Life after Brendan

[Terminal Boardom]

An F.A. Cup run isn't enough to win McD over for me. Some very encouraging signs no doubt, but we need league wins. Remember that we've lost our last 2 league games, and 3 out of 4 halves involved were as poor as we ever were under Rodgers. A win at Sheff Utd will make up my minds that McD deserves until the end of the season.

Not asking for much then.

SJM has absolutely no intention of appointing a "name" permanently at this time. What we need is stability.

[Rex]

1 year rolling contracts please.

[Ian Royal]

1 year rolling contracts please.

With clauses for renewal if targets are achieved IMO.

[Barry the bird boggler]

The results under Heston have not been an improvement on what we were getting under Clodagh.

Consequently we are just as badly off in the league as we ever were.

The only real changes made by Heston are to put Mills back in the team and to acquire a right back both of which Rodgers may have done by now if he had been left in the job.

Improved performances have only been noticeable in cup games which are totally irrelevant as the league is what matters.

[Ian Herring]

There is another way of looking at things that is perhaps less fashionable but maybe, just maybe, a little more realistic.

Football clubs' fortunes are often cyclical and much slower than to be of service to the immediate requirement of their fans.

In this context perhaps we could be seen to be 'bottoming out'. With, hopefully, a steady, incremental rise back from what has been a pretty rapid and precipitous fall from the heights the club achieved under Pardew/Coppell in particular.

Often a club has to 'cement its position' at a certain level, rather than go for the yo-yo option.

With that in mind, one could propose that McDermott's 'steady' approach, more measured than Rogers', is perhaps the better option for now.

He seems more suited to the economics and the reality of the situation.

There's a great deal of negativity about the club from some fans, out of kilter with the actual reality. We are a middling sized, provincial club who have punched above their weight for some considerable time. Unfortunately, I think that much of the modern game's hysterical and over-blown nature distorts a few people's expectations of what should be happening.

Life after Brendan isn't too bad. We've hit the skids, and may just get away with maintaining the level we are at, next season.

Surely, that would be good. No?

[Royal With Cheese]

Agreed IH, although 30 years ago bottom of the 2nd Division would have seemed to be punching above our weight.

However, with the new ground I don't think it's unreasonable to raise these expectations somewhat.

[Ian Herring]

Agreed IH, although 30 years ago bottom of the 2nd Division would have seemed to be punching above our weight.

However, with the new ground I don't think it's unreasonable to raise these expectations somewhat.

I'm sure you are right, RwC. I guess I was aiming a little at the more 'extreme' comments that have been levelled over the past few weeks and months.

I agree that with our resources as compared to Elm Park days, then yes, expectation levels have to be higher than in days gone by. I just think that some of the opinion expressed is a little, shall we say, unrealistic.

[Ian Royal]

Expecting to stay in this division is now realistic. Expecting to be challenging for promotion or deserving to be in the Premier League are not.

[Millsy]

BM is definitely providing stability for us - the league results have been just as atrocious under him as they were with BR. (FA Cup results mean little as any player will be fired up for Prem FA Cup match.)

WE DESPERATELY NEEDED A PROPER MANAGER.

However with Madejski acting very bizarrely since his decision to sell up we Reading fans are subject to making do with horrific decision after horrific decision and are constantly praying for the best to be made out of a very bad job.

In this case - not replacing the joker immediately was beyond stupid.

We have a man as inexperienced as BR was clueless who if we are extremely lucky will perform heroics and save us from relegation. However it seems JM will use any excuse not to get a proper manager and we are lumbered with this as mere mortals, who are expected to spend £50-100 per home game not to mention the time, whilst he messes around with what our hard earned money has helped build over the years. Who knows if a new manager at this late stage will even be fruitful. I just don't know and am almost beyond caring.

For the first time in 28 years of supporting this club I am totally disillusioned.

[rob the royal]

BM is definitely providing stability for us - the league results have been just as atrocious under him as they were with BR. (FA Cup results mean little as any player will be fired up for Prem FA Cup match.)

WE DESPERATELY NEEDED A PROPER MANAGER.

However with Madejski acting very bizarrely since his decision to sell up we Reading fans are subject to making do with horrific decision after horrific decision and are constantly praying for the best to be made out of a very bad job.

In this case - not replacing the joker immediately was beyond stupid.

We have a man as inexperienced as BR was clueless who if we are extremely lucky will perform heroics and save us from relegation. However it seems JM will use any excuse not to get a proper manager and we are lumbered with this as mere mortals, who are expected to spend £50-100 per home game not to mention the time, whilst he messes around with what our hard earned money has helped build over the years. Who knows if a new manager at this late stage will even be fruitful. I just don't know and am almost beyond caring.

For the first time in 28 years of supporting this club I am totally disillusioned.

I've replied to this in the other thread but reading that i'll say a bit more. It really does look like you feel now, the way I felt about a month or so ago. I'd try and be a bit more hopeful if I were you. If things do turn out as bad as you think they are going to you'll have plenty of time to moan about it then!!! In the meantime, my advice would be look at it this way: Bristol was his first game so I'm not even including that one. We had the one woeful trouncing at Plymouth away, Forest looked like a bit of a hangover to me and they were a good side, and the other one was Swansea who are also pretty decent team if you ask me. Not an easy period by any means.

If McDermott turns out to be a one-trick pony and we get smashed in the league and never pick up any points THEN i'll feel pretty miserable. But for now, the indications are that he is instilling a bit of fight and passion into this side, which every time we lost or drew under Rodgers I always maintained was the thing we lacked the most. With those qualities we are a much better side than we were.

At the end of the day, we can all talk about this as much as we want. Only points on the table will prove me right. And only points on the table will make you feel better about the way things are going. And if it goes the other way? I'll be right with you in the totally disillusioned camp.

