Stam's comments - only a matter of time now

[Millsy]

It's not really Stam's fault that the club can't/won't afford that [striker]

It's his job to make sure we get the players we need. He asked for the 7 signings, a keeper and 6 non-strikers. If I were him I'd have said give me a keeper, perhaps a Bacuna to replace Williams and then I'll have 2-3 goalscorers please.

One at perhaps 10million like you say and the others promising strikers from lower/other leagues (eg Vardy, Kitson, Doyle, Long, Blackman etc etc).

At the end of the day the buck stops with him for this ridiculous situation we find ourselves in of being utterly utterly toothless. His Dutch total football mentality is bloody ludicrous.

HAVING SAID THAT:

Those interview comments had a positive impact on me despite the above. I admire his down to earth honesty in that interview. There's nothing wrong with what he said. He's an honest chap, I'm impressed with his character, I wish him the best and I'd love to see him learn from his errors, spend money on 2 goalscorers in the January window and then make a fight to climb up into the playoff spots for the rest of the season. Very doable.

If he fails to secure the strikers in the window and goes midfield mad *again* instead or if he gets decent strikers but can't make the system work to give us a good push even with a decent strikeforce, then I think he'll be gone.

[cavillerarusticana]

Words just like statistics can be interpreted in any way you want, some will hear blunt, honest matter of fact comments and some will hear some subliminal coded meassage that says JS wants out. This is not a James Bond movie, it is football and i think of he wanted out he would say so in very plain language.
As for the managerial merry go round, all those on it are there because they are deemed failures at other clubs, some are more high risk and high maintenance than others, they come with no guarantees of success, it just depends on how big a risk you wish to take. Whatever happens a change will not be cheap. It is just management recycling. The new owners are an unknown quantity, who knows which way they will jump. They might consider just too early in the season to take that kind of gamble.

[leon]

I actually liked his honesty yesterday and warmed more to him as a result.

However he needs some blunt advice back.

[blythspartan]

I thought Stam's comments were okay yesterday. He sounds like a man under pressure who is fighting for his job, albeit a little tongue in cheek.

Now it might be because I'd a couple of beers but when he kept repeating himself about how he wants the team to play it sounded over complicated to me. I am beginning to wonder if the players fully grasp how he wants them to play? Maybe he should get them back to basics for a while to help boost their confidence.

[Nuremberg Royal]

oxf*rd me, he needs to work on his interview technique.

He's not helping the club or himself with this shit.

Anyone who has spent time around Dutch people will tell you that they can be very blunt, which can often come across as rude to us Brits who are used to understatement and discreet euphemisms.

Having lived in Holland for many years i can concur on the bluntness but they also can be stubborn MFs when pushed.

[Ascotexgunner]

I actually liked his honesty yesterday and warmed more to him as a result.

However he needs some blunt advice back.

I agree. I think I'm one of his biggest critics on here. I like him a lot and wish things were working out, but I wonder if he has a "big club" mentality having played where he has. I don't think Reading is right for him
and his style of football......which is sad really.

[leon]

oxf*rd me, he needs to work on his interview technique.

He's not helping the club or himself with this shit.

Anyone who has spent time around Dutch people will tell you that they can be very blunt, which can often come across as rude to us Brits who are used to understatement and discreet euphemisms.

Having lived in Holland for many years i can concur on the bluntness but they also can be stubborn MFs when pushed.

Fcuk off.

[RoyalBlue]

Am I the only one that thinks those comments aren't that bad?

No you're not. They are frank and honest, reflecting the type of character (good) that Stam is. Fans moan when managers treat them to BS but many equally don't like it when a manager is a straight talker (although they seemed to make an exception for the nice way that 'Uncle Brian' delivered frank messages).

[Forbury Lion]

It's not really Stam's fault that the club can't/won't afford that [striker]

It's his job to make sure we get the players we need.

The Director of Football has to take some of the flack for this too, It's his job to actually sort the transfers out and manage the budget, maybe he underestimated what funds it would take to secure the strikers? - Maybe the scouts too in identifying players who we could not afford/didn't want to come rather than more realistic targets?

Ultimately, though the manager should be making sure the scouts/dof are doing their job right and getting him the type of player we need so desperately - a goalscorer.

