How Long Will BM Last at this rate?????

[Lacoste]

I think that if we are struggling at the foot of the table come what the middle of December the axe could well fall on MCD. Would give the new man time to asses the squad and bring in additions in Jan.

Noone knows what the Russian will do but with the extra TV money next season he will do everything he can to stay in the Prem.

Be nice to see some good football too.

[Ian Royal]

It's quite likely that there is a string element of truth in this, however much we all have faith that McD can pull us around, football is a very unforgiven, reults driven institution, once in the Premiership its the responsibility of the owners to do all they can to stay there, brutal but true.

As far as Harry goes, yes Portsmouth have got themselves into some serious financial trouble, but he wasnt signing the cheques, he gave the owners a wish list and they provided him with the players he wanted, the trouble there was the owners and not the manager, he wasn't responsible for their financial demise it was the guys who gave him those players and sanctioned their transfer fees and wages who exceeded the clubs limitations.

No big brown envelopes here thanks.

[Barry the bird boggler]

What a load of complete and utter drivel. Therefore please move to the Rumours and Gossip forum....

[Gordons Cumming]

What a load of complete and utter drivel. Therefore please move to the Rumours and Gossip forum....

Sorry, but you're not allowed that opinion.

See my comment.....

[moonwalklikebas]

Would be nice to see some good football this season. We clearly have the shittest group of players in the division though and whether its MCD or Redknapp I cant see them turning it round.

The only saving grace is the January window where both MCD (Last year) and Redknapp have done very well in the past.

Stick or Twist - Its a hard question

[SPARTA]

We didn't realistically expect a win today against Liverpool, but oxf*rd hell, more 4-5-1 / 4-4-1.

It doesn't work. We are a 4-4-2 team.

We have pace to hurt sides on the wings, and a creative midfielder in Guthrie which is all being wasted at the frustrating expense of long ball football that the manager wants.

It's not working and it needs to change. But will it? I don't think so. I expect Brian to stick with what he believes in, and it will ultimately cost us this season.

That said, the next lot of fixtures in the league are a lot more winnable, whereas the fixtures that precede these aren't, so if Brian is to keep his job, these next few games are vital.



If we are still winless by come 24-Nov I expect we could see a change in management.

[Stuboo]

Someone on BBCRB today was calling for McD to be sacked. What a oxf*rd!

[SPARTA]

Someone on BBCRB today was calling for McD to be sacked. What a oxf*rd!

After 7 games it's hard to disagree, but after 9 (1/4 of the season played)?

[windermere_royal]

if we are still bottom 3 after Villa is hard to make a case for BM to stay.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

I really hate to say it but I think BM will be gone by Dec if we don't get a win.

Laughable really as we should never have got promoted & he's worked a minor miracle to get here but ultimately it's a results business.

[Royal91]

I'm shocked that McDermott thought he had enough ability in the squad to stay up.

Lets not kid ourselves we were lucky to get promoted, let alone win the bloody championship!

[Stuboo]

Just wow!

I was expecting a response of indignation that the idea of sacking McD was even suggested.

[SPARTA]

I really hate to say it but I think BM will be gone by Dec if we don't get a win.

Laughable really as we should never have got promoted & he's worked a minor miracle to get here but ultimately it's a results business.

This is it, and I was reading an article yesterday where AZ said promotion back to the Prem will take time, and improving the team was now the priority.

Then we went and got promoted - TOO SOON.

This team, or much of it, over-achieved last season and wasn't ready for promotion. Ideally we needed another season, perhaps two of building, but we now have a great opportunity and a massive TV deal at the end of the season IF we stay up - and that is why I fear Brian's time is running out. A lot of that investment will be needed to improve all the facilities we say we want to. I just don't think relegation will be accepted, or risked.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Just wow!

I was expecting a response of indignation that the idea of sacking McD was even suggested.

I don't want him to go at all. Doesn't mean it won't happen though. It's certainly not too late to turn things around although you can already see a bit of a gap opening up. These next few home games are absolutely crucial.

