull their arm off.

[Deathy]

Armstrong wont go anywhere.

He will at the right price to the club.

Well of course, as with anyone, but you think he's done enough to warrant interest from the Premier League and a £2-3m price tag? He's had a great season, but I don't think he's going anywhere.

[Royal Lady]

Maybe a club with more ambition that's relegated from Prem might be interested in spending £2 million on him. Every player has his price and the club won't bat an eyelid if the price is right, whatever us, as fans might want/think.

[Terminal Boardom]

Maybe a club with more ambition that's relegated from Prem might be interested in spending £2 million on him. Every player has his price and the club won't bat an eyelid if the price is right, whatever us, as fans might want/think.

Why is it that to have ambition shitloads of money has to be spent? haven't you learnt anything about football finances? Leeds, Forest, QPR, Sheff Wed, Barnsley and Bradford have all been butt fcuked by overspending. Look at Leicester and now Southampton.

If being careful with the pennies guarantees us a football club for the next 10, 20, 30 years or more than go with it. It is actually quite reassuring to know that we are reasonably safe from a financial perpective compared to many others.

To refer directly though to your comment above RL, didn't a recently relegated from the Prem club BUY Armstrong? We spend £600k or so for him. Had we spent £2m would that be a sign of ambition or recklessness? Where I do agree is that every player DOES have his price.

[poohs pure]

Irrespective of which league we are in next season there has to be a severe change of personnel, IMO, not only playing wise either, for me these are the individuals that should be moving on :-

Steve Coppell........Apart from the obvious, every manager has his "shelf life" at a club
Wally Downes........Not sure what he has given us the last couple of seasons
Marcus................Has been fantastic for us, but we have to give Fed his chance
Gunnarsson...........Doesn't have the legs anymore
Marek..................Apart from the odd flash has never really performed
Lita....................Not sure about this one, but certainly doesn't figure in anything here at the moment
Kebe...................Think we have seen the best we are going to from him.
Hunt S.................Really seems to have lost interest since his proposed January move didn't happen.
Tabb...................Cant find any reason why we got him here in the first place ?
Sodje..................Completely out of the picture.
Harper.................Like him and his attitude, but he needs a new challenge
Golbourne.............hasn't done much to show he is the new "left back" in waiting, has put no pressure on Stretch.


Might be a bit drastic but we DO need a good shake up, the only other player I have doubts about is Murty, I think the club would love to keep him in some capacity, although I could always see him moving away to join Phil Parkinson as assistant manager, if he remains at Charlton.

As I said whichever league we are in there is a need for a change.....................I will be interested in the views of the older and wiser amongst us..............and be gentle............this is just a general thought !!

I am so f u c k e d off with the entire situation i cant be arsed to read the entire thread but your list is lacking JM NH and NH. JM has totally outstayed his welcome, not interested in hearing about him saving the club and the new ground etc. Yes that happened but he is now taking the club back to whence we came. He should have put finished the job off that he so bravely started, that or f u c k e d off and sold the club when we were something worth buying. Prepare yourselves for another 100 years of utter s h i t ladies and gentlemen.

bring back pants day, "we're s h i t and we've had enough" goes the song for those of our number that don't know.

sheffield united on the telly for me on friday, not prepared to give the club any more of my hard earned for them to spend on nowt.

Stoke have more about them than we do and it really pains me to say that. Fair play to them for spending a few quid and giving it a go. Kitson was s h i t for them so they ditched him and got in beattie, would we do that? er NO! we'd stick with the same s h i t week in week out until it was too late.

mind you Wembley is awesome so i might be tempted IF we get to the play off final, god i'm so fickle its annoying!

[poohs pure]

Maybe a club with more ambition that's relegated from Prem might be interested in spending £2 million on him. Every player has his price and the club won't bat an eyelid if the price is right, whatever us, as fans might want/think.

Why is it that to have ambition shitloads of money has to be spent? haven't you learnt anything about football finances? Leeds, Forest, QPR, Sheff Wed, Barnsley and Bradford have all been butt fcuked by overspending. Look at Leicester and now Southampton.

If being careful with the pennies guarantees us a football club for the next 10, 20, 30 years or more than go with it. It is actually quite reassuring to know that we are reasonably safe from a financial perpective compared to many others.

