Have you taken to Steve Clarke yet?

[RoyalBlue]

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?

Agreed. Clarke stated something to the effect that he was paid to manage the team and not explain why he was doing/had done particular things. However, I would have thought he, like any manager in the professional game, was also employed to help increase the fan base. In order to do that there will be times when a manager may well have to explain to the fans, usually through a journalist, why he made a certain decision(s).

Losing the dressing room can be bad (although I believe that one very experienced pro wrote an article recently saying that he had never encountered a situation where players deliberately set out to undermine a manager) but losing the fan base is likely to be even worse.

[Haag Royal]

No not yet. Comes across as a miserable Scot who as someone mentioned seems to give out a vibe that RFC is a bit below him. I met both MCD and Adkins socially and found them both to be engaging and I liked that. Same with SJM. Yet to meet SC and have no abiding wish to.

However surely if he is asked why the best player on the pitch v Fulham is dropped to the bench 2 games later then isn't it to be expected that he gives an answer? What's to hide? Sure he may not want to answer but that's why he's paid what he's paid and I pay for my season ticket each year.

[Reading6Barrow3]

Dour like another SC we had in charge. No problems with me though, as results speak louder than words.

[From Despair To Where?]

To be honest, having a cozy relationship with the local media isn't high on my list of priorities for skills or qualites that a manager needs.

[Ian Royal]

Dour like another SC we had in charge. No problems with me though, as results speak louder than words.

Now I've got no problem with him, but is LDWDLDW (It's the League that counts) really that good as results go? It's 9 out of 21 points, that's only 2 points more than Adkins managed in his last seven games. It was looking pretty poor for SC before the win against Wednesday too. It's amazing the different a single game makes.

You'd better have an ambulance on standby in case we beat Wolves and your heart explodes from the excitement of winning two games in a row.

[Lower West]

Dour like another SC we had in charge. No problems with me though, as results speak louder than words.

Now I've got no problem with him, but is LDWDLDW (It's the League that counts) really that good as results go? It's 9 out of 21 points, that's only 2 points more than Adkins managed in his last seven games. It was looking pretty poor for SC before the win against Wednesday too. It's amazing the different a single game makes.

Unfair to to expect a new manager to take a group of badly performing players and turn them into world beaters. I could never fathom why Atkins stuck to his formation when the team leaked goals. I for one will never forget the performance away at Peterborough in the League Cup. Truly shocking. Yet the team that Atkins put out at Birmingham simply didn't turn up. Something was missing from Atkins armoury. The best teams are all built on the defence.

[Ian Royal]

Dour like another SC we had in charge. No problems with me though, as results speak louder than words.

Now I've got no problem with him, but is LDWDLDW (It's the League that counts) really that good as results go? It's 9 out of 21 points, that's only 2 points more than Adkins managed in his last seven games. It was looking pretty poor for SC before the win against Wednesday too. It's amazing the different a single game makes.

Unfair to to expect a new manager to take a group of badly performing players and turn them into world beaters. I could never fathom why Atkins stuck to his formation when the team leaked goals. I for one will never forget the performance away at Peterborough in the League Cup. Truly shocking. Yet the team that Atkins put out at Birmingham simply didn't turn up. Something was missing from Atkins armoury. The best teams are all built on the defence.

I wasn't. Posh was indeed shocking. No matter how badly Adkins team choice, tactics and preparation were the players have to take a massive slice of blame for such an inept performance. I agree Adkins absolutely should have been trying to steady the ship, concede fewer goals and build from an unbeaten run. Although, he had actually done some improving up to that Birmingham abomination when they back slid. Before Birmingham the previous five games we conceded 4 goals inc 2 clean sheets, compared to the 12 goals and 1 clean sheet in the five before that.

From what I know of the game we weren't even that bad... Birmingham only had about 8 shots from what I heard, the players just put in a totally inept defensive performance and let them score with virtually every attack, whilst failing to take many of the numerous chances they created.

[Snowball]

Dour like another SC we had in charge. No problems with me though, as results speak louder than words.

