New manager rumours and speculation

[Hound]

The Gomes one particularly still makes me shudder. Genuine wtf were we thinking?

I get how he might have charmed his way through an interview, but what I don't get is why he would have been interviewed in the first place. There's nothing in his record which suggested he'd be a good fit or a success.

Someone must have sold the board an absolute dream. Surely that was a Kia recommendation? Gold painted shit is still shit.

His career is genuinely bizarre - constantly moving clubs and getting sacked before taking over somewhere else

[Stranded]

I get how he might have charmed his way through an interview, but what I don't get is why he would have been interviewed in the first place. There's nothing in his record which suggested he'd be a good fit or a success.

Someone must have sold the board an absolute dream. Surely that was a Kia recommendation? Gold painted shit is still shit.

His career is genuinely bizarre - constantly moving clubs and getting sacked before taking over somewhere else

Got it pretty sorted to be fair and must be fairly minted with all the contract pay-ups he will have had.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Well I say gold painted shit, he did pretty well at Almeria where he left them 3rd in the table when he was sacked, other than that it's pretty dismal. A 36.31% win ratio across his managerial career. 16.7 wins a season across a 46 game league season, probably enough to finish lower mid table and stave off relegation.

He's spending on average 26.7 games at a club and he has only actually spent 12 months+ at a club on two occasions, both of which were in Saudi Arabia.

So yeah, must be fairly wealthy with all the pay offs he's had. Although, given his track record, anybody would be daft to give him more than an 18 month contract based on his longevity.

[Hound]

Well I say gold painted shit, he did pretty well at Almeria where he left them 3rd in the table when he was sacked, other than that it's pretty dismal. A 36.31% win ratio across his managerial career. 16.7 wins a season across a 46 game league season, probably enough to finish lower mid table and stave off relegation.

He's spending on average 26.7 games at a club and he has only actually spent 12 months+ at a club on two occasions, both of which were in Saudi Arabia.

So yeah, must be fairly wealthy with all the pay offs he's had. Although, given his track record, anybody would be daft to give him more than an 18 month contract based on his longevity.

He does have a lovely smile tbf though

[blythspartan]

Gomes had the stadium rocking in the 3-2 home win against Wigan and for that alone he was a success.

[Clyde1998]

we would be very attractive to a potential new manager there is only our and Derbys stadium which are modern, we have the best academy facilities in championship let alone Division 1. We would be seen as a big fish in Division 1.

Division 1 doesn't exist. HTH.

Also Bolton and Shrewsbury have perfectly adequate modern stadiums. HTH.

You could put Blackpool in that category - with their stadium being completely redeveloped since 2000 (albeit not in one go). Wigan would be in that category too. While Shrewsbury's ground is new (as it Burton's), I wouldn't put it in the same category as us, Derby, Bolton, Blackpool or Wigan.

On Delboy's core point, we're in a similar boat to our last season at this level: only us, Huddersfield, Wigan and Stoke had stadia which would be considered average-to-good Championship level facilities. One of the big draws for players will be the training facilities, which must be the best in the division (with the possible exception of Derby).

Another difference is we've spent the past twenty years in the top two divisions, with three Premier League seasons. We're certainly a bigger club now than we were in 2002 - and we were already seen as a big fish in 2002.

The only thing is there are more clubs who are big enough to become regular mid-table (minimum) Championship-level clubs now than there were in 2002: Derby, Charlton, Portsmouth, Bolton, Sheffield Wednesday (if they lose the play-off final).

In 2002, we had the highest average attendance with 14,115 - closely followed by Stoke (13,966); only Cardiff, QPR, Bristol City and Huddersfield got over 10,000. The season just gone saw six clubs get higher averages than we did in 2002 - at least two have been promoted; eight were over 10,000 (Derby, Ipswich, Sheff Wed, Bolton, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Charlton, Barnsley). Wigan got 10,000 last time they were in League One, Blackpool got 8,800, so I imagine there will still be three or four clubs that will have a higher average than us (although the depends on how well we do next season).

