Coppell has gone

[bobby m's syrup]

The rebuilding job, which should have been well on the way by now, can begin. I am grateful for the successes, but it was evident that the wheels had come off the wagon as early as late Autumn 07. Mr Coppell has done the honourable thing... a year to 18 months too late. S.C. an absolute legend I agree, but the relegation last year was oh so avoidable and just what was done to stop the rot in the second half of this season?

[LoyalRoyalFan]

LETS ALL HAVE A DISCO,
LETS ALL HAVE A DISCO,
NAH NAAH NAH NAA!
HEY!
NAH NAAH NAH NAA!
HEY!

Why are you even on this board? You're clearly not a Reading fan. So oxf*rd off.

[papereyes]

Without his passion, wisdom and calm under pressure tactics we would would have never tasted the glory of premiership football, and for this i think you

I think I've tried to write this several times today ...


never?

seriously?

[semtex1871]

if all the dicks who were at the car park begging him to stay had not bothered, we might well have done better this season.

we didn't deserve to be in the play offs after the way we have played since Xmas.....Coppell had run out of ideas and we desperately need some new leadership.

good riddance Mr Boring......

[semtex1871]

LETS ALL HAVE A DISCO,
LETS ALL HAVE A DISCO,
NAH NAAH NAH NAA!
HEY!
NAH NAAH NAH NAA!
HEY!

I've got a 4 pack of stella, some party size sausage rolls and will youngs greatest hits........can I join the disco.....

[crossie]

if all the dicks who were at the car park begging him to stay had not bothered, we might well have done better this season.

Or worse.

[brendywendy]

Rebuilding job? Seriously?

seems like a totally different team to me

[westongeezer]

i wish him well @ QPR

[Royalee]

i wish him well @ QPR

LOL, you think someone like Coppell would last two minutes at QPR with their board?

[The Surgeon of Crowthorne]

After listening to his post match comments on the way home last night, I was quite shocked to hear the news this morning. I did think he would go, but he was a bit more equivocal last night than I thought he would be.
Still, thanks for the past 5 and a half years, Steve - I'm sorry to see you go.

[papereyes]

Rebuilding job? Seriously?

seems like a totally different team to me

Keeper - same
Central defenders - already at club, one kid promoted.
Wing backs - Armstrong for Shorey, Harding signed during season
Wingers - already at club, Little sold but brought back
Central midfield - Already at club [Harper, Marek, Cisse], kid promoted, Tabb signed during season.
Attack - Doyle, Long, Lita kept, at least originally, NHunt for Kitson

What else have I missed? A player or two who barely played a game for us?

The main thing that we got out of this season was continuity. We with played essentially the same team and squad that got relegated, with the major exceptions Karacan, Pearce, NHunt and Armstrong.

[Snowball]

Rebuilding job? Seriously?

First game last season, very different side

Hahnemann
De La Cruz,
Shorey
Duberry
Ingimarsson,
Murty
Gunnarsson
Harper
Seol
(Oster 56),
Hunt
(Bikey 86)
Doyle
(Kitson 71)

Subs: Federici, Cisse

All these did not/barely contibuted this season

De La Cruz,
Shorey,
Murty,
Seol,
Murty
Oster
Kitson
Lita
Fae

We have a new right back (Rosy and a new back-up), new left back (Stretch and Harding), "new L/R winger" (Kebe), briefly a new RW (Henry) a new midfielder (Tabb), another, Karacan, a new striker (Noel Hunt), a keeper almost-certainly playing his last season (Marcus) replaced for a fair amount of games by Feds

That's quite a change 9 players (plus Church)

[loyalroyal4life]

steve you will always be a legend whatever happened past 2 seasons but as he knows we should all realise it is time for a change throughout the club and this is the 1st step in that!!

just hope someone who could do half the job he has will come in.


In then aftermath of yesterday, i am more worried about the destruction of our team and us fighting relegation moreso than anything


i hope some hna theorists can put that idea to bed

[Dirk Gently]

Was he pushed or did he really resign--thats the real question?

He decided - himself - months ago to leave at the end of this season - I'd say as far back as October he'd already decided.

[papereyes]

De La Cruz,
Shorey,
Murty,
Seol,
Murty
Oster
Kitson
Lita
Fae

Those in bold barely played last season! Oster played less than half a season as it was and we only had one Murty playing for us.

How many really thought on the opening game of the season that we'd get promoted given the rebuilding job that was required?

We have a new right back (Rosy and a new back-up), new left back (Stretch and Harding), "new L/R winger" (Kebe), briefly a new RW (Henry) a new midfielder (Tabb), another, Karacan, a new striker (Noel Hunt), a keeper almost-certainly playing his last season (Marcus) replaced for a fair amount of games by Feds

The poster refers to the opening game of the season so why have you counted two players that were already signed and had already played a season for the club by that point?

That's some very selective work you've done there Snowball. Sometimes I swear you put down duff stats just to get a reaction.

We went with continuity and the main changes have already been highlighted.

[willz_royal]

Been feeling sick to my stomach all day. Seeing him basically shed a tear at the end of his "apology" video on the bbc site just kills me.

How the hell can we replace him with some waste of space like curbishley?

[RoyalBlue]

Was he pushed or did he really resign--thats the real question?

He decided - himself - months ago to leave at the end of this season - I'd say as far back as October he'd already decided.

I used to think that myself but am puzzled by the pretty upbeat interview he gave with BBCRB after the game when he was unusually positive and talking in quite an upbeat manner about using the second season's parachute money to finance a rebuild for next season.

Others will no doubt suggest that he did this to throw the media off the scent in order that he could tell JM that he was leaving before the news broke to all and sundry. However, there is a flaw in that argument. If, as Dirk suggests, Steve Coppell had made his mind up some time ago that he was leaving at the end of the season, I do not believe he is the type of man to leave JM in the dark and only break the news to him come the end of the season.

I'm therefore left wondering whether he did have discussions with JM after the game, during which it became clear that JM was reluctant to commit to the expenditure hoped for and/or was still looking to get out himself, and it was that which tipped the balance and led to SC's resignation.

Of course JM would still be disappointed that SC resigned and could honestly say that he had hoped that he would stay. However, as always, staying would be on JM's terms.

[Snowball]

What is "selective" about looking at the team and subs for the first game last season versus the squad at the end of this season?

That opening squad, and the next few games was "Reading" at the start of the relegation year.

The current side is nothing like that squad

But there is not the slightest selectivity about it. It's the most obvious comparison.

And it isn't whether a player is on the books, it's whether he's a regular.

Harding and Tabb are perfect examples. Both were on the books, but Harding,
for example, looked like he would never play for Reading. Stretch was injured,
in comes Harding who looks excellent at this level

[Terminal Boardom]

Feeling very angry about the whole thing. There are players at this club who have contrived to oxf*rd things up. I doubt if we could have had a better manager. The man's honesty, decency, modesty and integrity are all intact. I wish him well for the future and thank him for some spectacular highs.

4th is not a disaster. It is considerably better than I expected. Also, no-one has died.

Roll on the mongtards on here clamouring for the new manager to go after the first 5 or 6 games next season.

[Archie's penalty]

I really blame the players. But of course I see that Coppell had his flaws. I'm most upset because of all the memories gone and the fact that Stevie C was such a man of integrity. I feel emotionally drained today. I want to appoint Adie Boothroyd a man I trust and respect and someone it has to be said that the team would respect as well.

Remember he played bad football at Watford as he had no resources. With us I think he could do something spectacular. And let's stop all the mudslinging. Thank Coppell, be sad or happy for our own reasons and move on.