Coppell out!

[The whole year inn]

Let's face it, if Coppell left 99% of sane people would be begging for him back within 6 months.

I cannot think of anyone else that I would rather have at the helm and I hope he gets tied down to a long a contract as possible as soon as possible.

Reading fans complaining about being 3rd with two games in hand.

Agreed, like Reading fans needing to be "inspired" by their football team.

Most of the slaters are in their early 20's tops.

I for one am thoroughly enjoying this season.

When have Reading ever been so repeatedly competitive in their entire history? Especially at this level.

I would give Coppell a new contract on Sunday morning in the wake of a 4-0 home win. But that's just me

[Royalee]

Bump.

[Plymouth_Royal]

ive waited a long time to see what we can do this season and havent called for his head after 3 or 4 games as some of you have. but i really do believe his time is up. At the start of the season i was happy to see him stay and hoped he had learned from his mistakes last season. Unfortunately i believe he hasnt. We play a direct system that gets the ball to the front two as quickly as possible so they can hold it up allowing us to get our wingers involved. it hasnt worked for the second half of the season and we've been found out big time! we then change the centre midfield with marek coming in and to be fair to him, he's too clever for our 1 dimensional team. I remember coppell saying he wanted marek to change the way we play when he was brought in, but how can you change a team with one player when the majority is used to playing sh1te football!! you cant teach an old dog new tricks!
He's served us brilliantly and has definitely taken us to a new level. BUT, he cant take us any further. I can see us getting knocked out in the play -offs and a massive shake up at reading. i.e. coppell leaving, downes getting ousted, all of the out of contract players leaving, doyle and bikey being sold to better there careers, s.h1te being transfer listed and hopefully the youngsters being played to replace the dead wood.
1 step back, 2 steps forward.

[FiNeRaIn]

ive waited a long time to see what we can do this season and havent called for his head after 3 or 4 games as some of you have. but i really do believe his time is up. At the start of the season i was happy to see him stay and hoped he had learned from his mistakes last season. Unfortunately i believe he hasnt. We play a direct system that gets the ball to the front two as quickly as possible so they can hold it up allowing us to get our wingers involved. it hasnt worked for the second half of the season and we've been found out big time! we then change the centre midfield with marek coming in and to be fair to him, he's too clever for our 1 dimensional team. I remember coppell saying he wanted marek to change the way we play when he was brought in, but how can you change a team with one player when the majority is used to playing sh1te football!! you cant teach an old dog new tricks!
He's served us brilliantly and has definitely taken us to a new level. BUT, he cant take us any further. I can see us getting knocked out in the play -offs and a massive shake up at reading. i.e. coppell leaving, downes getting ousted, all of the out of contract players leaving, doyle and bikey being sold to better there careers, s.h1te being transfer listed and hopefully the youngsters being played to replace the dead wood.
1 step back, 2 steps forward.

+1

Top post.

[Royalee]

ive waited a long time to see what we can do this season and havent called for his head after 3 or 4 games as some of you have. but i really do believe his time is up. At the start of the season i was happy to see him stay and hoped he had learned from his mistakes last season. Unfortunately i believe he hasnt. We play a direct system that gets the ball to the front two as quickly as possible so they can hold it up allowing us to get our wingers involved. it hasnt worked for the second half of the season and we've been found out big time! we then change the centre midfield with marek coming in and to be fair to him, he's too clever for our 1 dimensional team. I remember coppell saying he wanted marek to change the way we play when he was brought in, but how can you change a team with one player when the majority is used to playing sh1te football!! you cant teach an old dog new tricks!
He's served us brilliantly and has definitely taken us to a new level. BUT, he cant take us any further. I can see us getting knocked out in the play -offs and a massive shake up at reading. i.e. coppell leaving, downes getting ousted, all of the out of contract players leaving, doyle and bikey being sold to better there careers, s.h1te being transfer listed and hopefully the youngsters being played to replace the dead wood.
1 step back, 2 steps forward.

+1

Top post.

+1

[rhroyal]

My opinions have today changed about Coppell. I supported him throughout last season, had I lived in Reading I'd have happily joined the car park crew. However, there seems to be a huge problem with him. When the team is on the slide and in need of some inspiration it obviously doesn't come from the manager. If you think about our 2 good seasons, 05/06 and 06/07, it all just flowed and happened. Massive credit to Coppell for putting the side together, but once things began moving the spirit of the team and the familiarity were what brought us results.

In 04/05, last season and this season things haven't been quite as perfect. The team has hit a slump in January or so and every time there have been similar responses:

Stage 1) Keep picking the same team and hope it will sort itself out.