[Hup Holland Hup]

oxf*rd me, he needs to work on his interview technique.

He's not helping the club or himself with this shit.

Anyone who has spent time around Dutch people will tell you that they can be very blunt, which can often come across as rude to us Brits who are used to understatement and discreet euphemisms.

Having lived in Holland for many years i can concur on the bluntness but they also can be stubborn MFs when pushed.

Harsh but ultimately fair, even when we're wrong we're right or at least our self belief in what we're trying to achieve is somewhat blinkered. Having another Dutchy as the DOF isn't really helping......no opposing view, although, a Dutchman can argue in front of a mirror given the opportunity. If Stam is falling on his sword (which I doubt) it does look like he's pulling Brian with him. I'd like to think the club will give him the chance to get it right in the January window but history would suggest this is unlikely.

[John Smith]

I actually liked his honesty yesterday and warmed more to him as a result.

However he needs some blunt advice back.

I agree. I think I'm one of his biggest critics on here. I like him a lot and wish things were working out, but I wonder if he has a "big club" mentality having played where he has. I don't think Reading is right for him
and his style of football......which is sad really.

Have you been away for 6 months? Did you not watch Reading last season? Do you know where we finished in the league?

[Sutekh]

Don't worry, he's just got these two season arse about face. What Reading should have done last season they're doing this and vice versa. Ergo, this season, Reading will stay up in mid table obscurity which means next season is the one to really look forward to.

[mambo3]

If you haven't found a striker during the window why the hell didn't we keep the strikers we loaned out and sold.
"NO PLAN B"

[genome]

Transcript of his full comments on BBCRB

"You know there's pressure, so eventually if you're not winning games people will start to talk about your job - that's how it is," Stam said.

"If people think they can get a better manager that's better for the team, then they need to make that decision, that's fine.

"I don't think there is. That's a joke of course, but that's how it is.

The former Manchester United and AC Milan centre-back continued: "It's about getting results. If you don't get results people start talking about the manager: is he good enough? Can he change the team?

"I've been there as a player myself as well - it's one of the risks of being a manager - and if you're afraid of it happening then you don't need to go into the job, go out and do something else. You might do some fishing - that's nice as well."

[CountryRoyal]

Reading will stay up in mid table obscurity which means next season is the one to really look forward to.

Didn't we say that in 2014/15.

[windermereROYAL]

Transcript of his full comments on BBCRB

"You know there's pressure, so eventually if you're not winning games people will start to talk about your job - that's how it is," Stam said.

"If people think they can get a better manager that's better for the team, then they need to make that decision, that's fine.

"I don't think there is. That's a joke of course, but that's how it is.

The former Manchester United and AC Milan centre-back continued: "It's about getting results. If you don't get results people start talking about the manager: is he good enough? Can he change the team?

"I've been there as a player myself as well - it's one of the risks of being a manager - and if you're afraid of it happening then you don't need to go into the job, go out and do something else. You might do some fishing - that's nice as well."

That's a long way from how the OP portrayed the interview.

[Royal Rebel]

"You might do some fishing - that's nice as well."

Not when the sharks are circling its not.......

[leon]

Transcript of his full comments on BBCRB

"You know there's pressure, so eventually if you're not winning games people will start to talk about your job - that's how it is," Stam said.

"If people think they can get a better manager that's better for the team, then they need to make that decision, that's fine.

"I don't think there is. That's a joke of course, but that's how it is.

The former Manchester United and AC Milan centre-back continued: "It's about getting results. If you don't get results people start talking about the manager: is he good enough? Can he change the team?

"I've been there as a player myself as well - it's one of the risks of being a manager - and if you're afraid of it happening then you don't need to go into the job, go out and do something else. You might do some fishing - that's nice as well."

That's a long way from how the OP portrayed the interview.

There's a bit of humour in there as well which came across.

[Sutekh]

JS is a jolly nice egg and hope he does work it out successfully even though I do not like the style of play.

And at least he's honest in interviews and doesnt just give a load of nondescript platitudes that say nothing like you get from some. Not bad for someone for whom English is not his native tongue.

[West Stand Man]

'Only a matter of time now' really is one of the daftest cliches in the English language. Of course it is only a matter of time. From the moment a new manager accepts the job it is 'only a matter of time' before he leaves. They all leave eventually.