Brian: The right decision?

[Forbury Lion]

Without the benefit of hindsight the decision was correct. Given we know what we know now I believe the decision was wrong.

Are you confusing the decision to axe McDermott with the decision to hire Adkins? - Yes, the two are linked and the sum of the two decisions may be wrong but that does not necessarily mean the first decision was wrong.

[wingnut]

Thought it was wrong at the time, still think it was wrong now.

That doesn't mean I think he should come back.

[Jackson Corner]

I didn't rate Atkins at Soton he took over a team that Pards had built. And would have gone up anyway. Since he left the Saints they are heading for the Champions league whilst we are heading for division one. BM did a brilliant job over 3 seasons on limited resources. Plus he loved this club with a passion and that got through to the players, how many times did we come back from losing positions under BM compared to Atkins?

[HoneyRoastHoax]

I didn't rate Atkins at Soton he took over a team that Pards had built. And would have gone up anyway. Since he left the Saints they are heading for the Champions league whilst we are heading for division one. BM did a brilliant job over 3 seasons on limited resources. Plus he loved this club with a passion and that got through to the players, how many times did we come back from losing positions under BM compared to Atkins?

I am presuming you are clever enough to know you are spelling his name incorrectly and you are doing it as some kind of LOL.

He left southampton in a brilliant position and with a lot more money spunked into them they are now doing even better. That is no slight on his ability.

BM had limited funds but did very well with them, he had great resources though, his players were sold for a lot of money. Name players in our current squad worth the money his was?

Actually that's a good one for the stattos, how much was BM's squad worth in its prime compared to what Adkins has today?

[leon]

I didn't rate Atkins at Soton he took over a team that Pards had built. And would have gone up anyway. Since he left the Saints they are heading for the Champions league whilst we are heading for division one. BM did a brilliant job over 3 seasons on limited resources. Plus he loved this club with a passion and that got through to the players, how many times did we come back from losing positions under BM compared to Atkins?

I am presuming you are clever enough to know you are spelling his name incorrectly and you are doing it as some kind of LOL.

He left southampton in a brilliant position and with a lot more money spunked into them they are now doing even better. That is no slight on his ability.

BM had limited funds but did very well with them, he had great resources though, his players were sold for a lot of money. Name players in our current squad worth the money his was?

Actually that's a good one for the stattos, how much was BM's squad worth in its prime compared to what Adkins has today?

At which point? He kept having players sold from under him.

[Sutekh]

Without the benefit of hindsight the decision was correct. Given we know what we know now I believe the decision was wrong.

Are you confusing the decision to axe McDermott with the decision to hire Adkins? - Yes, the two are linked and the sum of the two decisions may be wrong but that does not necessarily mean the first decision was wrong.

The decision to remove Brian at the time it was taken with what was known to us punters away from the club was the correct decsion.

Looking back now, with the benefit of hindsight and having heard all the stories about there having been no money under the Russians and so Brian was having to make do and mend with next to nothing I think it was the wrong decision.

The fact the replacement was Nigel Adkins is neither here nor there, my opinion would remain the same whoever had been appointed.

[HoneyRoastHoax]

I didn't rate Atkins at Soton he took over a team that Pards had built. And would have gone up anyway. Since he left the Saints they are heading for the Champions league whilst we are heading for division one. BM did a brilliant job over 3 seasons on limited resources. Plus he loved this club with a passion and that got through to the players, how many times did we come back from losing positions under BM compared to Atkins?

I am presuming you are clever enough to know you are spelling his name incorrectly and you are doing it as some kind of LOL.

He left southampton in a brilliant position and with a lot more money spunked into them they are now doing even better. That is no slight on his ability.

BM had limited funds but did very well with them, he had great resources though, his players were sold for a lot of money. Name players in our current squad worth the money his was?

Actually that's a good one for the stattos, how much was BM's squad worth in its prime compared to what Adkins has today?

At which point? He kept having players sold from under him.

Not really, they were sold upon decline of form of the team or an exceptional offer which was rare

[peterroyal76]

Yes

[leon]

I am presuming you are clever enough to know you are spelling his name incorrectly and you are doing it as some kind of LOL.

He left southampton in a brilliant position and with a lot more money spunked into them they are now doing even better. That is no slight on his ability.

BM had limited funds but did very well with them, he had great resources though, his players were sold for a lot of money. Name players in our current squad worth the money his was?

Actually that's a good one for the stattos, how much was BM's squad worth in its prime compared to what Adkins has today?

At which point? He kept having players sold from under him.

Not really, they were sold upon decline of form of the team or an exceptional offer which was rare

not quite.

He built a team around Gylfi. He was sold just as the season had kicked off in August 2010. He then built a team around Shane Long who guess what, got sold just as the season had kicked off in August 2011. He then got us promoted that season - which demonstrates his sheer tenacity and determination.

[HoneyRoastHoax]

C'mon Leon.