[Hound]

Gomes had the stadium rocking in the 3-2 home win against Wigan and for that alone he was a success.

Hmmmm….we were awful for the vast majority of that game, looked like losing with a whimper , saved by a Barrow long shot and there some dreadful marking. Pretty limited credit to Gomes for that

[Clyde1998]

Well I say gold painted shit, he did pretty well at Almeria where he left them 3rd in the table when he was sacked, other than that it's pretty dismal. A 36.31% win ratio across his managerial career. 16.7 wins a season across a 46 game league season, probably enough to finish lower mid table and stave off relegation.

He's spending on average 26.7 games at a club and he has only actually spent 12 months+ at a club on two occasions, both of which were in Saudi Arabia.

So yeah, must be fairly wealthy with all the pay offs he's had. Although, given his track record, anybody would be daft to give him more than an 18 month contract based on his longevity.

I don't think win ratios (or similar) are tell us too much without context.

Tommy Burns had a 56% win record at Celtic, but that's very different to having a 56% win record with Cheltenham (for example). That record for Burns at Celtic makes him their sixth worst permanent manager on that measure; having a 36% win record at Cheltenham would probably be fairly average.

The average time spent at a club is probably a much better measure of success, without the additional context. Spending less than 30 games at a club is not a good sign.

[blythspartan]

Gomes had the stadium rocking in the 3-2 home win against Wigan and for that alone he was a success.

Hmmmm….we were awful for the vast majority of that game, looked like losing with a whimper , saved by a Barrow long shot and there some dreadful marking. Pretty limited credit to Gomes for that

It was only meant as a wind up tbh. Like Pauno he always seemed like a decent person but he was utterly clueless.

[From Despair To Where?]

Hardly going against the grain on any of that bunch though were you?

The Gomes one particularly still makes me shudder. Genuine wtf were we thinking?

More to the point who the hell is it at the club that thought it was a good idea. Can't see Mr Dai knowing much about Portuguese or American football so was it Kia or is there some numpty in the back of the club somewhere with a drawing pin and/or a random name generator?

Didn't they claim he was recommended by Pat Dolan?

I think you're getting Gomes mixed up with Kevin Doyle.

[Pepe the Horseman]

More to the point who the hell is it at the club that thought it was a good idea. Can't see Mr Dai knowing much about Portuguese or American football so was it Kia or is there some numpty in the back of the club somewhere with a drawing pin and/or a random name generator?

Didn't they claim he was recommended by Pat Dolan?

I think you're getting Gomes mixed up with Kevin Doyle.

[elrey]

https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/sport/23537713.reading-fc-legend-suffers-first-relegation-manager/?ref=rss

Article about Dylan Kerr, could it be a coincidence?

Seems to have done well for himself in South Africa, but hasn't managed in Europe.... yet.

Yes, it's called a journalist looking for content because there's nothing going on at the end of season.

If Kerr wasn't a former player remembered fondly, he'd be the sort of appointment that would have people spontaneously combusting in outrage, especially if Kia Joorabchian's name was associated.

I find it utterly baffling anyone would suggest him.

Why? He's done well. He's gone to quite a few clubs that were having problems and got them out of those problems. The last team were doing REALLY BADLY, and he almost saved them, they must have been so far adrift when he took over.

Suggests he can get them playing better.

[elrey]

I get how he might have charmed his way through an interview, but what I don't get is why he would have been interviewed in the first place. There's nothing in his record which suggested he'd be a good fit or a success.

Someone must have sold the board an absolute dream. Surely that was a Kia recommendation? Gold painted shit is still shit.

His career is genuinely bizarre - constantly moving clubs and getting sacked before taking over somewhere else

Since he left us he's had 4 clubs with a 20 something percent, and one at 48% in Spain and 30% at his current club. Saying that, in Spain they fired him for being 4th, and then last season they finished first and got promoted to La Liga, so... it wasn't really him.

