Brian: The right decision?

[Mid Sussex Royal]

I'm as peed off as the next person.

Responding to FAQ though

1. Adkins has an amazing record

2. We are sixth, in the PO positions and Adkins has talked for a long time of merely staying in the race until January.

3. He has not (it appears) been allowed to buy as maybe he expected.

4. He has lost two very important midfielders (IMO ESP L-Wood) an England fullback, a first choice CB, and had injuries to Drenthe, Sharp, Williams, Roberts

5. There is almost certainly uncertainty and unrest behind the scenes, which must affect.

6. HRK is hopeless off form


Yet we remain in sixth. WE may say he's making odd selections but the actuality is, despite all the problems, we are still there or thereabouts. IMO it's wrong to suggest Adkins is doing much wrong. ATM 4/5/6th, considering everything, is not bad management.

I worry about the coming 5-6 games and we could easily lost 4/5 of them. THEN we'd have reason to think the boss is failing.

But if we get to January and are within a point or two of the POs, I'd say Adkins is doing alright and will eventually make us a top end competitive side.

Of course the omens suggest that there will be no money in January. If that's the case and we finish top eight, Adkins will have done OK

Good post.

Would it be any better if Brian was still here and with all the injuries - he had a lucky run with injuries here by and large.

Anyone who thinks we would be better off with him still here needs to think back to why he was sacked.

The first half of last season, in particular, was embarrassing and I go back to the 4th division days......

[Wimb]

I'm as peed off as the next person.

Responding to FAQ though

1. Adkins has an amazing record

2. We are sixth, in the PO positions and Adkins has talked for a long time of merely staying in the race until January.

3. He has not (it appears) been allowed to buy as maybe he expected.

4. He has lost two very important midfielders (IMO ESP L-Wood) an England fullback, a first choice CB, and had injuries to Drenthe, Sharp, Williams, Roberts

5. There is almost certainly uncertainty and unrest behind the scenes, which must affect.

6. HRK is hopeless off form


Yet we remain in sixth. WE may say he's making odd selections but the actuality is, despite all the problems, we are still there or thereabouts. IMO it's wrong to suggest Adkins is doing much wrong. ATM 4/5/6th, considering everything, is not bad management.

I worry about the coming 5-6 games and we could easily lost 4/5 of them. THEN we'd have reason to think the boss is failing.

But if we get to January and are within a point or two of the POs, I'd say Adkins is doing alright and will eventually make us a top end competitive side.

Of course the omens suggest that there will be no money in January. If that's the case and we finish top eight, Adkins will have done OK

Good post.

Would it be any better if Brian was still here and with all the injuries - he had a lucky run with injuries here by and large.

Anyone who thinks we would be better off with him still here needs to think back to why he was sacked.

The first half of last season, in particular, was embarrassing and I go back to the 4th division days......

Good lord I agree with Snowball.... must go have a lay down

Also thanks for the kind words earlier Winch, much appreciated.

Some good points as well from facaldaqui, quite interesting to see that we're only 3 points off the pace of Coppell's side the season after they were relegated.

[Man Friday]

I'm as peed off as the next person.

Responding to FAQ though

1. Adkins has an amazing record

2. We are sixth, in the PO positions and Adkins has talked for a long time of merely staying in the race until January.

3. He has not (it appears) been allowed to buy as maybe he expected.

4. He has lost two very important midfielders (IMO ESP L-Wood) an England fullback, a first choice CB, and had injuries to Drenthe, Sharp, Williams, Roberts

5. There is almost certainly uncertainty and unrest behind the scenes, which must affect.

6. HRK is hopeless off form


Yet we remain in sixth. WE may say he's making odd selections but the actuality is, despite all the problems, we are still there or thereabouts. IMO it's wrong to suggest Adkins is doing much wrong. ATM 4/5/6th, considering everything, is not bad management.

I worry about the coming 5-6 games and we could easily lost 4/5 of them. THEN we'd have reason to think the boss is failing.

But if we get to January and are within a point or two of the POs, I'd say Adkins is doing alright and will eventually make us a top end competitive side.

Of course the omens suggest that there will be no money in January. If that's the case and we finish top eight, Adkins will have done OK

Good post. Rubbish. Not a good post at all. The position is satisfactory but it's a false one. We're 3 points off mid-table which is where we deserve to be, and will be soon. Our position is masking poor performances which will soon translate into mid-table mediocrity.

Would it be any better if Brian was still here and with all the injuries - he had a lucky run with injuries here by and large. Rubbish. Every manager has to cope with injuries etc. Brian was no different and neither has been Adkins.

Anyone who thinks we would be better off with him still here needs to think back to why he was sacked. He was sacked because Zingy got impatient like the spoilt little rich kid he is.

The first half of last season, in particular, was embarrassing and I go back to the 4th division days......Again, absolute drivel. Referees robbed us of 6-7 points (as they do most small teams each season).

[Man Friday]

It's fine to disagree, in fact I'm sure he relished the opportunity for intelligent deb8, but let's do it without being massively patronising and overly aggressive eh lads?

You're right, I apologise Wimb. Still disagree with you, though. I'm getting a bit carried away because I really hate the way this club is going since AZ took over.

