Reading failing to invest

[PistolPete]

Why, on every forum and radio phone in, are fans blaming our impending relegation the owners for a lack of investment? Everyone says it's not McDermotts fault and that the squad is not strong enough, 'we underinvested last time and we've done it again'...

...do people forget that last time we were promoted we took a similar 'trust in the group' strategy and finished 8th?? Is this not similarly our first season in the prem after winning the league below?

Why do people keep blaming Zingarevich when it seems highly plausible that McDermott genuinely believed the 'group' hype?

Astounding scenes

This is not the thread to discuss the rights and wrongs of the sacking but rather the place to discuss why we are such hindsight experts...

[juanpablo]

if we bid silly money for Sig then the money was there, it would appear Brian/Nicky failed to find suitable targets with the cash

[Elm Park Pasty]

To be honest do we really know what went on financially? A lot of people are complaining about BM had money to spend but chose not to in the summer 'to give the group a chance' and then tried for only a couple of January. None of us will really know what went on or how much money there was until someone on the inside comes out and says so, anything else at this point is conjecture. BM said in the Summer he was happy with what he got, and then said later we should have got more in, that does not mean the money was not there. Without there being specific details in the public domain none of us know what could or could not have been spent if the opportunity arose, or whether he indeed was curtailed by lack of finance.

[ManchesterRoyals]

if we bid silly money for Sig then the money was there, it would appear Brian/Nicky failed to find suitable targets with the cash

This

Trouble is brian has his self to blame

Brian wanted to stick with players that are at best championship players not PL players and hence why we are where we are in league. He needed to be more ruthless and stop being so NICE

[melonhead]

if we bid silly money for Sig then the money was there, it would appear Brian/Nicky failed to find suitable targets with the cash

a few days before the jan window shut. yes.

[melonhead]

To be honest do we really know what went on financially? A lot of people are complaining about BM had money to spend but chose not to in the summer 'to give the group a chance' and then tried for only a couple of January. None of us will really know what went on or how much money there was until someone on the inside comes out and says so, anything else at this point is conjecture. BM said in the Summer he was happy with what he got, and then said later we should have got more in, that does not mean the money was not there. Without there being specific details in the public domain none of us know what could or could not have been spent if the opportunity arose, or whether he indeed was curtailed by lack of finance.

agreed- cant really start throwing the blame around till we find out who made the decisions on budget, and the reasons behind them.

[maffff]

We'll see if we're talking about the same lack of investment come the end of the summer window. AZ's hand will be forced regardless of division we are in and we'll see how he backs the new manager then.

My understanding is Madejski has on hand firmly grasped on on the pursestrings and approach this season, although advocating Pog (with McD's blessing) and bids for Gylfi etc. Once AZ is in full control with his man in charge we'll see him implementing new 'Reading way' and get a chance to witness his vision.

Hope it's not Di Canio.

[ManchesterRoyals]

if we bid silly money for Sig then the money was there, it would appear Brian/Nicky failed to find suitable targets with the cash

a few days before the jan window shut. yes.

Were in the shit so why leave it till the last few days of transfer window?

[maffff]

Were in the shit so why leave it till the last few days of transfer window?

Plan A/B/C/D didn't come to fruition and opportunities potentially arose that were too good to turn down that due to circumstances outside of our control eventually never were.

[melonhead]

the blokes saying the last minute bids for ince and sig prove there was money throughout both windows. im just questioning if thats what it does mean

[Barry the bird boggler]

Sorry please explain how JM has one hand on the purse strings this season? AZ owns 51% of the club so surely the best JM can do is to say what he thinks, if AZ then still wanted to spend millions on someone then he could.

[ManchesterRoyals]

If they had 10 mill to spend i thought they should have started on Jan 1 not leave it till last day more or less

[Vision]

Isn't it possible that that money only became available when they thought there might be a chance of securing Gylffi after Spurs signed Holtby in January.?

[PistolPete]

To be honest do we really know what went on financially? A lot of people are complaining about BM had money to spend but chose not to in the summer 'to give the group a chance' and then tried for only a couple of January. None of us will really know what went on or how much money there was until someone on the inside comes out and says so, anything else at this point is conjecture. BM said in the Summer he was happy with what he got, and then said later we should have got more in, that does not mean the money was not there. Without there being specific details in the public domain none of us know what could or could not have been spent if the opportunity arose, or whether he indeed was curtailed by lack of finance.

agreed- cant really start throwing the blame around till we find out who made the decisions on budget, and the reasons behind them.