[Hendo]

Yes, it's called a journalist looking for content because there's nothing going on at the end of season.

If Kerr wasn't a former player remembered fondly, he'd be the sort of appointment that would have people spontaneously combusting in outrage, especially if Kia Joorabchian's name was associated.

I find it utterly baffling anyone would suggest him.

Why? He's done well. He's gone to quite a few clubs that were having problems and got them out of those problems. The last team were doing REALLY BADLY, and he almost saved them, they must have been so far adrift when he took over.

Suggests he can get them playing better.

If he had no connection to Reading and someone was suggesting a manager who had only managed in Vietnam and Africa, there would be outrage, the likes of which have never been seen before.

The fact he used to play for us, should not mean that his managerial history is ignored.

I've met DK a few times and he's a right laugh, loves the club and will hopefully have a successful career as a manager, but right now, wouldn't want him as manager. Hell, I don't even want Parkinson as manager and he has an incomparably better record than Kerr.

[Sutekh]

If Kerr wasn't a former player remembered fondly, he'd be the sort of appointment that would have people spontaneously combusting in outrage, especially if Kia Joorabchian's name was associated.

I find it utterly baffling anyone would suggest him.

Why? He's done well. He's gone to quite a few clubs that were having problems and got them out of those problems. The last team were doing REALLY BADLY, and he almost saved them, they must have been so far adrift when he took over.

Suggests he can get them playing better.

If he had no connection to Reading and someone was suggesting a manager who had only managed in Vietnam and Africa, there would be outrage, the likes of which have never been seen before.

The fact he used to play for us, should not mean that his managerial history is ignored.

I've met DK a few times and he's a right laugh, loves the club and will hopefully have a successful career as a manager, but right now, wouldn't want him as manager. Hell, I don't even want Parkinson as manager and he has an incomparably better record than Kerr.

You see, right there is a decent reason he should be at least offered an interview, "he's a right laugh" and has a positive drive, really can't see him coming out after a game and saying the players aren't good enough etc. Honestly think if he'd been appointed in January (or someone with a similar mindset) the club would have survived just for that fact alone!

And the relegation he got this time around was a large part more to do with players going on strike over bonuses that they thought they should get for getting to the semis of their equivalent to the Europa League.

[Stranded]

If Kerr wasn't a former player remembered fondly, he'd be the sort of appointment that would have people spontaneously combusting in outrage, especially if Kia Joorabchian's name was associated.

I find it utterly baffling anyone would suggest him.

Why? He's done well. He's gone to quite a few clubs that were having problems and got them out of those problems. The last team were doing REALLY BADLY, and he almost saved them, they must have been so far adrift when he took over.

Suggests he can get them playing better.

If he had no connection to Reading and someone was suggesting a manager who had only managed in Vietnam and Africa, there would be outrage, the likes of which have never been seen before.

The fact he used to play for us, should not mean that his managerial history is ignored.

I've met DK a few times and he's a right laugh, loves the club and will hopefully have a successful career as a manager, but right now, wouldn't want him as manager. Hell, I don't even want Parkinson as manager and he has an incomparably better record than Kerr.

Very much this - if the above record was held by say erstwhile former Plymouth striker Kevin Nugent and someone suggested him based on his record in Vietnam, Kenya and South Africa then the pelters he would get...

Kerr clearly has something about him as a coach and/or manager but is he the sort of risk we should be taking now - absolutely not. I have nothing against former players coming back and being involved in the club/first team but it has to be the right fit.

I don't think any former player is the right fit for now the closest is probably Murty but even then that is a long way of being right.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Why? He's done well. He's gone to quite a few clubs that were having problems and got them out of those problems. The last team were doing REALLY BADLY, and he almost saved them, they must have been so far adrift when he took over.

Suggests he can get them playing better.

If he had no connection to Reading and someone was suggesting a manager who had only managed in Vietnam and Africa, there would be outrage, the likes of which have never been seen before.

