Zingarevich

[under the tin]

They were in the top two virtually all season, so would have had a lot more prep time to do it than us as we charged into the top two late.

It highlights that Saints were more forward thinking than we were. Their league position at Christmas was no guarantee that they would go up.
AZ's comment was not an answer to a direct question about scouting; he volunteered the information, and that implies to me that he was cheesed off about it.
So am I.

[RoyalBlue]

He was open about the club's failings re transfers, and the fact that Adkins chose to come here shows AZ not to be the evil tyrant some make him out to be. It's also pretty clear that it was mostly McD's decision not to spend. If this wasn't true we'd have heard about it from Brian by now.

not clear at all.

brian came out on numerous occasions in run up to january and in january at the very least implying the opposite
~'i had a budget, and i spent it all'

He said there was a budget in the summer and that he had spent it (in hindsight that should have been mispent it). AZ didn't contradict that when he stated that there had been a collective agreement that they had done enough in the summer. Perhaps if McDermott hadn't said he was happy with what he had, perhaps if he had said that he needed to sign more players at that point, AZ would have increased the budget?

He said there was a budget in January and implied that it wasn't very much (at the time many put that down to the 'Reading Way' of trying to keep prices down). I think you will really struggle to find any evidence to support the claim that he said or implied that he had spent the budget in January.

[RoyalBlue]

Who controls transfers at Reading isn't really clear, and is even less clear now.

Is it Hammond? If not, what does he do?

Zingarevich was supposedly negotiating with Spurs for Gylfi - so presumably he takes some responsibility? Didn't he push for the Pog?

Brian always gave the impression that transfers were largely out of his hands, and isn't around to defend himself, so convenient for Zingarevich to blame him.

Smoke and mirrors all round....

When on earth did he ever give the impression that 'transfers were largely out of his hands'?!! As far as I can recall, the only remarks he made with regard to that sort of thing was that the business negotiations to seal the transfers were done by others, which is perfectly understandable and not at all unusual at sensible football clubs. I would maintain that the choice of player very much sat with McDermott although whether we were successful in signing them came down to the men upstairs.

[soggy biscuit]

Didn't like some of the comments yesterday by AZ. Thought it lacked class and looked quite school playground like with finger pointing and blaming the one person not there anymore for what went wrong.

I am quite unconvinced that there was a budget and McDermott simply didn't spend it

[Cripple Creek]

I actually think Zingarevich comes across very well. Sure he was anxious and nervous in the press conference but he listens to journos' questions and answers them in what strikes me as an honest and straightforward way. Obviously I don't know the guy but he strikes me as quite a personable kind of bloke.

[Uke]

Didn't like some of the comments yesterday by AZ. Thought it lacked class and looked quite school playground like with finger pointing and blaming the one person not there anymore for what went wrong.

I am quite unconvinced that there was a budget and McDermott simply didn't spend it

AZ said there was a budget, just never specified how much


A budget of £2.46 is still a budget

[Royal Ginger]

He's just a scar away from being a supervillan.

[Royal With Cheese]

He's certainly put his cock on the block now. If Adkins isn't backed he'll look like a right idiot.

ROFL at RL's assertion McGhee had a connection with RFC before he joined as player manager and also Winchesters assertion that Adkins would walk into any managerial position outside the top 12.

Perhaps that was a little over the top...but he'd be top of any Championship shortlist were they to find themselves managerless, as well as a couple of PL's.

Yes, that looks a little more realistic. Adkins stock is reasonably high at the moment so I think we've done quite well here.

[Royal Lady]

Didn't like some of the comments yesterday by AZ. Thought it lacked class and looked quite school playground like with finger pointing and blaming the one person not there anymore for what went wrong.

I am quite unconvinced that there was a budget and McDermott simply didn't spend it

+1 - was just about to write the same thing.

I think it's poor show to blame the newly departed manager - a man who did so much for this club in all his years here. I hope McD decides to respond - but I doubt he will - I'd LOVE to hear his side of the story now.

[Avon Royal]

Didn't like some of the comments yesterday by AZ. Thought it lacked class and looked quite school playground like with finger pointing and blaming the one person not there anymore for what went wrong.

I am quite unconvinced that there was a budget and McDermott simply didn't spend it

+1 - was just about to write the same thing.

I think it's poor show to blame the newly departed manager - a man who did so much for this club in all his years here. I hope McD decides to respond - but I doubt he will - I'd LOVE to hear his side of the story now.

Everybody is getting too hung up on the "Who should have spent more money? The Manager" comment. Was Anton supposed to say that he personally should have spent more money? If he had said that then he would have been painted as an interfering Abramovich type, an overbearing owner who signs the players for the manager.

