Next Manager

[Millsy]

This is the part about it I don't like. I would rather someone came in who didn't know the players and makea new assesment of them, some of them think they are still on holiday and haven't started the season yet. We needed someone like Gareth Ainsworth to come in and remotivate them and give them some belief. He is a proven excellent man manager.

You'd go for Ainsworth OMA?

I'm happy to give Bowen a chance. Certainly pressure will be on, but he must have seen things he thinks he can do a lot better than were being done before. Guessing he'll bring in his old coaching team so will have plenty of experience. A few of us did give him some credit for our improved displays after he joined the club last year, so there are signs he may be ok

Wonder who will take over as DOF?

Its a total stitch up Hound, its worrying. I won't be throwing my toys out of the pram just yet as Bowen hasn't even taken the reigns yet but the whole thing just doesn't sit right with me. I have this vision of him going to our owners with a powerpoint presentation of how he would do a better job than Gomes and them buying it, I don't really trust the owners judgement on footballing matters at all.

I'm with you as I say and it doesn't sit right with me but out of interest what did you think about (or would you have, if you're too young) thought about:

McGhee being made boss?
Quinn/Gooding taking over?
Pardew (crappy Bullivants nobody helper and still a nobody bellend tosser) becoming manager?
McDermott (a nobody scout) getting the top job?

Were you equally disappointed at those promotions?

To guess your answer, I'm guessing it is just that you don't trust the owners' judgment. Whereas the above were Madejski appointments, this would be the current easily wooed owners not really knowing what they're doing.

I don't see it like that. Whilst I don't like it I've learnt from past mistakes and will get behind him if it happens.

For all we know, he could see exactly what Gomes was doing wrong. He could be going nuts just itching to correct a couple of simple things Gomes was messing up on (eg not always playing it out from the back, zonal marking etc etc..) we could just be a couple of tweaks away from being a very good team and he might be the man who knows exactly what to do. Arguably a much wiser approach than having a completely new man come in with a completely new philosophy and turning the place up-side-down again. A quick tweak to an almost certain system is better than smashing up and building up from scratch over months.

[Old Man Andrews]

It may be he had some very clear views as DoF on what Gomes was doing wrong, and considers himself best placed to fix quickly. In which case, good luck and I hope he's right.

I'm interested to see if we get a new DoF. And if he's not very good, does he go back upstairs? Or is his time at the club finished if he doesn't do well?

No he just fancied being a manager, m8.

[Stranded]

You lot are unbelievable. Give the guy a chance. Beat Preston on Saturday. Top six by Christmas. Uuuuurrrrrzzzzzz !

Yep totally gets my support if named. Could be argued this is very much a "Reading Way" appointment. Get rid of a manager that isn't working and replace him with somebody else from within the club. May end up being a masterstroke, may well be a disaster but happy to see how it pans out as well, that's what you do.

A lot of people are going to be disappointed either way if it is Bowen - if it goes well, they'll look stupid by such an extreme reaction and if it goes badly then we'll be relegated and not even their told you so will make them happier about that.

Bowen knows the club, will have been involved in bringing in the players we now have and has plenty of successful (in terms of the clubs he was at) coaching experience - he may just have the key to getting the team playing the way we all think they can.

[royal_rumble]

Wasnt Clarke rated highly as a coach? Doesnt guarentee being a good or even decent manager.

Same as Clement.

Absolute disgrace of an appointment.

Not just that we are given another unproven coach a go.

Not just that he isn't even an up and coming coach, he is a well worn and never managed coach.

But more than anything the way he has been appointed, with seemingly a hand in Gomes departure, and a role in appointing himself?

Stinks.

[genome]

I mean, the appointment could work, it could also be a disaster. Time will tell. I would’ve preferred to have stuck with Gomes.

What I really don’t like is this culture at the club recently where staff members seem to be doing each other favours. You saw it with Gourlay hiring his mate Clement, now we’ve got our own existing staff giving themselves the manager’s job. A little bit more respect for the club would go a long way in solving our issues.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Apparently he interviewed well at Swansea last year but they, understandably, went for Potter.

