Anyone feeling positive? Anyone???

[Big Ern]

Even if Long stays, can he be relied upon to reach the heights of last season? We need another centre back and a proper challenger for Harte too. If all this happens, we can have a decent go again. Our midfield is looking very good so long as we keep Kebe.

Agreed. with at least one Central Defender and 2 good Full backs and we could stand a chance of the playoffs, without those signing, we will probably finish 9th next season.

I do not expect for a minute for us to add what is needed, nor do I expect that we have seen the end of the player departures.

[PEARCEY]

I am positive that we won't do remotely as well as we did last season.

Atta boy

[The Glory Days :(]

I really don't understand why people are so negative! :L People say we overachieved last season... but lets think for a minute, maybe we didn't? We KNOW we can beat teams like Everton, Liverpool, West Brom. Admittedly they are cup games ... one offs but seriously! When we beat Cardiff 3-0 that was a long time coming, we should have had all 6 points against them not just 2! We can beat the big teams in this league, we can beat/contend with big clubs in other leagues, stop being so pessimistic and back the boys!!!

[howser]

As long as we have Mr McD at the helm we will be ok, but if he is headhunted or leaves then thats when the fan will truly be hit, not too many managers with a track record at this level would want to come here with its very negative buying, but very willing sell policy.

[Handsome Man]

I'm looking forward to the new season. We have lost our captain, but our number one striker hasn't gone yet and is being talked about as a £10 million player. Nobody is mentioning Kebe leaving. Pearce will get more games next year, and we are usually better with him playing. Cummings will give Griffin a run for his money. HRK improved a lot last year. Manset looks like he had a good summer fitness-wise. There are lots of positives.

I can understand the spoilt bastard brigade complaining because Mr Madejski hasn't spent millions of his own money buying us superstar players and risking a future full of Jimmy Bullard situations commiting to long-term multi-million pound salaries. I could also understand my sister's tears when she wasn't bought ponies and shit for her birthday.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

As long as we have Mr McD at the helm we will be ok, but if he is headhunted or leaves then thats when the fan will truly be hit, not too many managers with a track record at this level would want to come here with its very negative buying, but very willing sell policy.

When we take on managers that just want to buy success, the club fails, Burns and Rodgers were the worst we ever had, they were not bad managers, but were wrong for RFC at the time, McGhee, Pardew, Coppell amd now McD are the type we need not billy big bollox who want to buy success

[CayeneMatt]

Does anyone else think it odd that Long hasn't gone yet?

Yes I know there's 6 weeks to go til the end of the window, but its also been 6 weeks since the end of the (our) season.

Even if the 10m stories are putting off potential suitors, you'd think there'd be more activity.

Likewise Kebe....... Not a snifter....

[Royal Rother]

I really don't understand why people are so negative! :L People say we overachieved last season... but lets think for a minute, maybe we didn't? We KNOW we can beat teams like Everton, Liverpool, West Brom. Admittedly they are cup games ... one offs but seriously! When we beat Cardiff 3-0 that was a long time coming, we should have had all 6 points against them not just 2! We can beat the big teams in this league, we can beat/contend with big clubs in other leagues, stop being so pessimistic and back the boys!!!

[domo]

I actually go from positive to negative and vice versa.I get annoyed that we miss out on players who I know would be good..I get annoyed when players (I believe are outstanding) leave..I know SJM and do get annoyed that IMHO he uses the club for his benefit..but on the other hand knwo I havent got the cash to fund it in the way I would like to..
Having seen the academy from aclose level I do think it is one of the top 3-4 in the south of the UK and definitely in the top 10 GB wide..so I know that while not all of the players we offer contracts to as pros will be 'great championship level players or above' I do think we will continue to uncover the occasional great player and build a squad that competes..ideally we need a new regime eventually that loves football and RFC and is willing to take a risk..it wont happen with what we have currently
I try and work out the maths and have just had a beer with a mate of mine from Swansea ..he's going through exactly the same though process as we do (Better style of footie IMO) and doesnt know whats right..
Give me 15 games then I will be + or -

[Arch]

I actually go from positive to negative and vice versa.I get annoyed that we miss out on players who I know would be good..I get annoyed when players (I believe are outstanding) leave..I know SJM and do get annoyed that IMHO he uses the club for his benefit..but on the other hand knwo I havent got the cash to fund it in the way I would like to..
Having seen the academy from aclose level I do think it is one of the top 3-4 in the south of the UK and definitely in the top 10 GB wide..so I know that while not all of the players we offer contracts to as pros will be 'great championship level players or above' I do think we will continue to uncover the occasional great player and build a squad that competes..ideally we need a new regime eventually that loves football and RFC and is willing to take a risk..it wont happen with what we have currently
I try and work out the maths and have just had a beer with a mate of mine from Swansea ..he's going through exactly the same though process as we do (Better style of footie IMO) and doesnt know whats right..
Give me 15 games then I will be + or -

Wow, that's a lot of knowledge there.

[Jackson Corner]

I'm positive we will have a shite season.

[seahawk10]

Feeling confident and looking forward to the first game. I have complete faith in Sir Brian

Me too...

[Schards#2]

I am positive that we won't do remotely as well as we did last season.

Atta boy

The team is likely to be about £13,000,000 inferior to what it was last season.

Surely, it is simply realistic and logical to assume that it will perform worse?

And, yes, I know the same could be said at the start of last season.

[Silver Fox]

Top 8 this season would be an overachievement, the league is so much stronger this year

I reckon if you went through the posts from this time last year you'll probably find one exactly the same as this, in fact most of this thread is prolly covered by that.

As ever I'm pretty positive, what's the point of going otherwise?

[loyalroyal4life]

Top 8 this season would be an overachievement, the league is so much stronger this year

I reckon if you went through the posts from this time last year you'll probably find one exactly the same as this, in fact most of this thread is prolly covered by that.

As ever I'm pretty positive, what's the point of going otherwise?

True but I think it is more justified if comparing to last year that it is much stronger!

[loyalroyal4life]

Even if Long stays, can he be relied upon to reach the heights of last season? We need another centre back and a proper challenger for Harte too. If all this happens, we can have a decent go again. Our midfield is looking very good so long as we keep Kebe.

Indeed, I am not so sure Long can do it for another season, if he got past 10 goals that would be great!

[Maguire]

Impossible to say at the moment but if last season taught us anything it's that B-Mac is more than capable of surprising us all.

[Ferris]

the league is so much stronger this year

Every season someone comes up with this, then by the end of the season other people are saying how we wasted an opportunity as the league was so much weaker than previous seasons.

I'm positive that on our day we can beat anyone in the league, whether we can be consistent enough to go up who knows. Just looking forward to the start of the season and a 3-0 win over Millwall.

[Man Friday]

I'm looking forward to the new season. We have lost our captain, but our number one striker hasn't gone yet and is being talked about as a £10 million player. Nobody is mentioning Kebe leaving. Pearce will get more games next year, and we are usually better with him playing. Cummings will give Griffin a run for his money. HRK improved a lot last year. Manset looks like he had a good summer fitness-wise. There are lots of positives.

I can understand the spoilt bastard brigade complaining because Mr Madejski hasn't spent millions of his own money buying us superstar players and risking a future full of Jimmy Bullard situations commiting to long-term multi-million pound salaries. I could also understand my sister's tears when she wasn't bought ponies and shit for her birthday.

I'm not surprised she wasn't bought that. You can get it free.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

RFC has spent most of its life bouncing between the 2nd and 3rd tiers of English football

Well done M8. Gr8 to hear from fans who haven't got the the slightest f'ing clue about the history of RFC.