Is this the end for Madejski?

[Dixeyroyal]

Listening to this afternoon's press conference it was interesting that SJM made no reference to "welcoming Stam" to the club, just kept banging on about how Brian should have been given more time and he didnt want him to be sacked.
Given that he was (presumably) given the job of promoting some positive PR around the appointment, it seems to have backfired and become quite embarrassing.

Could this spell the end of SJM's time at the club?

I wouldnt be surprised if that was his parting shot, quickly followed by a statement this week that SJM has left the club!

[howser]

It must be a difficult working relationship if from the start there is a coldness between the manager and the chairman ? would be interesting to know which side of the fence that Howe is favouring ?

[blueroyals]

Howe and SJM are only here for a familiar face. It's clear they have no say in how the club is run any more. Their only role should be communicating with the fans but how much have they done of that recently? Time to get rid of them

[WoodleyRoyal]

Howe and SJM are only here for a familiar face. It's clear they have no say in how the club is run any more. Their only role should be communicating with the fans but how much have they done of that recently? Time to get rid of them

Agreed about SJM but not Howe, he is the Chief Exec, and does seem to be very involved in most matters. And indeed i believe this deal was delayed from being announced last week because he was at the football league conference somewhere abroad.

[mumbo-jumbo]

Listening to this afternoon's press conference it was interesting that SJM made no reference to "welcoming Stam" to the club, just kept banging on about how Brian should have been given more time and he didnt want him to be sacked.
Given that he was (presumably) given the job of promoting some positive PR around the appointment, it seems to have backfired and become quite embarrassing.

Could this spell the end of SJM's time at the club?

I wouldn't be surprised if that was his parting shot, quickly followed by a statement this week that SJM has left the club!

After his ''Brian should have been given more time'' tirade, I'm sure he went on to say that now Jaap was here he wished him well and hoped he would be successful.

It must be a difficult working relationship if from the start there is a coldness between the manager and the chairman ? would be interesting to know which side of the fence that Howe is favouring ?

Also, just because he didn't want Brian sacked doesn't necessarily mean things have to be difficult between him and JS does it...they are kind of two separate issues.

[tidus_mi2]

Appreciate all SJM has done for the club but while he's still connected to the club, he shouldn't really be discreetly second guessing the current owners' managerial decisions. It's bad enough the amount of backroom unrest rumours get generated because of the lack of communication from the club, they don't need SJM stoking the fires.

[RoyalBlue]

Can't see how Madejski's utterings at the press conference could have been anything but embarrassing for the owners and, to a lesser extent, Stam.

Clearly Madejski doesn't subscribe to 'collective responsibility'. It's more surprising that he fails to recognise that 'he who pays the piper calls the tune' . Or perhaps it's just that he still hasn't realised/accepted that he is no longer paying that particular musician.

Unless the Thais subscribe to a refreshing democratic/freedom of speech culture, I suspect he severely limited his remaining days at the club through his behaviour today.

[sandman]

Well said Sir John.

[andrew1957]

I am totally behind Sir John.

It seems that there is a 50/50 split amongst the fans between those that are happy for the heart of RFC to be ripped out and to accept the hire and fire mentality that so many other clubs have - but the rest of us loved the "Reading way" and were proud that the club did things differently and that managers were given a chance and that we recruited from the lower tiers and from the Academy and twice managed to get to the PL with squads that cost around 5M or so in total.

Now the Thais have killed the Reading way stone dead and perhaps Sir John is prepared to end his time at the club and if so good on him.

I am still of the opinion that I will not walk through the gates again whilst the club is under the current ownership. I said this when Brian was sacked and I still feel the same a couple of weeks later. I am not sure what if anything will change my mind.

[Ian Royal]

I agree McDermott shouldn't have been sacked, but now he was and Madejski's pushed that line publically (unsurprisingly) I think he needs to go.

He's like a jilted husband hanging around his ex-wife telling her and her new partner how to run their relationship. It's like Ferguson and Utd... they need to part ways so the club can come out from under his shadow.

Not that I think the Thais would necessarily do any better without him around, but they should at least get the chance. It's not his game any more and it's clear it's not run the way he wants it to be. He's stuck in good old days nostalgia.

[Sutekh]

I thought SJM's comments were embarrassing and out of place at a press conference for the new guy even if i did agree with the sentiment.

On the other side of the coin, hopefully the local media will be able to collar Sumrith Thanakarnjanasuth for a chat about the board's side of things seeing as he attended the press conference earlier

[royal67]

I thought SJM's comments were embarrassing and out of place

I couldn't agree more and also very disrespectful (IMO) to Stam. If SJM loves Brian so much maybe he should suggest they start a new football club together........

[Mr Optimist]

Well done Sir John for showing at least he has some guts left to say how he feels. A few weeks too late and at an inappropriate time, and It felt a little bit Paloma Faith stage bombing style cringey, but it still needed to be said.

[The Royal Forester]

I fully agree with what Sir John and about 50% of Royals fans have said. I don't think the Thais will be happy about the comments, so as they think a lot about loyalty, I do not see SJM being around the club much longer and that really be the of "The Reading Way", more's the pity. Let us hope Stam is given more time to get things right at this club. But, a few bad results and quite likely he will be gone.

[Lower West]

Sir John is not a person to keep quiet. When there's something to be said he does. Having worked with Brian for many years he must feel personally embarrassed for the manner in which he has been treated. Therefore only right that he used the press conference to voice his personal feelings. Having said his piece he'll now move on. Though if Stam totally fails. The Thai owners will be the ones on the brunt of the fans disquiet. Makes this season very very important. As fans are a fickle bunch. The Thai's won't wish to alienate Sir John given the high regard in which he is held. Better to have him instead the camp than outside. Where he would be a loose cannon.

[RG30]

If Sir JM isn't allowed to express his opinion then why the hell invite him to front up to the media?

[AthleticoSpizz]

Think SJM has earnt the right to have his say over the last 20-odd years.

[Royal Ginger]

Glad he said it, it marries up with the perception of a decent percentage of the fans. That said, I think it would have been better in a seperate interview. The only innocent here is Stam, he's the only one who doesn't deserve any animosity over this whole fiasco.

[Platypuss]

Glad he said it, it marries up with the perception of a decent percentage of the fans. That said, I think it would have been better in a seperate interview. The only innocent here is Stam, he's the only one who doesn't deserve any animosity over this whole fiasco.

This. Stam deserved better.

[sandman]

Glad he said it, it marries up with the perception of a decent percentage of the fans. That said, I think it would have been better in a seperate interview. The only innocent here is Stam, he's the only one who doesn't deserve any animosity over this whole fiasco.

Wouldn't say Stam is innocent in all this, despite what his agent would like people to believe.