If this was an external appointment, I think there would be more understanding. An experienced, highly rated coach who is looking at moving into management. A risky move but potentially an ambitious one too if you compare it to uninspiring well known names out there.

What seems to be the uniting factor against him is it seems shady and underhand. It just reeks of mates patting each other's backs and boardroom politics. Not the vibe you want to give off.

[Stranded]

Apparently he interviewed well at Swansea last year but they, understandably, went for Potter.

If this was an external appointment, I think there would be more understanding. An experienced, highly rated coach who is looking at moving into management. A risky move but potentially an ambitious one too if you compare it to uninspiring well known names out there.

What seems to be the uniting factor against him is it seems shady and underhand. It just reeks of mates patting each other's backs and boardroom politics. Not the vibe you want to give off.

I agree that it may not look good but I get the feeling a lot of people are twisting themselves in knots to get angry about it.

[NewCorkSeth]

Wasnt Clarke rated highly as a coach? Doesnt guarentee being a good or even decent manager.

He is a good coach and manager though, has done reasonably well everywhere he has been.

Yeah, sure. But you get my point. Good coach does not mean good manager which is why I think it is a stretch to put it in the pros column.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

Top of the list of attributes required in a new manager at Reading - experience.

Bowen - no relevant experience.

Bowen - chose himself, effectively.

I think that may be why many people will be massively disappointed if this happens.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

Look at Clement's coaching experience - didn't translate into the managerial role too well.

[NewCorkSeth]

Wasnt Clarke rated highly as a coach? Doesnt guarentee being a good or even decent manager.

Same as Clement.

Absolute disgrace of an appointment.

Not just that we are given another unproven coach a go.

Not just that he isn't even an up and coming coach, he is a well worn and never managed coach.

But more than anything the way he has been appointed, with seemingly a hand in Gomes departure, and a role in appointing himself?

Stinks.

There is a certain stench about it yes. Would rather see us actually appoint a manager. Still. Not much can be done. Just think its shocking that a manager of Hughtons quality is available and we are not going for him. Not that hes guarenteed to come. Obviously.

[NewCorkSeth]

Just seen on the twitter Murty was linked. I know there was something about dodgy charity dealings but he is very well thought of by Rangers fans. I wouldn't say no.

[paultheroyal]

Wasnt Clarke rated highly as a coach? Doesnt guarentee being a good or even decent manager.

Same as Clement.

Absolute disgrace of an appointment.

Not just that we are given another unproven coach a go.

Not just that he isn't even an up and coming coach, he is a well worn and never managed coach.

But more than anything the way he has been appointed, with seemingly a hand in Gomes departure, and a role in appointing himself?

Stinks.

There is a certain stench about it yes. Would rather see us actually appoint a manager. Still. Not much can be done. Just think its shocking that a manager of Hughtons quality is available and we are not going for him. Not that hes guarenteed to come. Obviously.

Yep - pretty much my thoughts

[WestYorksRoyal]

Wasnt Clarke rated highly as a coach? Doesnt guarentee being a good or even decent manager.

He is a good coach and manager though, has done reasonably well everywhere he has been.

Yeah, sure. But you get my point. Good coach does not mean good manager which is why I think it is a stretch to put it in the pros column.

Some do make the transition well though. Bad example for us, but Rodgers has had a very good managerial career. Ideally, you have somebody in the recruitment process who can assess whether the coach in question has the right skills to make the transition. And the person doing that here should be Bowen; Howe and the Dai's are not footballing experts. There is no way Bowen should be making this assessment about himself.

[Stranded]

Must admit it is impressive that this likely appointment is going to piss off a lot of people who feel into 2 camps:

1. Those that want continuity - what offers more continuity that giving the job to the man brought in to work with the deaparted manager
2. Those that wanted something very different.

[WoodleyRoyal]

[traff]

LOL
Et tu, Brute!

[Old Man Andrews]

Telegraph reporting Bowen has signed a deal until the end of the season. Eddie Niedzwiecki to be his no.2. #readingfc see Bowen as an 'experienced, steady hand'

Experienced...........

[windermereROYAL]

Wasn`t Eddie Niedzwiecki an assistant here before?

[Simon's Church]

Not who I would have gone for but anyone would be better than gomes.

Welcome Mark!