Steve Clarke

[MmmMonsterMunch]

The more I think about this, the more I like it.

The WBA fans on this thread seem to hold him in high esteem generally:

http://westbrom.com/forum/index.php?topic=12102.250

It will be so nice to hear the manager call a spade a spade & not try to make out we were Barca when we'd actually just made Barnsley look like Barca.

Really looking forward to Sat now. Adkins was slowly strangling the life out of the place. Incidentally, I really can't see Adkins doing well elsewhere you know.

Perhaps L1 is his level....

[Armadillo Roadkill]

I'm keeping my expectations modest - I think it will take time for the changes he'll want to make to take effect. I'm hopeful for next season.

His pedigree suggests a bit of ambition by the club - this is a pretty high profile appointment. My fear is that promotion to the Premier League is such an incredibly difficult thing to do that it would be hard for anyone to survive at Reading - a club that's forgotten what it is, where it has been and seems to think constant success is the normal state of things.

Still, makes life interesting. I had been kind of dreading boxing day at the Amex - really looking forward to it now.

[Royal Rother]

Incidentally, I really can't see Adkins doing well elsewhere you know.

Perhaps L1 is his level....

He's done well everywhere else he's been. Just got lucky with all those promotions I guess.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

I'm keeping my expectations modest - I think it will take time for the changes he'll want to make to take effect. I'm hopeful for next season.

His pedigree suggests a bit of ambition by the club - this is a pretty high profile appointment. My fear is that promotion to the Premier League is such an incredibly difficult thing to do that it would be hard for anyone to survive at Reading - a club that's forgotten what it is, where it has been and seems to think constant success is the normal state of things.

Still, makes life interesting. I had been kind of dreading boxing day at the Amex - really looking forward to it now.

My expectations are also modest but lets be frank - the Adkins era has been such a disaster it's not going to take an awful lot for fans to start smiling again. Mid table finish with some decent high tempo football & everyone will be more than happy.

We can also get rid of quite a few duds in the summer & be in a great position to push on next season.

I think yesterday was also quite symbolic in that it was the last remnants of the TSI era finally being flushed away. Needed to happen. The likes of Nigel, Pog, Guthrie & Drenthe have been the main figureheads for what has been an awful couple of years for Reading fans.

We are hopefully seeing a return to the Reading way. If Clarke were to get us up, I think the owners would be realistic enough to give him a good crack at it & not pull the trigger so quickly like they did with Brian. Especially harsh given the lack of money spent. I have a very good feeling about all this. Think we're going to be run sensibly again & it can't come soon enough.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Incidentally, I really can't see Adkins doing well elsewhere you know.

Perhaps L1 is his level....

He's done well everywhere else he's been. Just got lucky with all those promotions I guess.

Time will tell. One could definitely argue that the Saints team he inherited was there waiting & should never have been in L1 at all. Reckon his backroom team also let him down TBH.

Not convinced he will be a roaring success elsewhere based on what I've seen. Not by any stretch.

[Uke]

Will he be able to bring our Shane home?

[Royal Rother]

Incidentally, I really can't see Adkins doing well elsewhere you know.

Perhaps L1 is his level....

He's done well everywhere else he's been. Just got lucky with all those promotions I guess.

Time will tell. One could definitely argue that the Saints team he inherited was there waiting & should never have been in L1 at all. Reckon his backroom team also let him down TBH.

Not convinced he will be a roaring success elsewhere based on what I've seen. Not by any stretch.

Neither am I convinced but still think there are plenty of reasons to think he's got a future...

[Millsy]

I don't see how anyone can't be massively underwhelmed. His win ratio sucks, he's done nothing.

At least the likes of Mcghee, Pardew, McDermott, were our own men and came from no experience at all and Sir John found something in them.

This guy has been tested and... done bugger all.

Hugely underwhelmed but obviously he may well do ok.

The biggest underwhelmage [sic] comes from the whole ownership situation which has lead us to the sad reality of having a top manager who we can't fund adequately and so we sack him to get some nobody in who we hope will accept the financial constraints we're now under and work wonders.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

2WW what should he have achieved at WBA other than their highest ever PL points total?

Should he have got top 4? Europa qualification?

Also got great connections still at Chelsea for some decent loanees - which in this period of FFP might come in bloody handy.

[JordCot]

My expectations are also modest but lets be frank - the Adkins era has been such a disaster it's not going to take an awful lot for fans to start smiling again

A disaster? A 7th place finish and some uninspiring football, I'd hardly call his reign a oxf*rd disaster. God help us if we actually got relegated you'd probably top yourself. Silver linings I guess...

[Ian Royal]

Adkins is the worst thing ever blah blah, we've been the worst we've ever been blah blah

Cut the histrionics, you've got your way. Now you can stop being such a melodramatic queen and look forward not back. He's gone, get over it.

[SmellyAli]

It will be so nice to hear the manager call a spade a spade

Racist.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

2WW what should he have achieved at WBA other than their highest ever PL points total?

Should he have got top 4? Europa qualification?

Also got great connections still at Chelsea for some decent loanees which in this period of FFP might come in bloody handy.

Cut the histrionics, you've got your way. Now you can stop being such a melodramatic queen and look forward not back. He's gone, get over it.

No context to your quote whatsoever there Ian. What do I need to get over? Your BS posts?

[Franchise FC]

For those who aren't whelmed by Steve Clarke, can I just point out (in case someone hasn't - I haven't got time to read the last six pages yet).

He's balding.
His first name is Steve.
His initials are SC.

We are going up, say we are going up!

107, 107, we'll break our record, 107.

That doesn't scan in the tune
108 does, however

108, 108, we'll break our record, etc., etc.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

My expectations are also modest but lets be frank - the Adkins era has been such a disaster it's not going to take an awful lot for fans to start smiling again

A disaster? A 7th place finish and some uninspiring football, I'd hardly call his reign a oxf*rd disaster. God help us if we actually got relegated you'd probably top yourself. Silver linings I guess...

The hoards of fans staying away & worst home attendances for a decade would suggest that his reign was pretty damn awful but perhaps disaster is a bit strong.

[Ian Royal]

2WW what should he have achieved at WBA other than their highest ever PL points total?

Should he have got top 4? Europa qualification?

Also got great connections still at Chelsea for some decent loanees which in this period of FFP might come in bloody handy.

Cut the histrionics, you've got your way. Now you can stop being such a melodramatic queen and look forward not back. He's gone, get over it.

No context to your quote whatsoever there Ian. What do I need to get over? Your BS posts?

Quoted the wrong post. One of your "We were the worst thing in the universe!" "Adkins is the worst manager ever to exist anywhere!" "Doom, doom!" posts.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Feel free to actually find said post Ian & quote until your heart's content.....

Oh hang on.....it doesn't exist

Nothing like making shit up to have a pop at people on a forum though. Good stuff.

[Ian Royal]

Feel free to actually find said post Ian & quote until your heart's content.....

Oh hang on.....it doesn't exist

Nothing like making shit up to have a pop at people on a forum though. Good stuff.

It's not worth the effort and I have no intention of doing so seeing as I'm trying to look forward and the one thing I'm really hoping to come out of this will be the fans pulling in the same direction and an end to a divisive period.

[P!ssed Off]

Not surprising Ian Royal wants to draw a line under the affair.
Sorry Ian, but over the last few months you've lost any remaining credibility.

If you want a fresh start, you'll have to change username.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Not surprising Ian Royal wants to draw a line under the affair.
Sorry Ian, but over the last few months you've lost any remaining credibility.

If you want a fresh start, you'll have to change username.

Interesting he wants to draw a line under it because he can't actually substantiate what he's drivelling on about.