[Wimb]

It's fine, it's easy to get passionate when we're frustrated, just listen to me most of the time on our podcast (plug, plug)

All emotion aside, I think Brian did have it fairly lucky with injuries. For most of his time here I think Kebe was his most significant loss and I think somebody posted a stat recently showing how badly we performed with him out of the side, especially last year.

I know Roberts and Karacan both missed spells where again we struggled but beyond those two I can't remember a player missing 10 weeks+ for McDermott in the same way we've been without Bridge, Karacan, Leigertwood, Williams, Drenthe, Roberts and maybe Morrison all inside half a season.

Yeah we got a bit unlucky with some refereeing decisions last season but does that explain the Pearce situation, the Guthrie bust ups, the refusal to play anything other than 4-4-2 despite it clearly being woeful, the tinkering with the team for the Stoke game, etc etc.

I loved Brian, I'll always appreciate the work he did here and overall I think he was probably a tad unlucky to have lost his job but that doesn't mean I won't defend Adkins if I think he's getting a tough time.

I don't make up rubbish excuses for the sake of it, there's lots I don't like about Adkins, his tactics, the way he deals with the press, selections etc while there's plenty more I could rant about the whole TSI mess. That being said, the reason I make points to defend Adkins is to try and stay positive despite the awful rubbish we've witnessed this season. I just like to think there's light at the end of the tunnel!

Good debate all the same

[Man Friday]

Well said. Anyway, I'm imposing a 5-day forum sanction on myself for, apart from anything else, being too grumpy.

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Heard it at each of the last 6 or 7 games I've been to and that includes Sheffield Wednesday so you're probably deaf as well as dumb.

I went to Sheffield Wednesday and I certainly wasn't singing that.

[LoyalRoyalFan]

[LoyalRoyal22]

We higher in the league than Leeds? That would be thanks to our comfortable 1-0 victory over them earlier in the season

[floyd__streete]

Why are people somehow settling for an arbitary 'top 8' finish this season?

This is a rubbish league. We have parachute payments. With a supposedly weaker squad and an apparently less sophisticated playing style we finished 5th and 1st in our last two campaigns at this level. Top 6 is a must

[Extended-Phenotype]

Why are people somehow settling for an arbitary 'top 8' finish this season?

This is a rubbish league. We have parachute payments. With a supposedly weaker squad and an apparently less sophisticated playing style we finished 5th and 1st in our last two campaigns at this level. Top 6 is a must

If we don't finish top 6, I'd consider that a failure, despite being a supporter of Adkins (and, incidentally, Brian - shame that needs clarification in what has become a bizarre one or the other argument).

That said I'm not sure we have a stronger squad? Especially in light of all the injuries.

Roberts was as good / better than Pog
Hunty was more prolific than Alfie as our second choice striker
L-Wood and Karacan were superb in our promotion season
Harte was far more instrumental than Bridge has yet to be
Gorkss was a couple of years younger and in form
McAnuff and Kebe were consistent and fit

Never bought into this idea that Adkins has been left with a much improved squad and by all accounts he has had little chance to change it.

[floyd__streete]

Harte was far more instrumental than Bridge has yet to be

Releasing Harte (and Shorey) to secure the signing of Bridge was a real masterstroke wasn't it?

[Extended-Phenotype]

Harte was far more instrumental than Bridge has yet to be

Releasing Harte (and Shorey) to secure the signing of Bridge was a real masterstroke wasn't it?

Dunno, really. People were moaning that Harte was passed it two years ago. Shorey was shit. Bridge was probably worth the gamble IMO.

[Cureton's Volley]

Harte was far more instrumental than Bridge has yet to be

Releasing Harte (and Shorey) to secure the signing of Bridge was a real masterstroke wasn't it?

People were moaning that Harte was passed it two years ago. Shorey was shit.

I would have either over our current choices at LB. Bridge has been decent when fit, however.

[Ian Royal]

He's not a Reading manager! no one likes him, nobody sings his name even when we are winning games and you can go on about his CV all you want but that doesn't mean he is going to be successful here. There is a style that fits this football club and a lot of those who criticise it don't even know what it is, misguidedly calling it 'hoofball'.

We did not play "hoofball" under McDermott or Coppell we mixed the way we played between longer and shorter passing but the main style was fast tempo football with an emphasis on wing play. The only times where it leaned more towards long ball football was when we had lost a few games so the player didn't have the confidence to try more elaborate play and their rhythm was disrupted.

There was certainly a rendition of "Nigel Adkin's Barmy Army" at the game yesterday.

Well I didn't hear it and if it did happen then it is one of a handful of times it has.

Heard it at most of the games ive been to. Muted on sat though.

[bcubed]

Just watching Sky's Today's goals now programme (showed our goal and the sending off) and after the Leeds game they interviewed Brian.

Nothing odd in that but the caption read

Brian McDermott
Reading Manager

What do they know?

[Cureton's Volley]

What do they know?

What's best for Reading

[Royalee]

What do they know?

What's best for Reading

Nah mate...

[LoyalRoyal22]

What do they know?

What's best for Reading

Gimp

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Boo, LoyalRoyal22, boo.