To refer directly though to your comment above RL, didn't a recently relegated from the Prem club BUY Armstrong? We spend £600k or so for him. Had we spent £2m would that be a sign of ambition or recklessness? Where I do agree is that every player DOES have his price.

you are correct, every player does have his price, here are a few:

Shunt 3p
Kebe 2p
Little handful of fluff and biscuit crumbs found whilst trying to find a penny down the back of my settee
Harper -1p
Marek 1 turnip (rotten)

[Terminal Boardom]

Irrespective of which league we are in next season there has to be a severe change of personnel, IMO, not only playing wise either, for me these are the individuals that should be moving on :-

Steve Coppell........Apart from the obvious, every manager has his "shelf life" at a club
Wally Downes........Not sure what he has given us the last couple of seasons
Marcus................Has been fantastic for us, but we have to give Fed his chance
Gunnarsson...........Doesn't have the legs anymore
Marek..................Apart from the odd flash has never really performed
Lita....................Not sure about this one, but certainly doesn't figure in anything here at the moment
Kebe...................Think we have seen the best we are going to from him.
Hunt S.................Really seems to have lost interest since his proposed January move didn't happen.
Tabb...................Cant find any reason why we got him here in the first place ?
Sodje..................Completely out of the picture.
Harper.................Like him and his attitude, but he needs a new challenge
Golbourne.............hasn't done much to show he is the new "left back" in waiting, has put no pressure on Stretch.


Might be a bit drastic but we DO need a good shake up, the only other player I have doubts about is Murty, I think the club would love to keep him in some capacity, although I could always see him moving away to join Phil Parkinson as assistant manager, if he remains at Charlton.

As I said whichever league we are in there is a need for a change.....................I will be interested in the views of the older and wiser amongst us..............and be gentle............this is just a general thought !!

I am so f u c k e d off with the entire situation i cant be arsed to read the entire thread but your list is lacking JM NH and NH. JM has totally outstayed his welcome, not interested in hearing about him saving the club and the new ground etc. Yes that happened but he is now taking the club back to whence we came. He should have put finished the job off that he so bravely started, that or f u c k e d off and sold the club when we were something worth buying. Prepare yourselves for another 100 years of utter s h i t ladies and gentlemen.

bring back pants day, "we're s h i t and we've had enough" goes the song for those of our number that don't know.

sheffield united on the telly for me on friday, not prepared to give the club any more of my hard earned for them to spend on nowt.

Stoke have more about them than we do and it really pains me to say that. Fair play to them for spending a few quid and giving it a go. Kitson was s h i t for them so they ditched him and got in beattie, would we do that? er NO! we'd stick with the same s h i t week in week out until it was too late.

mind you Wembley is awesome so i might be tempted IF we get to the play off final, god i'm so fickle its annoying!

And precisely where in the league are we? And precisely where in the league were we BEFORE JM rescued us from a fate worse than aldershot? If we were bottom half of League 1 playing the sort of dross we have been of late then I for one would sanction Pants Day II. Fact is we aint!

[Terminal Boardom]

Maybe a club with more ambition that's relegated from Prem might be interested in spending £2 million on him. Every player has his price and the club won't bat an eyelid if the price is right, whatever us, as fans might want/think.

Why is it that to have ambition shitloads of money has to be spent? haven't you learnt anything about football finances? Leeds, Forest, QPR, Sheff Wed, Barnsley and Bradford have all been butt fcuked by overspending. Look at Leicester and now Southampton.

If being careful with the pennies guarantees us a football club for the next 10, 20, 30 years or more than go with it. It is actually quite reassuring to know that we are reasonably safe from a financial perpective compared to many others.

To refer directly though to your comment above RL, didn't a recently relegated from the Prem club BUY Armstrong? We spend £600k or so for him. Had we spent £2m would that be a sign of ambition or recklessness? Where I do agree is that every player DOES have his price.

you are correct, every player does have his price, here are a few:

Shunt 3p
Kebe 2p
Little handful of fluff and biscuit crumbs found whilst trying to find a penny down the back of my settee
Harper -1p
Marek 1 turnip (rotten)

Harsh, but I can see where you are coming from. Can the rotten turnip be shoved up shunt's agent's arse?

