McDermott Hits Back

[Barry the bird boggler]

I think he means that there was a budget set for the summer window, which may have been set with too much influence from JM (we did it on the cheap the last time and weren't too bad etc. ), which was all spent (unfortunately unwisely).

When January came round there was much more in the bucket but the club appeared to have spent ages fannying about for Division 3 players rather than going after Ince and Sigurdsson as soon as the window opened, so that there was time to look at additional players if that fell through.

So in essence the total failure of this season is a combination of both the manager and the club - so no news there then.

[melonhead]

I don't think Brian took us forward though Brendy, I just think he made the best, the very, very, very best out of what he had left to work with from the Coppell era and riches that came from it.

He was great at tweaking the squad to get the best out of it but couldn't take it forward. Whether that was down to him, the support he was given or just bad luck we'll never know.

lol.


team he left>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>team he started with

[blueroyals]

The majority of his transfers were shite. This squad of players shouldn't have been capable of winning the Championship, so we were lucky in that respect.

[soggy biscuit]

I don't think Brian took us forward

nomination for best team board post ever right here

[Wimb]

I don't think Brian took us forward though Brendy, I just think he made the best, the very, very, very best out of what he had left to work with from the Coppell era and riches that came from it.

He was great at tweaking the squad to get the best out of it but couldn't take it forward. Whether that was down to him, the support he was given or just bad luck we'll never know.

lol.


team he left>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>team he started with

Oh rly?

Who has he added to the squad that's better than who was at the club when he arrived?

[Wimb]

I don't think Brian took us forward

nomination for best team board post ever right here

standard grabbing one sentence out of context.

[Esteban]

That aren't two sides to the story though...they're both saying the same thing with various quotes being manipulated by rubbish journalists.

This is my view on it. Poor journalists and someone on Twitter trying to sensationalize something.

[melonhead]

The majority of his transfers were shite. This squad of players shouldn't have been capable of winning the Championship, so we were lucky in that respect.

[melonhead]

I don't think Brian took us forward though Brendy, I just think he made the best, the very, very, very best out of what he had left to work with from the Coppell era and riches that came from it.

He was great at tweaking the squad to get the best out of it but couldn't take it forward. Whether that was down to him, the support he was given or just bad luck we'll never know.

lol.


team he left>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>team he started with

Oh rly?

Who has he added to the squad that's better than who was at the club when he arrived?

loads of people. almost every player.
managed to improve the squad in each window, at the same time as rebuilding around the loss of our best players.

[Royalclapper]

Brian was lauded as the sole reason we got to the play offs and then got promoted, but as soon as the going got tough and things weren't going well it's then called a collective failure

[melonhead]

sole reason my arse.
what about antons money for jason roberst etc?

[soggy biscuit]

Please Hall of Fame this thread!!

[Wimb]

I take the point about improvements Brenders but I just think the talent base he had at his disposal when he took over is superior to the squad he's leaving behind.

Squad for the Barnsley game just after Brian got the job full-time.

Federici, Mills, Griffin, Ingimarsson, Bertrand, McAnuff, Karacan (Howard, 84), Sigurdsson, Gunnarsson, Long, Church (Bignall, 74). Subs not used: Rasiak, Thorvaldsson, Kebe, Hamer, Khizanishvili.

Brian's final squad.

Taylor, Harte, Mariappa, Pearce, Kelly, McAnuff , Leigertwood (Guthrie, 81), Robson-Kanu, Akpan (Blackman, 56), Hunt (McCleary, 56), Le Fondre.
Subs not used: Morrison, Shorey, Karacan, Henley.

Do not see the giant leap forward there, I really don't.

Like I said, I'm not having a go at Brian, far from it. As I said he did an absolutely fantastic 1 of a kind job with the tools he did have, I just think he's left a squad that needs a massive amount of work if it wants to be competitive at Premier League level.

It's just like Palace under Dowie, Hull under Brown, Watford under Boothroyd, Derby under Davies. They all had successful seasons but they didn't grow under those managers.

If you look at Pardew's reign it's undeniable that we'd taken giant strides forward. Under Brian I think we've had success but not moved forward significantly from where Coppell ended his final season.

[BraisingsteakRoyal]

Wimb - I see what you're saying, but you can't compare Shane Long, and Siggy then, to those two players now - plus Khiz and Bertie weren't even our players. And didn't Brian sign Griffin?

Just a select view :
Kelly is an improvement over Griffin.
Marriapa is an improvement over the ageing Ingi
ALF is an improvement over Church
HRK > Howard

etc.

[Maguire]

What a lot of shit being spouted on this thread.

[Haag Royal]

In summary the team he left was practically the SAME as the one he started with.

That's progress for you!

[Wycombe Royal]

I don't think Brian took us forward though Brendy, I just think he made the best, the very, very, very best out of what he had left to work with from the Coppell era and riches that came from it.

He was great at tweaking the squad to get the best out of it but couldn't take it forward. Whether that was down to him, the support he was given or just bad luck we'll never know.

lol.


team he left>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>team he started with

Oh rly?

Who has he added to the squad that's better than who was at the club when he arrived?

I think the key word is "team" not "squad". They are different.

[floyd__streete]

So either Brian or Anton is an absolute liar. I am going to guess it is Anton doing the lying, tbh.

[floyd__streete]

I don't think Brian took us forward

[Silver Fox]

So either Brian or Anton is an absolute liar. I am going to guess it is Anton doing the lying, tbh.

My vote's for @readingfcnews