Gourlay

[URZZZZZZZZ]

Empty boxes and lack of advertising and shirt sponsorship on the back all come down to him.

Shirt sponsorship is down to carabao having a veto on other visible sponsors due to the contract as primary partners. Looks like the Thai's stiffed us on that one.

I don’t think that’s true, I’m pretty sure we’ve had sponsors on the back the last few seasons (Cherwell?)

[John Smith]

Empty boxes and lack of advertising and shirt sponsorship on the back all come down to him.

Shirt sponsorship is down to carabao having a veto on other visible sponsors due to the contract as primary partners. Looks like the Thai's stiffed us on that one.

I don’t think that’s true, I’m pretty sure we’ve had sponsors on the back the last few seasons (Cherwell?)

Exactly. And there was Euro Cake.

Yet more drivel from maffff then

[maffff]

Shirt sponsorship is down to carabao having a veto on other visible sponsors due to the contract as primary partners. Looks like the Thai's stiffed us on that one.

I don’t think that’s true, I’m pretty sure we’ve had sponsors on the back the last few seasons (Cherwell?)

Exactly. And there was Euro Cake.

Yet more drivel from maffff then

Yet more drivel from Ron Gourlay I believe you mean. It's from him on the 7th of September - about commercial rights and other sponsorship.

[Forbury Lion]

Shirt sponsorship is down to carabao having a veto on other visible sponsors due to the contract as primary partners. Looks like the Thai's stiffed us on that one.

I don’t think that’s true, I’m pretty sure we’ve had sponsors on the back the last few seasons (Cherwell?)

Exactly. And there was Euro Cake.

Yet more drivel from maffff then

Presumably sponsors Caraboa chose not to veto, The Caraboa veto is not uncommon, I imagine Waitrose had something similar in their shirt sponsorship deal as there are probably some brands they would not want to be associated with.

[Kulshaw72RFC]

Shirt sponsorship is down to carabao having a veto on other visible sponsors due to the contract as primary partners. Looks like the Thai's stiffed us on that one.

I don’t think that’s true, I’m pretty sure we’ve had sponsors on the back the last few seasons (Cherwell?)

Exactly. And there was Euro Cake.

Yet more drivel from maffff then

This is the same maffff as on Twitter who posts up those utterly laughable meltdowns? Seems par for the course for him tbh.

[Westwood52]

OK, Gourlay may not have initiated these howlers (although its almost certain it was him), but he signed them off; which is indicative of what a total non footballing person he is:


New contracts for:


Jakkola :OK he might have panicked about getting a back up goalie, pre season-but back up goalies ,tend to be no more than back ups & the academy kids could have stood in.Of course it could have been , that he already knew Walker was a certainty-which makes it even more non sensical.


Kermit : New contract last year-really a 37 year old with a serious injury problem.

Van Den Berg : New contract last year-really ?


Meite : 4 Year contract-2 Year or a short extension to his existing contract, would have been more sensible; in the unlikely event that he suddenly becomes a bit more than a big lump.


I am sorry I just cannot see how those 4 decisions made any sense, from either a footballing or financial point of view.

[PistolPete]

We know so little yet complain so much!

It’s been said that the Meite deal is very dependent on performances; a 4 year deal could be dependent on 20 appearances per season, 10 goals, adherence to a pitch positioning strategy... who knows!

Let’s just remember that everyone who slated Novakovich for not having a recall clause had no idea that he had a recall clause. Frankly, it’s probably the same set of fans who conveniently forget that Novakovich was scouted, signed and sent on a perfect loan to Holland in the first place.

Jaakola was signed from South Africa, you think he’s on an extra year deal that we can’t afford? Seriously, is there nothing you won’t moan at? Sure, I wouldn’t have done it, but football is unpredictable!

The club is in a rut, we’ve appointed a CEO with top experience, a manager with something to prove and a decent CV, a top rate youth director.... as far as I’m concerned, I just wish we gave our youth more of a chance- but I absolutely don’t blame Clement for playing it safe.

[maffff]

This is the same maffff

I'm not sure there are many others tbh.

[Lower West]

The club is in a rut, we’ve appointed a CEO with top experience, a manager with something to prove and a decent CV, a top rate youth director.... as far as I’m concerned, I just wish we gave our youth more of a chance- but I absolutely don’t blame Clement for playing it safe.

The club is pushing ahead with the new training complex at a considerable cost. Not a sign of a club that is in terminally decline. More of one that is taking a long term strategic view. Accepting the fact that the road along the way might be bumpy.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

We know so little yet complain so much!

It’s been said that the Meite deal is very dependent on performances; a 4 year deal could be dependent on 20 appearances per season, 10 goals, adherence to a pitch positioning strategy... who knows!