The valid point is that McD's squads were worth more than what NAs are

[Ian Royal]

I stand by McDermott's sacking being a reasonable decision given his performance with the (limited) resources at his disposal that season. I think there's very little to suggest he could have turned around a demoralised, disorganised and limited squad with massive financial problems to perform better than it has. Nor do I think he would have been able to provide a long-term building plan with a chance to see us step up another level.

I still think Adkins was one of the best appointments we could have made once we sacked McDermott.

I still think that whilst Adkins hasn't done as good a job (or a particularly good one at all) as I hoped / expected / wanted, the major part of our current predicament is laid firmly at Anton Zingaravich's door, rather than Adkins'.

Basically. Nothing's changed. We're still in transition. I still haven't seen enough that's bad to seriously be worried about relegation. I still think that long term we're going to benefit considerably from the experience the likes of Obita, Hector, Taylor, Kuhl, Long, Cooper, Tanner, Tshibola, Edwards, Stacey & Co are getting.

[HoneyRoastHoax]

I stand by McDermott's sacking being a reasonable decision given his performance with the (limited) resources at his disposal that season. I think there's very little to suggest he could have turned around a demoralised, disorganised and limited squad with massive financial problems to perform better than it has. Nor do I think he would have been able to provide a long-term building plan with a chance to see us step up another level.

I still think Adkins was one of the best appointments we could have made once we sacked McDermott.

I still think that whilst Adkins hasn't done as good a job (or a particularly good one at all) as I hoped / expected / wanted, the major part of our current predicament is laid firmly at Anton Zingaravich's door, rather than Adkins'.

Basically. Nothing's changed. We're still in transition. I still haven't seen enough that's bad to seriously be worried about relegation. I still think that long term we're going to benefit considerably from the experience the likes of Obita, Hector, Taylor, Kuhl, Long, Cooper, Tanner, Tshibola, Edwards, Stacey & Co are getting.

+1

[floyd__streete]

To clarify: we've conceded 3 goals in 6 of the last 8 matches and you haven't seen enough to make you seriously concerned about relegation?

Ok, cool.

[Man Friday]

Reading Super myth No.1: "Brian McDermott was a long-ball merchant who couldn't have developed a PL style of play that would have built for the future". It's all just clichéd bollox. The man was given £2.5m for promoting us. What an absolute joke. He and we didn't stand a chance. It's a miracle that he amassed as many points as he had done when he was sacked. With that level of investment he had no choice on playing style etc. No that I minded the style. In fact I enjoyed it most of the team. Fast attacking wing play beats this tepid cr@p hands down.

[Man Friday]

Looking back now, with the benefit of hindsight and having heard all the stories about there having been no money under the Russians and so Brian was having to make do and mend with next to nothing.

Gotta say it was obvious to some of us right from the word go. I know that sounds arrogant but it's true.

[Para Handy]

Reading Super myth No.1: "Brian McDermott was a long-ball merchant who couldn't have developed a PL style of play that would have built for the future". It's all just clichéd bollox. The man was given £2.5m for promoting us. What an absolute joke. He and we didn't stand a chance. It's a miracle that he amassed as many points as he had done when he was sacked. With that level of investment he had no choice on playing style etc. No that I minded the style. In fact I enjoyed it most of the team. Fast attacking wing play beats this tepid cr@p hands down.

Yeah, completely agree with you. Can't be arsed to look back over the threads but I seem to recall hearing about how much better we were going to be under NA, playing real football, passing it etc. etc. Still waiting for that to happen. Brian got treated shabbily, both by the club and by the fans with short memories on here. Still think it was the wrong decision.

[windermere_royal]

Well if we don`t know after 169 f*cking pages we will never know!!!

[Ian Royal]

To clarify: we've conceded 3 goals in 6 of the last 8 matches and you haven't seen enough to make you seriously concerned about relegation?

Ok, cool.

1: 1-3
2: 3-0
3: 0-3
4: 0-3
5: 1-3
6: 0-0
7: 3-3
8: 0-2 / 0-1

Your ability to count is as good as your analysis of the team Floyd.

[RoyalinBracknell]

I stand by McDermott's sacking being a reasonable decision given his performance with the (limited) resources at his disposal that season. I think there's very little to suggest he could have turned around a demoralised, disorganised and limited squad with massive financial problems to perform better than it has. Nor do I think he would have been able to provide a long-term building plan with a chance to see us step up another level.
.

I'd say he achieved above expectations in every season he was in charge of Reading in the Championship so I'm not completely convinced by the not turning it around part. In any case, even if it didn't do better, would it have done worse? Has Adkins provided a long-term building plan?

Personally I just think after all he did here McDermott deserved another chance to turn it round. He might well have done so - and even if he didn't, I don't see that we'd be in any worse position now.

[Woodcote Royal]

To clarify: we've conceded 3 goals in 6 of the last 8 matches and you haven't seen enough to make you seriously concerned about relegation?

Ok, cool.

1: 1-3
2: 3-0
3: 0-3
4: 0-3
5: 1-3
6: 0-0
7: 3-3
8: 0-2 / 0-1

Your ability to count is as good as your analysis of the team Floyd.

Which leaves your 30,000+ post "analysis of the team" in a league all of it's own