Now I've got no problem with him, but is LDWDLDW (It's the League that counts) really that good as results go? It's 9 out of 21 points, that's only 2 points more than Adkins managed in his last seven games. It was looking pretty poor for SC before the win against Wednesday too. It's amazing the different a single game makes.

You'd better have an ambulance on standby in case we beat Wolves and your heart explodes from the excitement of winning two games in a row.

That's a truly rubbish and biased analysis.

Firstly, the Watford game came a few days after SC arrived and it's totally unreasonable to expect
SC to suddenly turn round a team that was totally shot of confidence.

Ignoring the Watford game we have

DWDLDW and the defeat was a case of being "mugged"
where virtually everybody who watched the game
(rather than listen to it on the radio) believed we played
really well and should have won it.

SC can't "out of thin air" make our strikers suddenly become good strikers
but he CAN bring The Pog back into the fold (2 goals already) and sign Yakubu

How could any manager have done more than that?

Now add in the cup games

W4 D3 L1 that's "15 points from 8" almost league-winning form

[SCIAG]

If we'd won against Watford, you'd be including it. If we'd lost our first cup match, you wouldn't be including it. Ian's selection is completely non-arbitrary, yours can only be described as biased.

I quite like that our form seems to be oscillating. If we keep going LDWDL then we'll average 1.2 points a match, which will see us safe.

[Reading6Barrow3]

My comments on results speaking louder than words, was not based on results so far. Just a general comment that some managers talk a great game, and their teams are rubbish. Others can be dour, give rubbish interviews, but get results on the pitch. I know which type I would like.

Results have been ok so far under SC. Performances have definitely improved though. Defence has been a better unit, midfield looks like it can create goals, but goals look like they will be harder to come by without Murray. An out and out finisher like Yakubu could be just what we need. Just hope he doesn't take four months to get match fit.

Didn't we lose our last game under the tanned one 6-1. Surely anything is an improvemnet on that ?

[leon]

Now I've got no problem with him, but is LDWDLDW (It's the League that counts) really that good as results go? It's 9 out of 21 points, that's only 2 points more than Adkins managed in his last seven games. It was looking pretty poor for SC before the win against Wednesday too. It's amazing the different a single game makes.

Unfair to to expect a new manager to take a group of badly performing players and turn them into world beaters. I could never fathom why Atkins stuck to his formation when the team leaked goals. I for one will never forget the performance away at Peterborough in the League Cup. Truly shocking. Yet the team that Atkins put out at Birmingham simply didn't turn up. Something was missing from Atkins armoury. The best teams are all built on the defence.

I wasn't. Posh was indeed shocking. No matter how badly Adkins team choice, tactics and preparation were the players have to take a massive slice of blame for such an inept performance. I agree Adkins absolutely should have been trying to steady the ship, concede fewer goals and build from an unbeaten run. Although, he had actually done some improving up to that Birmingham abomination when they back slid. Before Birmingham the previous five games we conceded 4 goals inc 2 clean sheets, compared to the 12 goals and 1 clean sheet in the five before that.

From what I know of the game we weren't even that bad... Birmingham only had about 8 shots from what I heard, the players just put in a totally inept defensive performance and let them score with virtually every attack, whilst failing to take many of the numerous chances they created.

So everything was going well then?

We weren't getting consistently worse?

our organisation and performances were improving?

Cut this revisionist shit out Ian. In the space of a few weeks we look better, more solid, organised. In short a proper well drilled team. Something that orange charlatan failed to do despite all the bullshit.

[Cureton's Volley]

Clarke = No nonsense = I like

[MmmMonsterMunch]

LOL @ pointless interviews with Dellor being the catalyst for liking him or not. Surely morale, organisation, effort, tempo, performances, and ultimately results are more important?

With all due respect, if he wins every week he is welcome to say whatever the hell he wants to BBCRB!

How anyone can argue he is not doing better than Adkins is just

He is a tracksuit, salt of the earth kind of guy that doesn't talk for the sake of talking and players clearly like him. He's quite obviously an excellent man manager which is massive for us. Having such a good reputation will undoubtedly mean we can sign better quality players as they're likely to pick us over another chump club.

Only McClaren probably matches Clarke in this division. We're fcuking lucky to have him.

