Hound fairly interesting that a lot of the chat from the new boys has been about what a pull Stam is to the club.
I'm kind of turning back a little bit, and I know its only on one win. I think he is a good figurehead and I can understand the club being extremely wary of sacking him.
However do think that something needs to change. Think maybe Stam needs to take a look at what is being offered by the coaching team and assistants. Point was made on another thread about the pre-match warm ups always being the same, despite the fact that we have barely scored a goal before ht this year. The players don't look especially fit either, and there are definitely a couple who look to be carrying a few additional pounds this year
Not sure if its my memory playing tricks on me, but the example everyone uses of sticking with the boss is Gary Johnson at Brizzle - and I believe he sacked his assistant about this time last year, which seemed to prompt a change in fortune
I think it could be reasonable to look at a change in coaching.
Stam has AU as his assistant who he obviously trusts, but beyond that he is still working it out and it might take him years to find that coach or handful of coaches, who makes everything click. It might've been a shock to see Reid go, but if he wasn't going to fit in with the long term plan, it is understandable. Gilks is a new addition and is probably still finding his feet with the first team and who will hopefully improve in time.
Look at Warnock, he has the same team around him wherever he goes, but that wouldn't have happened overnight and has probably taken him years to forge those relationships and put his trust in the coaches who are going to best execute his plans.
People forget but we have a young, relatively inexperienced team and coaches who will be learning everyday and these things take time.
Everyone has their opinion on Stam, and more than welcome to voice that opinion. I like him, yes his football can be tedious at times, but I can see what he is trying to do, he is trying to get us playing in a way that has proven to be successful at the top level and is totally alien to us as Reading fans, but for whatever reason, it just isn't coming together right now, maybe it is his style, maybe the players just don't have the confidence in their own ability to perform to his expected level, don't know. What I do know is that he has the full backing of the players (that is evident from the photo from Burton) and, presumably the board and he is probably here to stay. I think it may have been AU who said it, but Stam isn't on the sideline with a PlayStation controller making the bad passes himself. There is far too many knee-jerk reactions in football these days, a lot of that is down to money obviously and desire for instant success.
I want to support the football club who bucks that trend, who sticks with a manager through bad times and to come out on the other end with success and for people to say - Look at Reading, they were doing so badly with Stam, could've sacked him, but they stuck with him, he has learned his mistakes and are now reaping the benefits.
Stam IN.