Let’s just remember that everyone who slated Novakovich for not having a recall clause had no idea that he had a recall clause. Frankly, it’s probably the same set of fans who conveniently forget that Novakovich was scouted, signed and sent on a perfect loan to Holland in the first place.

Jaakola was signed from South Africa, you think he’s on an extra year deal that we can’t afford? Seriously, is there nothing you won’t moan at? Sure, I wouldn’t have done it, but football is unpredictable!

The club is in a rut, we’ve appointed a CEO with top experience, a manager with something to prove and a decent CV, a top rate youth director.... as far as I’m concerned, I just wish we gave our youth more of a chance- but I absolutely don’t blame Clement for playing it safe.

Good post - everyone on here is moaning about Gorlay on the back of a couple of tweets from ex Reading journalist Watts where former contacts of his and ex-employees of the club have gone bleating to him having been sacked. This from my own contacts I know is a fact.

The club has largely been on a downhill spiral and losing money since 2012, so if he has cleared out non performing dead wood then good stuff.

Its not as easy to move players on as backroom staff - who wants to buy players who are part of a continually losing team?

[URZZZZZZZZ]

We know so little yet complain so much!

It’s been said that the Meite deal is very dependent on performances; a 4 year deal could be dependent on 20 appearances per season, 10 goals, adherence to a pitch positioning strategy... who knows!

Let’s just remember that everyone who slated Novakovich for not having a recall clause had no idea that he had a recall clause. Frankly, it’s probably the same set of fans who conveniently forget that Novakovich was scouted, signed and sent on a perfect loan to Holland in the first place.

Jaakola was signed from South Africa, you think he’s on an extra year deal that we can’t afford? Seriously, is there nothing you won’t moan at? Sure, I wouldn’t have done it, but football is unpredictable!

The club is in a rut, we’ve appointed a CEO with top experience, a manager with something to prove and a decent CV, a top rate youth director.... as far as I’m concerned, I just wish we gave our youth more of a chance- but I absolutely don’t blame Clement for playing it safe.

Good post - everyone on here is moaning about Gorlay on the back of a couple of tweets from ex Reading journalist Watts where former contacts of his and ex-employees of the club have gone bleating to him having been sacked. This from my own contacts I know is a fact.

The club has largely been on a downhill spiral and losing money since 2012, so if he has cleared out non performing dead wood then good stuff.

Its not as easy to move players on as backroom staff - who wants to buy players who are part of a continually losing team?

From what I understand, they weren’t sacked, they were just fed up with the senior figures’ ineptitude.

[NewCorkSeth]

We know so little yet complain so much!

It’s been said that the Meite deal is very dependent on performances; a 4 year deal could be dependent on 20 appearances per season, 10 goals, adherence to a pitch positioning strategy... who knows!

Let’s just remember that everyone who slated Novakovich for not having a recall clause had no idea that he had a recall clause. Frankly, it’s probably the same set of fans who conveniently forget that Novakovich was scouted, signed and sent on a perfect loan to Holland in the first place.

Jaakola was signed from South Africa, you think he’s on an extra year deal that we can’t afford? Seriously, is there nothing you won’t moan at? Sure, I wouldn’t have done it, but football is unpredictable!

The club is in a rut, we’ve appointed a CEO with top experience, a manager with something to prove and a decent CV, a top rate youth director.... as far as I’m concerned, I just wish we gave our youth more of a chance- but I absolutely don’t blame Clement for playing it safe.

Good post - everyone on here is moaning about Gorlay on the back of a couple of tweets from ex Reading journalist Watts where former contacts of his and ex-employees of the club have gone bleating to him having been sacked. This from my own contacts I know is a fact.

The club has largely been on a downhill spiral and losing money since 2012, so if he has cleared out non performing dead wood then good stuff.

Its not as easy to move players on as backroom staff - who wants to buy players who are part of a continually losing team?

From what I understand, they weren’t sacked, they were just fed up with the senior figures’ ineptitude.

I thought they were told to get in line with the new way or move on? It seemed like a planned move to push out people he thought weren't pulling weight or up to the task.

But we don't know really do we...

[NewCorkSeth]

We know so little yet complain so much!

It’s been said that the Meite deal is very dependent on performances; a 4 year deal could be dependent on 20 appearances per season, 10 goals, adherence to a pitch positioning strategy... who knows!

Let’s just remember that everyone who slated Novakovich for not having a recall clause had no idea that he had a recall clause. Frankly, it’s probably the same set of fans who conveniently forget that Novakovich was scouted, signed and sent on a perfect loan to Holland in the first place.