[Royal Rother]

Maybe a club with more ambition that's relegated from Prem might be interested in spending £2 million on him. Every player has his price and the club won't bat an eyelid if the price is right, whatever us, as fans might want/think.

We have not been a selling club for as long as Coppell has been here - I really don't understand why you would suggest we are.

There is so much guff on this thread - thankfully Terminal B has said what I thought I was going to have to repeat for the Nth time about the brilliant way in which this club's finances have been run over the years.

If we don't go up, we will likely get £15m in from selling 8 players, still ahve another year's parachute payment to come in and have a crop of youngsters that are, without a doubt, the envy of almost every other club in the division.

Opportunities may have been missed but the progress this club has made in 5 years is fantastic.

Every single move and decision that posters on here wish had been made over Coppell's reign but wasn't (and there are many thousands of those) might have resulted in the club achieving less than it actually has done in the last 5 years. Nobody knows. I think we should concentrate on the actual achievements (as I'm sure every other supporter in the land would do when assessing Coppell / Reading) rather than the fantasy what-ifs that seem to dominate some people's thinking on here.

The former are facts, the rest is just hot air and bullshit and frankly not worth a damn.

[poohs pure]

Irrespective of which league we are in next season there has to be a severe change of personnel, IMO, not only playing wise either, for me these are the individuals that should be moving on :-

Steve Coppell........Apart from the obvious, every manager has his "shelf life" at a club
Wally Downes........Not sure what he has given us the last couple of seasons
Marcus................Has been fantastic for us, but we have to give Fed his chance
Gunnarsson...........Doesn't have the legs anymore
Marek..................Apart from the odd flash has never really performed
Lita....................Not sure about this one, but certainly doesn't figure in anything here at the moment
Kebe...................Think we have seen the best we are going to from him.
Hunt S.................Really seems to have lost interest since his proposed January move didn't happen.
Tabb...................Cant find any reason why we got him here in the first place ?
Sodje..................Completely out of the picture.
Harper.................Like him and his attitude, but he needs a new challenge
Golbourne.............hasn't done much to show he is the new "left back" in waiting, has put no pressure on Stretch.


Might be a bit drastic but we DO need a good shake up, the only other player I have doubts about is Murty, I think the club would love to keep him in some capacity, although I could always see him moving away to join Phil Parkinson as assistant manager, if he remains at Charlton.

As I said whichever league we are in there is a need for a change.....................I will be interested in the views of the older and wiser amongst us..............and be gentle............this is just a general thought !!

I am so f u c k e d off with the entire situation i cant be arsed to read the entire thread but your list is lacking JM NH and NH. JM has totally outstayed his welcome, not interested in hearing about him saving the club and the new ground etc. Yes that happened but he is now taking the club back to whence we came. He should have put finished the job off that he so bravely started, that or f u c k e d off and sold the club when we were something worth buying. Prepare yourselves for another 100 years of utter s h i t ladies and gentlemen.

bring back pants day, "we're s h i t and we've had enough" goes the song for those of our number that don't know.

sheffield united on the telly for me on friday, not prepared to give the club any more of my hard earned for them to spend on nowt.

Stoke have more about them than we do and it really pains me to say that. Fair play to them for spending a few quid and giving it a go. Kitson was s h i t for them so they ditched him and got in beattie, would we do that? er NO! we'd stick with the same s h i t week in week out until it was too late.

mind you Wembley is awesome so i might be tempted IF we get to the play off final, god i'm so fickle its annoying!

And precisely where in the league are we? And precisely where in the league were we BEFORE JM rescued us from a fate worse than aldershot? If we were bottom half of League 1 playing the sort of dross we have been of late then I for one would sanction Pants Day II. Fact is we aint!

the point is, we are heading back the other way now, the team is in total dissaray (spelling?) and we have a total cock as a chairman. get him out and get someone in with half an ounce of a football brain and a bit of passion and the tide will turn. one voice i may be at the moment but this has to happen or our club will be on the slide for years. no player is bigger than the team and the same goes for the chairman, this is my club not his and i want him out.