How impressed are you with BMcD's return to the club?

[Hoop Blah]

Are you SURE we can't afford Pearson? Would be a better signing than Vydra was.

I can't see the Thai's appointing Pearson after their countrymen booted him out of Leicester.

I'd imagine he's more likely to end up at Villa or Newcastle (if they come down) than somewhere like us.

[Rollerbob]

Yeah - what a shame though.

[Maneki Neko]

youre a shame

[Vision]

LOL. Clearly you don't go to games very often.

Brian is just limited. He plays a shit style of football, is one dimensional and has no plan B in games. His team selections are poor and so are his subtitutions. We have seen no improvement so far and I don't think that will change too much while he is here.

Is this just based on your gut feeling Royally F*cked up?

The last time he was our manager he made huge improvements in a short period of time. He took us from relegation candidates to play off finalists to Champions.

Based on that kind of track record of improvement, I think we have a bright future with Brian in charge.

You don't think he will make any improvements because you just don't think he will.

Funny how the Brian fan club always overlooks/forgets the latter part of his history with us i.e. the period when we failed dismally in the PL, when it was shown that a team with great team spirit but limited talent can't compete effectively in the PL, when Brian demonstrated that he didn't have a clue how to reverse our losing form (sounds familiar), kept repeating the same mistakes (again familiar) and signed players in the January transfer window who just weren't of the quality we required at that time.

We're not in the Premier league mate.

Another person who ridicules the notion that McD's past success in the Division we currently occupy is irrelevant but uses his 6 months at a higher level against clubs with significantly more resources as proof he's shit.

Stunning hypocrisy from a usual source.

[tidus_mi2]

Brian overachieved massively when he won us promotion, then he got poor backing the following season, he should have been congratulated for getting the points he did, instead he got the sack, if he had finished 3rd the previous season and lost in the play-offs, he would have kept his job no question, a victim of his own success.

So frankly, I am willing to overlook the catastrophic Premier League season as, imo, Brian is very low down on the list of people to blame for that one, it hasn't been a good return so far but as I always maintained with Clarke, is that Brian deserves a chance to build his own team, you don't do that in the January transfer window, judge him on next season.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

Brian McDermott, the tactical genius and man-management leader whose only failings are (a) having the wrong players (b) at the wrong time of the season (c) with the wrong owners. What else, The grass too long? The Puma kits chaffing?

The PL experience is relevant because the failings that saw him sacked are similar to the failings we're seeing now. Repeated mistakes. Bizarre selections. Too much loyalty to his favourites. One plan and one plan only (keep it tight for 70 minutes then try and nick a goal).

RB was making an entirely reasonable point only to be attacked by the McDermott apologists.

[genome]

How has McDermott been too loyal to favourites this season?

I think he's been picking the best available players he could at the given time. Cox maybe a good case, but he's just released him, so that's hardly him being overly loyal.

[No Fixed Abode]

How has McDermott been too loyal to favourites this season?

I think he's been picking the best available players he could at the given time. Cox maybe a good case, but he's just released him, so that's hardly him being overly loyal.

So why play Cox if he knew he was going to be released?

[genome]

a) He didn't want to play the loan players any more which left him with b) no other option and c) he probably wanted to give him a chance to prove himself and earn a new deal considering we had nothing to play for, which is only fair.

[Ian Royal]

How has McDermott been too loyal to favourites this season?

I think he's been picking the best available players he could at the given time. Cox maybe a good case, but he's just released him, so that's hardly him being overly loyal.

So why play Cox if he knew he was going to be released?

Dunno lol.

Maybe to decide whether to offer him a contract.

Who exactly were McDermott's favourites and what were the alternatives ffs? It's a meaningless criticism from the empty headed.

Also, when did having favourites become a bad thing. It's his job to pick 'favourites' and play them. And just because they don't perform doesn't automatically make the alternatives better or worth playing.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

How has McDermott been too loyal to favourites this season?

I think he's been picking the best available players he could at the given time. Cox maybe a good case, but he's just released him, so that's hardly him being overly loyal.

So why play Cox if he knew he was going to be released?

Dunno lol.

Maybe to decide whether to offer him a contract.

Who exactly were McDermott's favourites and what were the alternatives ffs? It's a meaningless criticism from the empty headed.

Also, when did having favourites become a bad thing. It's his job to pick 'favourites' and play them. And just because they don't perform doesn't automatically make the alternatives better or worth playing.

Look, Ian, I'm usually pretty supportive of you, even when I completely disagree, but to just dismiss my opinions as "empty headed" is both arrogant and rude. I'll be fine if you'd like to apologise.

Favourites played far too many times: Gorkks. Leigertwood.
Bizarre selections: Carrico when not fit then (hardly ever again). Hope Akpan.
Not playing Tabb, or Guthrie. Not playing Pogrebnyak.

This season? Vydra. Williams. Cooper (ahead of Ferdiand when he's been fit).
Bizarre: Evans on his debut when not up to speed, then not again for months.
Not playing: Cox, Fernandez, John, Sa.

You may also like to watch highlights of the home games against Wigan and Aston Villa. from Spring 2013. I remember being there and knowing that this was a manager who had lost his way.

[John Smith]

I do agree they need to keep some patience with him though, but realistically he needs to be showing signs of progress in order to earn that chance to build long term.

Nothing but this. It's a total dilemma. He's been poor enough to sack, and just like on the pitch, new blood might work.

However, sacking him may disrupt any off the pitch plans, and he may make things better.