[Libertine]

Our results so far are in no way an indictment of Brian per se...it is an indictment of trying to do it "The Reading Way™" in today's Premier League. We needed to spend more, we got an owner who allegedly has deep pockets, yet we are still trying to do things "The Reading Way™". The last time we were promoted we had a much stronger team, which dominated the Championship, with players who went on to have decent spells in the PL after we went back down. This time we have a team of classic "overachievers", whom I absolutely love for their heart, whom refused to be denied last season but when going up against some of the best players in the world, i.e. the Van Persie's, Rooney's, Ba's, Bale's, Mata's, etc, etc, etc, we will struggle mightly to get results. We have as of yet not had a clean sheet, we struggle to have even 40% possession against all opponents, we struggle to keep leads when we do by chance get them and we don't have the needed depth to make meaningful changes to try to alter this reality we find ourselves in right now. We took a calculated risk that essentially the same club as last year would be able to overachieve in the Premier League like they did in the Championship last season...and as of now that gamble looks like a bad one.

[Avon Royal]

Libertine,

That's a great post and saves me the effort of writing the same.

[ZacNaloen]

If they want us to stay up this season, 4 more games in my opinion.


If they are wiling to take relegation he'll get the season and next unless we start poorly.

[RoyalBlue]

Someone on BBCRB today was calling for McD to be sacked. What a oxf*rd!

Is that call really that extreme now? where are the signs of improvement? What grounds are there for optimism, other than 'it normally comes good after Xmas'. And please, no one give me the 'Liverpool are a really good team' line. They were another team struggling to find form and we were p*ss poor against them. What will happen when we come up against the form teams and just where are we going to get the points from.

Would be a shame to see McDermott go and I don't think the time has quite come but he needs to do something to produce some points pretty quick.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Our results so far are in no way an indictment of Brian per se...it is an indictment of trying to do it "The Reading Way™" in today's Premier League. We needed to spend more, we got an owner who allegedly has deep pockets, yet we are still trying to do things "The Reading Way™". The last time we were promoted we had a much stronger team, which dominated the Championship, with players who went on to have decent spells in the PL after we went back down. This time we have a team of classic "overachievers", whom I absolutely love for their heart, whom refused to be denied last season but when going up against some of the best players in the world, i.e. the Van Persie's, Rooney's, Ba's, Bale's, Mata's, etc, etc, etc, we will struggle mightly to get results. We have as of yet not had a clean sheet, we struggle to have even 40% possession against all opponents, we struggle to keep leads when we do by chance get them and we don't have the needed depth to make meaningful changes to try to alter this reality we find ourselves in right now. We took a calculated risk that essentially the same club as last year would be able to overachieve in the Premier League like they did in the Championship last season...and as of now that gamble looks like a bad one.

Maybe they didn't take a risk at all though? Perhaps they thought fcuk it lets see what happens - we never expected to be here anyway..........

[Brain Traysers]

Promotion really did come too soon, but what was McDo to do? Spend and bring in a whole new team and harshly drop the players, who in my opinion are mainly average to good championship players, who formed the team that took the title even without our captain and top scorer from the previous season.

In recent years spending hasn't been immediately successful, the ones who have spunked money away and stayed up (QPR, Sunderland and Stoke come to mind) have often done so by the skin of their teeth- like QPR last season. Despite the huge fees and wages the fans have endured bad football and often get to watch overpaid mercenaries strolling around half-heartily. For this strategy to be a success you have to continue to spend; Sunderland finally have a decent manager and are building a solid competitive team, QPR still aren't there.

Keeping the core of the team together and supplement where value for money is available (much like Newcastle, Norwich last season and West Brom all following promotion) seems a logical decision to me, given that TSI have been stressing that they will continue to run the business in a prudent manner. I don't think a large pool of funds will be available every transfer window. It isn't the Reading way to splash the cash on young expensive players and imports weren't the answer last time round.

The only way I think we could be in a better position right now (other than a correct referring decisions at home to Newcastle and less keeper errors) would have been if we got one or two extra players in who know our system, the team and how the league works - unfortunately one found much higher wages at spurs and the other was kept in the midlands because a new manager was (correctly as it seems) unwilling to sell.

So to answer the question, I think he should be given at least this season and the next. The man has worked miracles with the squad and has proven himself in the transfer market (summer signings yet to be proven either way), sacking him will leave us with a squad of mainly average champ players and no manager out there can build it into a stronger unit, or a better team without outrageous January spending on players who magically drop in and tear up the league.