Jaakola was signed from South Africa, you think he’s on an extra year deal that we can’t afford? Seriously, is there nothing you won’t moan at? Sure, I wouldn’t have done it, but football is unpredictable!

The club is in a rut, we’ve appointed a CEO with top experience, a manager with something to prove and a decent CV, a top rate youth director.... as far as I’m concerned, I just wish we gave our youth more of a chance- but I absolutely don’t blame Clement for playing it safe.

All fair points.

[Old Man Andrews]

Anyone ordered their "Gourlay Out" personalised club scarf yet?

[Forbury Lion]

OK, Gourlay may not have initiated these howlers (although its almost certain it was him), but he signed them off; which is indicative of what a total non footballing person he is:


New contracts for:


Jakkola :OK he might have panicked about getting a back up goalie, pre season-but back up goalies ,tend to be no more than back ups & the academy kids could have stood in.Of course it could have been , that he already knew Walker was a certainty-which makes it even more non sensical.


Kermit : New contract last year-really a 37 year old with a serious injury problem.

Van Den Berg : New contract last year-really ?


Meite : 4 Year contract-2 Year or a short extension to his existing contract, would have been more sensible; in the unlikely event that he suddenly becomes a bit more than a big lump.


I am sorry I just cannot see how those 4 decisions made any sense, from either a footballing or financial point of view.

Alternatively, You could argue that Gourlay does not interfere with the playing side of things and backs the decisions of his director of football and manager by securing the services of the players they say need to be secured.

Most managers see their role as a short term role, because that's usually how it pans out. They therefore look at short term team building but the Director of Football Role is a long term role and they should be planning ahead with players for the future and budgeting ahead for things like a change in manager (because every new manager wants some new players/staff and it ussually costs to get rid of a manager) and also looking at contract lengths - If it's a 4 year contract but the manager is on a 1 year contract or it's likely they'll be off/player has old/injury prone and you know those type of players tend to have 1 or 2 years left in them then you have to take responsibility for that as DoF.

[Snowflake Royal]

I'd argue you're just as shit a CEO if you give your football staff carte blanche to hand out whatever contracts they want and sign anyone without you intervention as if you sign players and contracts without their input.

It's the CEO's job to make sure the club is operating within its budget and not being committed to wasteful expenditure.

[Forbury Lion]

I'd argue you're just as shit a CEO if you give your football staff carte blanche to hand out whatever contracts they want and sign anyone without you intervention as if you sign players and contracts without their input.

It's the CEO's job to make sure the club is operating within its budget and not being committed to wasteful expenditure.

Isn't that also the CFO's job?

The CEO is the one who calls the shots but they rely on a CFO to balance the books and call the shots on the budget etc.... of at least that's how it works at places like Valerie Patisserie

[Sutekh]

We know so little yet complain so much!

It’s been said that the Meite deal is very dependent on performances; a 4 year deal could be dependent on 20 appearances per season, 10 goals, adherence to a pitch positioning strategy... who knows!

Let’s just remember that everyone who slated Novakovich for not having a recall clause had no idea that he had a recall clause. Frankly, it’s probably the same set of fans who conveniently forget that Novakovich was scouted, signed and sent on a perfect loan to Holland in the first place.

Jaakola was signed from South Africa, you think he’s on an extra year deal that we can’t afford? Seriously, is there nothing you won’t moan at? Sure, I wouldn’t have done it, but football is unpredictable!

The club is in a rut, we’ve appointed a CEO with top experience, a manager with something to prove and a decent CV, a top rate youth director.... as far as I’m concerned, I just wish we gave our youth more of a chance- but I absolutely don’t blame Clement for playing it safe.

Good post - everyone on here is moaning about Gorlay on the back of a couple of tweets from ex Reading journalist Watts where former contacts of his and ex-employees of the club have gone bleating to him having been sacked. This from my own contacts I know is a fact.

The club has largely been on a downhill spiral and losing money since 2012, so if he has cleared out non performing dead wood then good stuff.

Its not as easy to move players on as backroom staff - who wants to buy players who are part of a continually losing team?

Reading! How many of the arrivals in the last 2 years have been from clubs in a downward losing spiral?

It also helps when you don't sign 1st team squad players and stick them on 4 year deals - esp. when they're over 25. It's not as if Reading are a Liverpool, Man City, Real Madrid etc.

[RoyalBlue]

We should not be accepting a decline in the club such as we are currently witnessing. Nor should we fall for the suggestions that the town of Reading can't support the establishment of one of the top clubs in the country.

A news article on the BBC today reveals that between 1911 and 2016, employment in Reading grew by 307%! That is more than 2.5 times the next highest growth rate of any town/city in the UK which was 129%! I would wager that the substantial part of that growth took place over the past few decades.