[Focher]

LOL@more of your shit propaganda

Best three players this season have been Gylfi, Bertrand, and McAnuff. The former was introduced to the first team by Brendan Rodgers. The latter two were brought into the club by, err, Brendan Rodgers.

Since Rodgers was sacked we haven't won a single league game.

"Jimmy Kebe dropped to the bench" - yeah like that never happened before

"A proper right back in Andy Griffin" - yes, and you all said he was shit after Forest away.

"Mills in the side" - again, never seen that happen before

"Increased striking options" - what? Church was given his proper chance by Rodgers. Long's been injured and is shit anyway. Rasiak was signed by Rodgers. And the new guy was brought in by...well you can work it out for yourselves

Oh and I might as well mention again that we haven't won a single league match under McDermott.

I actually think B-Mac comes across well and really hope he succeeds, but the revisionist agenda-driven shit that gets written on here is unbelievable.

i agree with a lot you say Mags, but i think you are being a little harsh. Plymouth aside, i think there has been positives to take from every game BM has been in charge. Despite not gettin 3 points yet, even the biggest critic has to admit the team is working harder, its more organised, its creating more chances, and for once in many a year (including Coppell), we are able to make substitutions that have an impact. If this carries on, the results will change, im sure of that.

[rob the royal]

If this carries on, the results will change, im sure of that.

They have to or we are really in the brown stuff. Anyway, I'll put my keyboard where my mouth is and go for at least 6 points in our next 4.

[Royal With Cheese]

Don't forget 3 of those 4 games have been away from home.

I, for one, find it odd that some posters were urging the board to give BR more time and yet feel happy to leap on McD's back after a handful of games.

For the record, I'm neither pro McD or was anti Rodgers. I'm pro RFC and no one can be happy with what's gone on in 2009.

[Ian Royal]

I, for one, find it odd that some posters were urging the board to give BR more time and yet feel happy to leap on McD's back after a handful of games.

You aren't alone.

[rob the royal]

Don't forget 3 of those 4 games have been away from home.

I, for one, find it odd that some posters were urging the board to give BR more time and yet feel happy to leap on McD's back after a handful of games.

For the record, I'm neither pro McD or was anti Rodgers. I'm pro RFC and no one can be happy with what's gone on in 2009.

+1

[Maguire]

Don't forget 3 of those 4 games have been away from home.

I, for one, find it odd that some posters were urging the board to give BR more time and yet feel happy to leap on McD's back after a handful of games.

For the record, I'm neither pro McD or was anti Rodgers. I'm pro RFC and no one can be happy with what's gone on in 2009.

I agree with that, certainly.

Focher - as it happens I (and this is just my opinion) do like some of the things B-Mac has done. I'm a big fan of 4-4-2 and McDermott's selections, for the most part, fall in line more with my way of thinking than some of Rodgers' did. I don't even mind the results he's produced thus far, poorer though they are compared to the previous seven games.

What I hate are the blinkered simpletons who never gave Rodgers a chance from Day 1 and now take any and every opportunity to stick the boot in, and to praise McDermott, even when it's absolutely ridiculous to do so.

[Pseud O'Nym]

What I hate are the blinkered simpletons who never gave Rodgers a chance from Day 1 and now take any and every opportunity to stick the boot in, and to praise McDermott, even when it's absolutely ridiculous to do so.

Quite agree that putting the boot into Rodgers is pointless now the bloke has had the ultimate boot applied, but you're starting to make Royalee look like he has a wide range of interests.

[Maguire]

What I hate are the blinkered simpletons who never gave Rodgers a chance from Day 1 and now take any and every opportunity to stick the boot in, and to praise McDermott, even when it's absolutely ridiculous to do so.

Quite agree that putting the boot into Rodgers is pointless now the bloke has had the ultimate boot applied, but you're starting to make Royalee look like he has a wide range of interests.

Yeah I know, and I hate myself for it.

Somebody has to bring balance to the force though.

[Ian Royal]

Don't forget 3 of those 4 games have been away from home.

I, for one, find it odd that some posters were urging the board to give BR more time and yet feel happy to leap on McD's back after a handful of games.

For the record, I'm neither pro McD or was anti Rodgers. I'm pro RFC and no one can be happy with what's gone on in 2009.

I agree with that, certainly.

Focher - as it happens I (and this is just my opinion) do like some of the things B-Mac has done. I'm a big fan of 4-4-2 and McDermott's selections, for the most part, fall in line more with my way of thinking than some of Rodgers' did. I don't even mind the results he's produced thus far, poorer though they are compared to the previous seven games.

What I hate are the blinkered simpletons who never gave Rodgers a chance from Day 1 and now take any and every opportunity to stick the boot in, and to praise McDermott, even when it's absolutely ridiculous to do so.

You might wanna stop getting so riled with me then. I actively supported Rodgers (with concerns and frustrations in places) right up to P'boro 10 games in. I also wanted him to get another game after QPR to show he could learn which he did and won back my tentative support. But he didn't kick on from there and we had to make a decision either way within a week or two of when we did.

I'm glad we have McDermott in charge now. Although at the time Rodgers was sacked I'd have rather it was to bring in someone quality from outside to use the window.

I take issue with those who have the blinkered view that everything was going to be fine under Rodgers and that his reign wasn't plenty full of failures. And those that are writing off McDermott despite wanting Rodgers to get all the time in the world.

[Maguire]

I actively supported Rodgers (with concerns and frustrations in places) right up to P'boro 10 games in

How generous!

Going through a massive rebuilding program and ROFLeading fans are so patient they wait a whole TEN GAMES before making their minds up.

Fcking hell.