Credit to Madejski and Hammond

[rhroyal]

Along with Rodgers, these two took so much stick earlier in the season when things were going badly. I'll be honest and say that I thought sacking Rodgers was a mistake at the time; I thought Madejski and Hammond were making him a scapegoat for everything that had gone wrong. Maybe they were, or maybe there was an underlying reason to do with money.

To be honest I don't care about their reasons. Whether through luck or judgement, they have made a great decision by replacing Rodgers with McD. They also made the money available to bring in Griffin and AK on loan, who must be on decent wages compared to the rest of our squad.

If we're all going to turn on them and criticize for the bad decisions, of which there were many in 2009, then we also have to appreciate their part in our recent upturn in fortunes.

I've been thinking this for a while, but waited until it was harder to argue against. We're now closer in points to the play-offs than the relegation zone; our Championship status is surely secure now. It's incredible to be able to say that as early as March considering the mess we were in back in December.

[Franchise FC]

Why go back as far as December ? In January we were all but doomed.

[facaldaqui]

Madejski has admitted he knows nothing about football, and he deserved all the criticism he got about Rodgers--though calls for JM to leave were reckless and pointless. What Madejski does know about is risk: he took the risk of sacking Rodgers and appointing McDermott and it seems to have paid off. He did his job.

In the statement about sacking Rodgers, Madejski said he would look at what was needed in the window. He clearly understood that something was needed, and we got Griffin and Khizanishvili. This proved those wrong who made out that he wasn't prepared to spend another sou.

[Forest Gump]

Apart from the fact that I agree it was the right decision for Rodgers to leave I do agree with this post.

I am no fan of Hammond and think the termination of contracts for so many key players before the appointment of a new manager was premature. However, I think that Rodgers was too inexperienced to take a risk with at that time and it was therefore a mighty risk.

However, credit to Madejski and Hammond for the brave decision to appoint McDermott who is turing out to be a very, very good manager.

[brendywendy]

hammond knew it needed doing, and also knew if he did it before a manager was appointed it would stop the new guy getting any stick for it.
at teh end of th eday we had to. there was no choice about it

JM and NH should be getting an ovation at the end of the season

[Dirk Gently]

Hammond didn't terminate their contracts on a whim at the end of the season - he just happened to be the one holding the reins when it happened.

They don't just start talking about contracts the day before they are due to expire, you know. The fact that there'd been no contract negotiations with those players in the previous 4-5 months means everyone knew that they weren't going to be renewed, and that was down to SC.

[Archie's penalty]

+1 Well done Nicky and John. Things looking rosy again in the RFC garden...

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Hammond didn't terminate their contracts on a whim at the end of the season - he just happened to be the one holding the reins when it happened.

They don't just start talking about contracts the day before they are due to expire, you know. The fact that there'd been no contract negotiations with those players in the previous 4-5 months means everyone knew that they weren't going to be renewed, and that was down to SC.

Disagree, had we gone up then some would have been renewed, but the whole club were waiting to see which division we were to be playing in. Also there may well have been negotiaions, Gunnar got an extra year, so I guess he negotiated, perhaps Marcus was miffed that he was being offered Champpionship wages and thought he derserved more, had he stayed he did not deserve more, IMHO

[Dirk Gently]

Hammond didn't terminate their contracts on a whim at the end of the season - he just happened to be the one holding the reins when it happened.

They don't just start talking about contracts the day before they are due to expire, you know. The fact that there'd been no contract negotiations with those players in the previous 4-5 months means everyone knew that they weren't going to be renewed, and that was down to SC.

Disagree, had we gone up then some would have been renewed, but the whole club were waiting to see which division we were to be playing in. Also there may well have been negotiaions, Gunnar got an extra year, so I guess he negotiated, perhaps Marcus was miffed that he was being offered Champpionship wages and thought he derserved more, had he stayed he did not deserve more, IMHO

Murts certainly had no doubts whatsoever that he'd not be renewed.

[Royal_Delight]

I must admit I am one of those few who wanted Hammond and Madejski to go after the disappointing first half of the season. I was also was one of the few who was shocked and disappointed at the hasty sacking of Rogers. I admit it.


But I am impressed at the appointment of McDermott and the results so far. Whether Madejski was taking a gamble on McD or he was just going for the "cheap" option I will never know. But if he was taking a gamble, kudos to him for the appointment. I feel I own him and Hammond an apology. Well done Mr Mad and Hammond, you have gave the 'ding' fans and I something to hope for in the seasons to come.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Hammond didn't terminate their contracts on a whim at the end of the season - he just happened to be the one holding the reins when it happened.

They don't just start talking about contracts the day before they are due to expire, you know. The fact that there'd been no contract negotiations with those players in the previous 4-5 months means everyone knew that they weren't going to be renewed, and that was down to SC.

Disagree, had we gone up then some would have been renewed, but the whole club were waiting to see which division we were to be playing in. Also there may well have been negotiaions, Gunnar got an extra year, so I guess he negotiated, perhaps Marcus was miffed that he was being offered Champpionship wages and thought he derserved more, had he stayed he did not deserve more, IMHO

Murts certainly had no doubts whatsoever that he'd not be renewed.