The manager should always be the one that spends the money, irrespective of who provides it. Therefore Anton was perfectly correct to state that Brian should have spent more in January.

[soggy biscuit]

Or Anton could have just been a bit classier and not pointed the finger.

He is top of the tree, if he doesn't want to accept responsibility then probably best he just doesn't get into those types of conversations.

[melonhead]

I think you will really struggle to find any evidence to support the claim that he said or implied that he had spent the budget in January

but i never said it was about january, he was talking in run up to january about the summer- so how is it even possible he would say it about january when january hadnt happened yet

[Avon Royal]

Or Anton could have just been a bit classier and not pointed the finger.

He is top of the tree, if he doesn't want to accept responsibility then probably best he just doesn't get into those types of conversations.

And then he'd be positioned as evasive and secretive. Basically, whatever he said or did he would be painted negatively by some elements of the media.

[Hoop Blah]

Or Anton could have just been a bit classier and not pointed the finger.

He is top of the tree, if he doesn't want to accept responsibility then probably best he just doesn't get into those types of conversations.

I agree with that to an extent but, don't forget the tone and force which the Sky guy was going for him probably caught him a bit off guard and he kept pushing him and putting words in his mouth. I think Zingaravich was entitled to put him straight having been pushed as he was but he certainly started out trying not to finger McDermott and keep things about the present and Adkins but when the guy says 'so you admit you should've backed the manager with more funds' when it clearly wasn't what he'd said he's bound to come back with a bit of a rebuttal.

In fairness, he made it clear that the summer was a joint decision as well, so it wasn't just laying the blame on McDermott.

[soggy biscuit]

Or Anton could have just been a bit classier and not pointed the finger.

He is top of the tree, if he doesn't want to accept responsibility then probably best he just doesn't get into those types of conversations.

And then he'd be positioned as evasive and secretive. Basically, whatever he said or did he would be painted negatively by some elements of the media.

Not too many chairman would answer questions like those and they are not all positioned as evasive and secretive.

and anyway, doing the right thing > worrying about how the media will paint you

[melonhead]

Didn't like some of the comments yesterday by AZ. Thought it lacked class and looked quite school playground like with finger pointing and blaming the one person not there anymore for what went wrong.

I am quite unconvinced that there was a budget and McDermott simply didn't spend it

+1 - was just about to write the same thing.

I think it's poor show to blame the newly departed manager - a man who did so much for this club in all his years here. I hope McD decides to respond - but I doubt he will - I'd LOVE to hear his side of the story now.

tbf to the bloke its easily possible he meant We should have spent more. or i wish brian had spent more.

and id imagine it was very frustrating to release th epurse strings in jan and not be able to spend any of it.
but i dont think you cabn truly blame brian. Its simply not really possible for a club like us, in our position to attract the likes of Tom Ince, or Gylfi
the first will go to a bigger more established team in the summer, and gylfi is playing regularly for a top 4 side.
saying thats brians fault is mindless

[Avon Royal]

Or Anton could have just been a bit classier and not pointed the finger.

He is top of the tree, if he doesn't want to accept responsibility then probably best he just doesn't get into those types of conversations.

And then he'd be positioned as evasive and secretive. Basically, whatever he said or did he would be painted negatively by some elements of the media.

Not too many chairman would answer questions like those and they are not all positioned as evasive and secretive.

and anyway, doing the right thing > worrying about how the media will paint you

Or maybe he was just telling it as it was.........

[sandman]

Because Russian Businessmen are well known for their honest and transparent approach.

[Royal Lady]

IMO he should have said "we cannot point the finger at one person. Maybe we are all to blame in some way - but lessons have been learned" or something similar.

He, clearly to me, pointed the finger at McD. He was basically asked "what it the manager's fault we didn't spend much money" and he answered "yes". He SHOULD have said what I said above. Which is far more diplomatic. Perhaps he will learn from this little escapade - we should know whether he has, dependant on what funds are spent in the Summer I suppose.

[ZacNaloen]

IMO he should have said "we cannot point the finger at one person. Maybe we are all to blame in some way - but lessons have been learned" or something similar.

He, clearly to me, pointed the finger at McD. He was basically asked "what it the manager's fault we didn't spend much money" and he answered "yes". He SHOULD have said what I said above. Which is far more diplomatic. Perhaps he will learn from this little escapade - we should know whether he has, dependant on what funds are spent in the Summer I suppose.

Could you have formulated that statement under massive pressure, when already a bag of nerves, while a reporter is grilling you with questions trying to paint you have as a villain?