Stage 2) Make a few changes but keep the same key players in, and rotate the team until hopefully you find the right formula. Don't change the system.

Stage 3) We're not here yet. However I'm thinking of the Arsenal game last season where Coppell played an unknown formation which included De La Cruz, Convey, Kebe and a load of players you wouldn't expect, entirely irrationally.

Then there is the issue of Bikey right now. Duberry and Pearce started well. However, our last 6 games have the following goals conceded record:

2-1-1-2-2-1

That doesn't justify playing the same back 4 match on match. Bikey was in our team when we were on form earlier in the season, and if he doesn't start at Doncaster on Tuesday I will for the first time think that 20,000 or so Reading fans honestly know better than him on some issues.

The truth is until the end of the season Coppell is the right man, it would be crazy to change anything now. However it could well be time for him to walk at the end of the season.

My perfect solution would be to move him upstairs, to get him working with Hammond. I can't remember a Reading manager who's better in the transfer market and more capable of putting a team together. Just think about Kitson, Doyle & Long, Nunt, SHunt, Fedders, Bikey, Sonko, Doobs, Little and Ivar. Did they even come to £1mill between them? They have all been very important to our team in the Coppell era, and think about the profit on Sonks and Kits. Then consider all the bit-part, but equally important, players we've brought in on the cheap. Bryn, De La Cruz, Makin (he covered Shorey capably in 05/06) and a few others. A few more expensive transfers such as Convey, Lita and Matejovsky (still all cheap by most clubs' standards) have largely been beneficial to the team. Even when we consider Halford and Fae, there is no Reading manager ever with a better record in the transfer market.

However, he is not ruthless enough to be totally successful. He needs to drop players he likes if they're not plating well. He needs to learn that the you should always look at strengthening the squad even after success, however harsh it may seem to some players. You can't always afford players the chance to sort out the mess they've created. It would have shown great character from the squad last season if they had cleared up their own problems. It would have been a massive achievement in each of their individual careers. However they didn't, and it was a bad decision of Coppell to give them chance when there was always a good chance they'd fail. A distinct lack of ruthlessness in all these areas. Sir Alex still plays Scholes and Giggs, but make no mistake, that is only because they are capable. The day when they're over the hill SAF won't allow sentiments to stand in the way of success. I can't say the same about Coppell, and that is why he'll never be a great manager.

Then there is his one dimensional tactics. 4-4-2 come what may. Where's plan B? 5-4-1 against teams obviously better, but what when teams come to play 4-5-1 and stifle? What do we do then? We hope to score in the first 20 minutes and then run out of ideas. Then there is finally the issue that he has no charisma and sense of inspiration. If you're a player who's having a hard time all you can do is look across at the bench and see a manager who looks like a sad face drawn onto a scrotum.

So for me the answer is to bring in a new manager at the end of the season who can show the ruthless side and variation in tactics, with Coppell upstairs to work with him on transfers stuff.

[glass half full]

Dillon and Downes out!

[Royalee]

Bump.

[REALROYAL]

Coppell is to nice for his own good. He has let S Hunt take the piss out of us 2 years running. Playing well till January getting a new deal then playing like a sulking school boy.

Coppell is a nice guy but he'l got no balls. Get rid of him now and bring in a new face that can lift the lads for the playoff, if we make the playoffs

[trueroyal1871]

Coppell, Dillon and Downes OUT enough's enough time for a change.

[SteveRoyal]

Maybe time for a change - at the end of the season.

[wichygbloke]

ive waited a long time to see what we can do this season and havent called for his head after 3 or 4 games as some of you have. but i really do believe his time is up. At the start of the season i was happy to see him stay and hoped he had learned from his mistakes last season. Unfortunately i believe he hasnt. We play a direct system that gets the ball to the front two as quickly as possible so they can hold it up allowing us to get our wingers involved. it hasnt worked for the second half of the season and we've been found out big time! we then change the centre midfield with marek coming in and to be fair to him, he's too clever for our 1 dimensional team. I remember coppell saying he wanted marek to change the way we play when he was brought in, but how can you change a team with one player when the majority is used to playing sh1te football!! you cant teach an old dog new tricks!
He's served us brilliantly and has definitely taken us to a new level. BUT, he cant take us any further. I can see us getting knocked out in the play -offs and a massive shake up at reading. i.e. coppell leaving, downes getting ousted, all of the out of contract players leaving, doyle and bikey being sold to better there careers, s.h1te being transfer listed and hopefully the youngsters being played to replace the dead wood.
1 step back, 2 steps forward.

+1

Top post.

x 2