The fact he used to play for us, should not mean that his managerial history is ignored.

I've met DK a few times and he's a right laugh, loves the club and will hopefully have a successful career as a manager, but right now, wouldn't want him as manager. Hell, I don't even want Parkinson as manager and he has an incomparably better record than Kerr.

You see, right there is a decent reason he should be at least offered an interview, "he's a right laugh" and has a positive drive, really can't see him coming out after a game and saying the players aren't good enough etc. Honestly think if he'd been appointed in January (or someone with a similar mindset) the club would have survived just for that fact alone!

And the relegation he got this time around was a large part more to do with players going on strike over bonuses that they thought they should get for getting to the semis of their equivalent to the Europa League.

It would certainly have to be someone with a similar mindset, because we'd have needed a better manager in place to do that. I don't think anyone has much against Noel Hunt, for example, and he seemed a positive character as a player and now as a coach/manager, but had very little impact on our squad in the limited time he had.

Kerr isn't somebody we should be targeting. Would have Keith Curle before him if we are talking ex-players.

[Hendo]

Why? He's done well. He's gone to quite a few clubs that were having problems and got them out of those problems. The last team were doing REALLY BADLY, and he almost saved them, they must have been so far adrift when he took over.

Suggests he can get them playing better.

If he had no connection to Reading and someone was suggesting a manager who had only managed in Vietnam and Africa, there would be outrage, the likes of which have never been seen before.

The fact he used to play for us, should not mean that his managerial history is ignored.

I've met DK a few times and he's a right laugh, loves the club and will hopefully have a successful career as a manager, but right now, wouldn't want him as manager. Hell, I don't even want Parkinson as manager and he has an incomparably better record than Kerr.

Very much this - if the above record was held by say erstwhile former Plymouth striker Kevin Nugent and someone suggested him based on his record in Vietnam, Kenya and South Africa then the pelters he would get...

Kerr clearly has something about him as a coach and/or manager but is he the sort of risk we should be taking now - absolutely not. I have nothing against former players coming back and being involved in the club/first team but it has to be the right fit.

I don't think any former player is the right fit for now the closest is probably Murty but even then that is a long way of being right.

Yep, +1 to all of that.

[elrey]

If Kerr wasn't a former player remembered fondly, he'd be the sort of appointment that would have people spontaneously combusting in outrage, especially if Kia Joorabchian's name was associated.

I find it utterly baffling anyone would suggest him.

Why? He's done well. He's gone to quite a few clubs that were having problems and got them out of those problems. The last team were doing REALLY BADLY, and he almost saved them, they must have been so far adrift when he took over.

Suggests he can get them playing better.

If he had no connection to Reading and someone was suggesting a manager who had only managed in Vietnam and Africa, there would be outrage, the likes of which have never been seen before.

The fact he used to play for us, should not mean that his managerial history is ignored.

I've met DK a few times and he's a right laugh, loves the club and will hopefully have a successful career as a manager, but right now, wouldn't want him as manager. Hell, I don't even want Parkinson as manager and he has an incomparably better record than Kerr.

Imagine we hired a manager with no connection, had just been playing football for some random team in Sweden, no managerial experience whatsoever, well that was Mark McGhee....

[ReadingGlasses]

Every manager has to start somewhere, and even the best will have had little or no managerial experience at some point. Sometimes it's worth taking a punt, and you could end up with next McGhee / Pardew / McDermott.

However, it's a big risk. You could also end up with someone out of their depth.

Managing Reading now isn't a simple task: the club needs a massive rebuild, both on and off the pitch. It would be a lot to ask from an inexperienced manager to step in to a situation like that. Although it hasn't been something the club had done a long time, now may be a good point to look to someone more experienced to come in take on that job.

To an extent it's mitigated a bit by having Bowen there in the background, but even he really hasn't got a huge amount of experience as directly as a manager. Much as it might be nice from a fan connection point of view to have someone like Murty, Hunt, Kerr etc in the job, it's probably just too much of a risk right now.