I don't get the idea that he feels we're beneath him at all & he has never come across that way. I suspect that's just Reading fans having an inferiority complex.

Like Brendy - I too am much more comfortable with the playing style.

A massive thumbs up from me. Just a shame he wasn't available when McD got the boot really...........

[Angry Shed Sex]

That's a truly rubbish and biased analysis.

I'm struck by the fantastic irony of this statement from a man who refuses to add a managers first game into statistics and then proceeds to include completely different competitions to backup his point.

It's almost post of the year material.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

I see where he's coming from though. SC had less than 48 hours with the team prior to Watford didn't he? Anyways, we actually played well & IIRC McCleary made one silly error & Watford pounced.

We've only played badly in 2 games under Clarke so far - Huddersfield in the cup & Millwall last week. We came away with a win & draw - something we wouldn't have done under Adkins. We've created a shitload more chances as well.

Considering he's lost our main goal threat as well he's done pretty damn well I'd say.

[sandman]

That's a truly rubbish and biased analysis.

I'm struck by the fantastic irony of this statement from a man who refuses to add a managers first game into statistics and then proceeds to include completely different competitions to backup his point.

It's almost post of the year material.

See, normally you would have a point, but then Snowy was responding to Ian Royal so I think it's fair.

[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

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?

Did he? I can only recall him saying pretty much the exact same thing a few games before he got the sack.

Personally I don't mind him responding like that, it was after a goalless draw, so he got the defensive tactics right to come away with a clean sheet, and was questioned over leaving out McCleary - who has just come back from injury and probably just needed a rest.

[RoyalBlue]

LOL @ pointless interviews with Dellor being the catalyst for liking him or not. Surely morale, organisation, effort, tempo, performances, and ultimately results are more important?

With all due respect, if he wins every week he is welcome to say whatever the hell he wants to BBCRB!

How anyone can argue he is not doing better than Adkins is just

He is a tracksuit, salt of the earth kind of guy that doesn't talk for the sake of talking and players clearly like him. He's quite obviously an excellent man manager which is massive for us. Having such a good reputation will undoubtedly mean we can sign better quality players as they're likely to pick us over another chump club.

Only McClaren probably matches Clarke in this division. We're fcuking lucky to have him.
.

The jury should still be out on this one, just as it should have been on any other manager who might have been appointed. It's still very early days.

And a word of caution, I am told (by someone who I am led to believe is just one person away from inside West Brom) that Clarke did a great job for WBA in the Championship but then lost the dressing room (I know that I have previously questioned whether that ever really happens in reality) when they got to the top tier, which is why is was fired.

Needless to say, we have probably got at least another season before we have to start to worry about that scenario!

[sandman]

LOL @ pointless interviews with Dellor being the catalyst for liking him or not. Surely morale, organisation, effort, tempo, performances, and ultimately results are more important?

With all due respect, if he wins every week he is welcome to say whatever the hell he wants to BBCRB!

How anyone can argue he is not doing better than Adkins is just

He is a tracksuit, salt of the earth kind of guy that doesn't talk for the sake of talking and players clearly like him. He's quite obviously an excellent man manager which is massive for us. Having such a good reputation will undoubtedly mean we can sign better quality players as they're likely to pick us over another chump club.

Only McClaren probably matches Clarke in this division. We're fcuking lucky to have him.
.

The jury should still be out on this one, just as it should have been on any other manager who might have been appointed. It's still very early days.

And a word of caution, I am told (by someone who I am led to believe is just one person away from inside West Brom) that Clarke did a great job for WBA in the Championship but then lost the dressing room (I know that I have previously questioned whether that ever really happens in reality) when they got to the top tier, which is why is was fired.

Needless to say, we have probably got at least another season before we have to start to worry about that scenario!

He didn't manage them in the Championship.

[Maguire]

That's a truly rubbish and biased analysis.

I'm struck by the fantastic irony of this statement from a man who refuses to add a managers first game into statistics and then proceeds to include completely different competitions to backup his point.

It's almost post of the year material.

He doesn't understand statistical analysis, at all. This is well-trodden ground on this portal.