Hardly a surprise really on his contract, sadly.

[Arch]

Both need to be held accountable to some degree whether things go well or badly. When things are going in the wrong direction, the buck stops at the top, and equally when things are going well, they are due credit. What I have never agreed with was the knee-jerk "out"-ism that arises when things don't go well. Yes, JM and NH have to hold their hands up and accept some responsibility, but that doesn't mean in any way that we could do better than either. On BM, a bold and risky move that has worked because it has got us back to our roots. SJM and NH deserve a big round of applause for that. SJM stood to take the big financial hit of relegation and NH stood to lose his job, but the gambit has paid off.

[Ian Royal]

Yet more evidence we are generally an extremely well run club and those involved really do know what they are doing and have a good business plan.

We've had a few failures in management of the club recently, which was as much the responsibility of the team manager as the club management team. But since Madejski took over it has been almost exclusively good news. Since Hammond became DoF even more so.

As soon as something goes wrong the knob heads will of course blame them and say it shows they've always been clueless. But then they're knob heads.

[The Quiet Man]

Credit to Hammond for what exactly? Did he not scour the known universe ceaselessly searching for a brand new manager who would take Reading into a bold new future and brought us back Bodger and his bumper book of tactics? Teflon coated administrator who thinks he is God's gift to the football club - has he ever claimed responsibility for a bad decision or just trumpeted all his supposed successes in his role?

Credit to SJM and maybe even the Chief Executive, they realised we had Burns number two and this time decided that enough was enough before too much damage was done.

[PEARCEY]

Both need to be held accountable to some degree whether things go well or badly. When things are going in the wrong direction, the buck stops at the top, and equally when things are going well, they are due credit. What I have never agreed with was the knee-jerk "out"-ism that arises when things don't go well. Yes, JM and NH have to hold their hands up and accept some responsibility, but that doesn't mean in any way that we could do better than either. On BM, a bold and risky move that has worked because it has got us back to our roots. SJM and NH deserve a big round of applause for that. SJM stood to take the big financial hit of relegation and NH stood to lose his job, but the gambit has paid off.

Thats a fair post. I thought Madejski's time had come and that it was time for him to go...partly because he has wanted to sell the club for so long. However he does deserve credit as does Hammond for the tough decisions made.
So they do deserve praise for the astonishing turnaround since the start of this shiny new decade.

[Ian Royal]

I think they deserve an apology for the ridiculously over the top and extremely shortsighted stick they got previously, more than a lot of praise for taking a risk that's paid off, but that's just my opinion.

[Terminal Boardom]

The word fickle springs to mind

[From Despair To Where?]

Madejski's favourite mantra is "cutting our cloth". This also applies on the field in the sense of selecting the tactics to suit the players, somthing Rodgers evidently failed to grasp.

Madejski isn't a footballing man, his primary concern is the bottom line as a business. Hammond, as an ex pro and ex coach in the academy would recognise that the core of the squad was up to the job but wasn't being utilized correctly. I suspect that in the ill fated meeting with Rodgers where he came expecting to discuss the January transfer budget and left with his P45, both realised that here was a man who completely failed to grasp what was required in the here and now, which probably made the decision to sack him quite easy. Rodgers' statements after his sacking that he may have taken a more short term approach in hindsight would seem to back this up.

I'm not sure the decision to sack Rodgers was a particularly difficult one, in any line of business, you would expect the same for any manager who fails to grasp the immediate business objectives. Likewise, the decision to appoint McDermott caretaker was not a difficult one either, a safe pair of hands who knows the club and the players. Great credit for giving McDermott the job full time considering the league results as caretaker and I wouldn't be surprised if Hammond had considered the views of the playing staff in making the decision as they had been quite vocal in their support of McDermott and their desire to have a permenant manager in place.

[oldebiscuit]

Both need to be held accountable to some degree whether things go well or badly. When things are going in the wrong direction, the buck stops at the top, and equally when things are going well, they are due credit. What I have never agreed with was the knee-jerk "out"-ism that arises when things don't go well. Yes, JM and NH have to hold their hands up and accept some responsibility, but that doesn't mean in any way that we could do better than either. On BM, a bold and risky move that has worked because it has got us back to our roots. SJM and NH deserve a big round of applause for that. SJM stood to take the big financial hit of relegation and NH stood to lose his job, but the gambit has paid off.

I totally agree here. I wish the 'big mouths' that slag off SJM & NH at any given opportunity, would put their brains in gear first. The 'SJM out merchants' that were calling for his resignation recently have gone very quiet. Probably the same assoles that were booing mills on Tuesday.

[Millsy]

Yep credit to Madejski/Hammond/The Board... but only for making the best of a horrific job.

Yes we can be glad about the sacking of Rodgers and what so far looks like a fantastic appointment to take his place. Credit is definitely due and I applaud them for it.

But that's where it stops because at the end of the day, looking at the big picture we still blew the chance to consolidate in the premiership and allowed a freefall, still decided to go for Rodgers (instead of plenty of other worthy candidates including McD) and are simply celebrating the fact that we didn't totally balls it up.

So yeah, big hurray for the little we can cheer about.