See Brendy, you are the living proof of what I have been frustrated by! Why do we have to blame someone?!?! 90% of us were happy with our summer investments as 90% of us watched us finish 8th with similar or less investment last time around:

Perceived as Good
Pogrebniak
Gunter
McCleary
Marriappa
Guthrie

Perceived as Bad
Shorey

Midway though the season Shorey was the second coming and Marriappa was pointless. Fickle? Us??

Yet now it looks like we're going down we want to know who was to blame for our lack of investemnt?!? We are pathetic!

We failed because we failed to psychologically and tactically utilise our players. Simple.

[facaldaqui]

I think the investment thing is irrelevant. This team has been very close in a lot of matches: arguably things could have been turned round without much money. If money were the answer, why have QPR been in a mess? And how did we get promoted last year against better funded sides?

People need to decide whether this is about Brian or about investment. If Brian could have survived in the prem with more money, then stop on about his inability to manage at this level. If he could not, then is money a factor?--especially given how close we are to surival. And people should stop to think before they go recommending managers like Di Matteo and Adkins, both of whom had more to spend at this level than Brian. The more I think about it, the more I think we should have continued with Brian, and then replaced him if we stayed up and kept him if we went down. Where on earth will we find a better manager at championship level? (Not that I am giving up the premier ghost just yet.)

[Royal With Cheese]

Were in the shit so why leave it till the last few days of transfer window?

Plan A/B/C/D didn't come to fruition and opportunities potentially arose that were too good to turn down that due to circumstances outside of our control eventually never were.

I never saw evidence of plans B/C and D.

[mbb]

Does no one remember the Football Focus interview with AZ when they did the programme from the Mad Stad?

He said then that money was available. He ain't gonna say how much, is he! Then you get clubs inflating players values.

Brian has never been in the big money spending league, it just wasn't on his radar when he was scout or obviously as manager.

[PistolPete]

I think the investment thing is irrelevant. This team has been very close in a lot of matches: arguably things could have been turned round without much money. If money were the answer, why have QPR been in a mess? And how did we get promoted last year against better funded sides?

People need to decide whether this is about Brian or about investment. If Brian could have survived in the prem with more money, then stop on about his inability to manage at this level. If he could not, then is money a factor?--especially given how close we are to surival. And people should stop to think before they go recommending managers like Di Matteo and Adkins, both of whom had more to spend at this level than Brian. The more I think about it, the more I think we should have continued with Brian, and then replaced him if we stayed up and kept him if we went down. Where on earth will we find a better manager at championship level? (Not that I am giving up the premier ghost just yet.)

Weirdly agree. My only caveat is that I want Reading to play football for the next 10 years, not for the last 10 years. Pass the ball perhaps? Southampton, imo (and I very well could be wrong) have made a great move in appointing a manager when things were going well - this will allow them to evolve when things are going well, not when they were lacking confidence. Bold - perhaps ingenious, perhaps foolish! I just don't think Brian has that in him, and agin, I could be wrong.

[ManchesterRoyals]

Does no one remember the Football Focus interview with AZ when they did the programme from the Mad Stad?

He said then that money was available. He ain't gonna say how much, is he! Then you get clubs inflating players values.

Brian has never been in the big money spending league, it just wasn't on his radar when he was scout or obviously as manager.

10 mill for 1 player in my eyes is big money especially for Reading

[melonhead]

To be honest do we really know what went on financially? A lot of people are complaining about BM had money to spend but chose not to in the summer 'to give the group a chance' and then tried for only a couple of January. None of us will really know what went on or how much money there was until someone on the inside comes out and says so, anything else at this point is conjecture. BM said in the Summer he was happy with what he got, and then said later we should have got more in, that does not mean the money was not there. Without there being specific details in the public domain none of us know what could or could not have been spent if the opportunity arose, or whether he indeed was curtailed by lack of finance.

agreed- cant really start throwing the blame around till we find out who made the decisions on budget, and the reasons behind them.

See Brendy, you are the living proof of what I have been frustrated by! Why do we have to blame someone?!?! 90% of us were happy with our summer investments as 90% of us watched us finish 8th with similar or less investment last time around:
.

agreed.i was happy. i thought wed go down, but i was happy.
i think its important someone assesses where we went wrong. but i agree, the need for blame isnt one i share. was just replying to those who do

as usual the "blame" will be spread pretty evenly throughout the management team and the players, mitigated by a load of other factors.