Have you taken to Steve Clarke yet?

[Gilksy]

For me, i've not quite taken to him....he just seems a little bit too defensive when being interview either by BBCRB or the Club (on their youtube channel etc)

I find it refreshing. Some of the questions Dellor and Williams throw at him don't deserve an answer tbf. Why should he have to keep explaining himself? Players have knocks and aren't always 100% fit, so they wont play every game. Something that seems to pass Dellor by.

[Rollerbob]

Yeah, I like the way he talks. Down to earth, realistic, and says it how it is - not how he wants to be perceived, or how Dellor and co want him to react.

Plus, look at our form/playing style since he took over.

Then, look at his transfer record. With little money, he's convinced Chalobah (who sure as hell wouldn't be a Reading player had Clarke not been appointed) to join, and Yakubu.

Vast improvements in pretty much every way.

[Silver Fox]

LOLz at anyone basing their opinions on how he comes across when he's being interviewed by the worst journalist in history

For me Clarke could eat a baby on BBCRB and he'd still be an improvement on that last clown

[winchester_royal]

Really like the guy tbh. Straight talker, doesn't get carried away whatever the result, and provides clear insight on the game after. Is also clearly popular with players he's worked with before which is a good sign.

Also helps that we've improved considerably as a football team since he came in.

The poll is showing a bit of a crushing defeat for TBM and his fellow nay sayers

[melonhead]

proper reading manager after the adkins abortion.
has improved the team, instilled some steel, I like his honesty in interviews and team selections, and his no nonsense style.
and im more comfortable with the football style too if im honest.


100% taken to

[melonhead]

We've not really had much problem attacking on the counter when there's space. It's breaking down a set defence where our issue lies.

wrong imo.
the way adkins set up didn't allow us to counter, as we played sideways for 5 minutes until the oppos defence was set, and then tried to play through the middle.

by setting up to invite teams onto us Clarke has allowed us to do it.

[From Despair To Where?]

He always looks a bit miserable

So did Coppell!! Not sure if our new SC has SSC's sense of humour though! But he's a refreshing change from NA's sound bytes so I'm liking him so far!

Coppell always seemed to be haunted by some unseen ghosts of a terrible past lying just beyond the human plain of existence bearing a tidings of an apocalyptic future

it was the natural look of anyone employed by both Franny Lee and Ron Noades.


i like Steve Clarke, plain and straight talking with realistic expectations, he's stopped us conceding stupid goals and is visibly trying to make us more threatening up front.

i doubt we'll hear him "taking the positives" from a 6-1 defeat.

[floyd__streete]

Yes.

Plain-speaking and no real BS.

[SCIAG]

Handled the incidents with Drenthe and Guthrie well. Preliminarily liking, but the jury is still out.

[sandman]

Not sure why Dellor and co are getting grief. Well I am, it's because it's the HNA? tradition. They seem to get on with him well although he has had a run in or two with Watts apparently.

[RoyalBlue]

For me, i've not quite taken to him....he just seems a little bit too defensive when being interview either by BBCRB or the Club (on their youtube channel etc)

Doing OK so far - he's already had problems with Dellor (like both Adkins and Brian did) but I wouldn't hold that against anyone.

He's also had problems with Charles Watts who merely asked a question that was on everyone's lips when McCleary wasn't selected to start.

I think he's arrived that the 'problems' stage with the local media a lot quicker than McDermott and Adkins but that might be indicative of the type of pressure that the current situation at the club puts the manager under.

[GH Royal]

Or Steve Clarke will just speak his mind instead of beating around the bush;

When Adkins or another might have tried to dress up the reply as to not seem blunt or defensive, maybe Clarke doesn't give a fcuk how the media perceives him as he's there to manage a football team, not be scrutinised by a cpunt of a journo.

[wingnut]

Jury's still out for me. He comes across a bit too much of the stereotypical dour scot to me but then again, he's not Adkins and we're playing (a bit) better. So swings and roundabouts.

[leon]

Jury's still out for me. He comes across a bit too much of the stereotypical dour scot to me but then again, he's not Adkins and we're playing (a bit) better. So swings and roundabouts.

Yeah but he looks like Craig Cash and isn't orange, as has been pointed out earlier, So that's all good,

[Forbury Lion]

He's also had problems with Charles Watts who merely asked a question that was on everyone's lips when McCleary wasn't selected to start.

I think he's arrived that the 'problems' stage with the local media a lot quicker than McDermott and Adkins but that might be indicative of the type of pressure that the current situation at the club puts the manager under.

Last Friday in the getreading royals chat, Someone asked Charlie Watts if SC was more media friendly to work with than NA and his reply was "It's like night and day", which I took to mean as SC being more media friendly, However the reply to the McCleary question, whilst frosty still created a good story for the journalist rather than anything Adkins might have said.

[Gav]

Big time.

[P!ssed Off]

He's also had problems with Charles Watts who merely asked a question that was on everyone's lips when McCleary wasn't selected to start.

I think he's arrived that the 'problems' stage with the local media a lot quicker than McDermott and Adkins but that might be indicative of the type of pressure that the current situation at the club puts the manager under.

Last Friday in the getreading royals chat, Someone asked Charlie Watts if SC was more media friendly to work with than NA and his reply was "It's like night and day", which I took to mean as SC being more media friendly, However the reply to the McCleary question, whilst frosty still created a good story for the journalist rather than anything Adkins might have said.

Did Adkins not use that exact same line: "I don't have to explain every decision I make to you", causing a minor incident.

[GH Royal]

He did, but it took him about 2 seasons in charge, it hasn't taken Clarke long at all to put his foot down

[P!ssed Off]

He did, but it took him about 2 seasons in charge, it hasn't taken Clarke long at all to put his foot down

I thought Adkins mouthed off at Dellor post-match, after game 1.

Anyway I'm not sure why anyone would be congratulating Clarke for committing a textbook PR error and coming across as a bit of a pcunt.

Such an unnecessary reply, which serves absolutely no purpose. Does he think that now he's "put his foot down" he won't be asked about the next questionable team selection?

[Ian Royal]

He's also had problems with Charles Watts who merely asked a question that was on everyone's lips when McCleary wasn't selected to start.

I think he's arrived that the 'problems' stage with the local media a lot quicker than McDermott and Adkins but that might be indicative of the type of pressure that the current situation at the club puts the manager under.

Last Friday in the getreading royals chat, Someone asked Charlie Watts if SC was more media friendly to work with than NA and his reply was "It's like night and day", which I took to mean as SC being more media friendly, However the reply to the McCleary question, whilst frosty still created a good story for the journalist rather than anything Adkins might have said.

That wouldn't have been my interpretation from seeing the two having been interviewed.

Adkins always seemed to be happy to do the interview and babble on.

Clarke seems rather less loquacious. I can easily see him more in the Coppell mold and thinking it's a bit of a burden and a waste of his time. Everyone remember Copps getting pissed off in the PL and answering the you're doing badly question for the 6th week running with something like "There are a billion people in India who couldn't care less"?