Tricky.

Are you SURE we can't afford Pearson? Would be a better signing than Vydra was.

Finally someone who has restored my faith in the supporters on this board.

[floyd__streete]

Stunning hypocrisy from a usual source.

I don't mind a Royal Blue anti-Brian tirade tbh if only because it means he momentarily gives his one man Madejski-hate campaign a rest.

[floyd__streete]

I think Brian might be more successful in his third spell tbf, once we have sacked Steve Cotterill and Lawrie Sanchez.

[Vision]

Brian McDermott, the tactical genius and man-management leader whose only failings are (a) having the wrong players (b) at the wrong time of the season (c) with the wrong owners. What else, The grass too long? The Puma kits chaffing?

The PL experience is relevant because the failings that saw him sacked are similar to the failings we're seeing now. Repeated mistakes. Bizarre selections. Too much loyalty to his favourites. One plan and one plan only (keep it tight for 70 minutes then try and nick a goal).

RB was making an entirely reasonable point only to be attacked by the McDermott apologists.

I'm far from a McD apologist. My point , which you've just confirmed, is the hypocrisy of taking 6 months at a higher level as significant, yet dismissing his previous record at this level.

The circumstances now are not the same as they were in the Premier league. If anything it mirrors his previous Championship seasons.

You remember where we were when he took over from Rodgers? You remember we finished 9th? Not relevant? OK

You remember where we were in December of the next season? 14th. You remember where we finished? Play-offs. Not relevant? OK

You remember where we were in January the next season? 8th. You remember where we finished? Not relevant? Really? Ok fair enough.

6 months in the Premier League ? Totally relevant according to you.

Of course his history here is no guarantee of success but it is absolute hypocrisy to take 2/3 of a season at a higher level as an indicator yet completely ignore the fact that he has in 3 other seasons (at our current level) turned the fortunes of the team around to finish significantly higher than we were in December/January time.

[BR2]

Brian McDermott, the tactical genius and man-management leader whose only failings are (a) having the wrong players (b) at the wrong time of the season (c) with the wrong owners. What else, The grass too long? The Puma kits chaffing?

The PL experience is relevant because the failings that saw him sacked are similar to the failings we're seeing now. Repeated mistakes. Bizarre selections. Too much loyalty to his favourites. One plan and one plan only (keep it tight for 70 minutes then try and nick a goal).

RB was making an entirely reasonable point only to be attacked by the McDermott apologists.

I'm far from a McD apologist. My point , which you've just confirmed, is the hypocrisy of taking 6 months at a higher level as significant, yet dismissing his previous record at this level.

The circumstances now are not the same as they were in the Premier league. If anything it mirrors his previous Championship seasons.

You remember where we were when he took over from Rodgers? You remember we finished 9th? Not relevant? OK

You remember where we were in December of the next season? 14th. You remember where we finished? Play-offs. Not relevant? OK

You remember where we were in January the next season? 8th. You remember where we finished? Not relevant? Really? Ok fair enough.

6 months in the Premier League ? Totally relevant according to you.

Of course his history here is no guarantee of success but it is absolute hypocrisy to take 2/3 of a season at a higher level as an indicator yet completely ignore the fact that he has in 3 other seasons (at our current level) turned the fortunes of the team around to finish significantly higher than we were in December/January time.

It will be interesting to see if Top Flight now comes on to say that the successful period was down to the skill of McD (and not the players) whereas this season is down to the players and not to the lack of skill of the manager because there is never anything wrong with the manager.

If Brian had not been the likeable fella that he is he could well have been sacked by now , taking into account how most owners expect instant returns.
We really don't know enough about the Thais yet to have any idea how long he will be given.
If he survives this week it looks as though he might get the first 5 months of next season, by which time the owners might have made up their mind about him and realise that they have either made the right decision to take him back in the first place or got it wrong.

Other than Maurice Evans and Steve Coppell I can't think of any other manager who has been so popular with the fans and in the end they both got the sack so it is a case of "when" and not "if" for Brian as it is with most managers.

So far I would say about 3/10 IMHO and must do better.
The hope is that in his previous tenure he scored something like:
6/10
7/10
9/10
4/10
shows that he can do it but it strikes me that the previous sacking by us and then by Leeds have left their mark and he seems much more cautious than before in his approach to games and player changes.
Let's hope that when he gets his squad together we see a more attacking brand of football and total commitment for the whole of every game.

[Top Flight]

The successful period was down to the skill of McD (and not the players) whereas this season is down to the players and not to the lack of skill of the manager because there is never anything wrong with the manager.

[Top Flight]

Support for Brian has nothing to do with him being likable. Personally, I don't like him. His bald, shiny head p*sses me off. I don't like looking at it. His jokes are not funny. He is irritating.

But, he is a very good manager.

[Top Flight]

Other than Maurice Evans and Steve Coppell I can't think of any other manager who has been so popular with the fans and in the end they both got the sack so it is a case of "when" and not "if" for Brian as it is with most managers..

I don't think Coppell was sacked. Didn't he sack himself? He had met the clubs expectations, but not his own high expectations. He felt like he had failed us and decided to walk. I thought Coppell had done a great job. We missed out on automatic promotion on the final day against Birmingham City. I would have liked Coppell to try again the following season. He probably would have got us up the next season.

[genome]

Top Flight, going back a few pages... seems weird that you would call Brian a "tactical genius" and on the Blackburn match thread you complained about him playing the "pathetic diamond"...