Cautionary tale, a lesson for today

[Clocker97]

What about an American owner? The Glazer's bought Man U a few years back and that club seems to be doing fine...

[MC ROYAL]

No way that JM will undo all his good work and out the club in danger.

[BillBrasky]

What about an American owner? The Glazer's bought Man U a few years back and that club seems to be doing fine...

Nationality doesn't matter. There are good and bad American businessmen, good and bad Icelandic businessmen, good and bad English businessmen. The danger at any club is in the current ownership just looking for the biggest payout and not what's best for the future of the club.

[kingthor]

I for one don't see this as much of a problem. JM actually cares about Reading, and he won't make a decision without some insurance that the investors won't screw everything up.

As for Pardew, he had it coming. Tevez and Mascharano are great players and will succeed in the premiership if given a chance. I think Pardew is to blame for the problems with them fitting into the squad. He was not playing Tevez in his natural position a lot of the time, and he gave up on Mascharano too soon. Those two players will be great, and for West Ham, it is good that he is out. Pardew is a good manager, but his tactics had grown stale and unadaptable. That is a bad sign for a manager.

[.:BigDaveInTheDungeon:.]

Whilst enjoy a good chortle at Pardew's demise today, you really have to stop and think - what a staggeringly short-sighted decision from a board in place for a mere 3 weeks. Come to think of it, any man willing to pay 85 million pounds for West Ham United must have serious questions over his mental health anyway, but this (finally) leads on to my RFC-relevant point - namely Mr Madejski's (eventual) successor.

Sir John has recently been shamelessly lifting RFC's metaphorical skirt and flirting with potential foreign investors, putting our name about a bit recently so that rest of the football world must reckon we're a right slapper. Frankly, much like thoughts of global warming, my bank balance and the whereabouts of Ritchie from the Manics, thinking about the eventual RFC owner in the immediate post-Mad future keeps me awake at night.

I am sure I will be accused by the PC brigade of being parochial and downright xenophobic, but RFC falling into foreign hands troubles me somewhat. Why on earth would a middle-of-the-road Premiership club (for that is the best we can aspire to in the immediate future) which makes a loss year upon year be an attractive proposition to a middle eastern sheikh or a Russian oil magnate/mafia man? Crikey, worse still we might end up with a Michael Knighton, an Anton Johnson or a Mark Golberg but at least with a shady British businessman we might at least stand half a chance in knowing our enemy as opposed to a faceless conglomerate from Dubai whose motives aren't clear.

I trust Mr Mad implicitly, his record speaks for itself. But it took 16 often rocky years of his stewardship to deliver what he always promised - top flight football - and I personally hope we don't end up with an Eggert Magnusson as our next chairman.

i bet the new TV deal has alot to do with all this intrest, and i'm sure if he does sell the club Jonny M won't let it go to someone who will just be in it to make a quick buck.

[jimmyboy (whufc)]

Whilst enjoy a good chortle at Pardew's demise today, you really have to stop and think - what a staggeringly short-sighted decision from a board in place for a mere 3 weeks. Come to think of it, any man willing to pay 85 million pounds for West Ham United must have serious questions over his mental health anyway, but this (finally) leads on to my RFC-relevant point - namely Mr Madejski's (eventual) successor.

Sir John has recently been shamelessly lifting RFC's metaphorical skirt and flirting with potential foreign investors, putting our name about a bit recently so that rest of the football world must reckon we're a right slapper. Frankly, much like thoughts of global warming, my bank balance and the whereabouts of Ritchie from the Manics, thinking about the eventual RFC owner in the immediate post-Mad future keeps me awake at night.

I am sure I will be accused by the PC brigade of being parochial and downright xenophobic, but RFC falling into foreign hands troubles me somewhat. Why on earth would a middle-of-the-road Premiership club (for that is the best we can aspire to in the immediate future) which makes a loss year upon year be an attractive proposition to a middle eastern sheikh or a Russian oil magnate/mafia man? Crikey, worse still we might end up with a Michael Knighton, an Anton Johnson or a Mark Golberg but at least with a shady British businessman we might at least stand half a chance in knowing our enemy as opposed to a faceless conglomerate from Dubai whose motives aren't clear.

I trust Mr Mad implicitly, his record speaks for itself. But it took 16 often rocky years of his stewardship to deliver what he always promised - top flight football - and I personally hope we don't end up with an Eggert Magnusson as our next chairman.

Morning lads, West Ham fan here. Whilst no doubt many of you are not to disappointed to see the dismissal of Pardew, the circumstances seem to be far more complex than it would first appear with a reported high court injunction in place concerning certain 'allegations' surrounding Pardew's private life.

End of the day he had clearly lost control of the changing room, any of you that saw even the highlights of the inept display at Bolton could clearly see that was the case. Unfortunately, once the players lose respect for the Manager there is only every going to be one outcome and Pardew simply had to go.

As for our new owners, I don't suspect that if any of us had spent £105 million on a football club we would standby and watch that investment go down the drain as would be the case if West Ham were to be relegated.

Anyway, enough of our woes. Congratulations on a fantastic season so far, you definitely don't look out of place in the Premiership, just beware of the second season hoodoo !!!

[Rob-Royal]

Has already been said - new TV deal is making a huge difference to interested parties in buying up Prem footy clubs...the revenue streams from this are only likely going to increase over the coming years. Foreign TV rights are also bringing in large sums of money as the Premierships popularity continues to grow globally.

The Prem is where you have to be (more so now than ever) and that's why the WHU board acted quickly with Pardew being dismissed.

JM knows for RFC to survive as a Prem team then we need deeper pockets, we're not always going to be able to find a Doyle or Sonko not to mention the large benefits of actually owning a Prem club when doing business and it all kind of makes sense really.....

[readingbedding]

Can't have your cake and eat it, football has gone too far down this road.
Far too late to moan and groan about it now.

Been happening since 1991.

[Huntley & Palmer]

Upton Park is a prime site for residential developement and remember West Ham are looking to move to the Olympic Stadium. So the £85m has little to do with the value of the club. Whereas any purchaser of Reading FC would have to buy for the love of the game. Before the game at Craven Cottage the other week I was wondering how many £300,000 flats could be built on the site.

If was a WHU fan I would be concerned, as stability is a key to success. (Chelsea aside).

Nope, the government has already stated that the none of the Olympic Park will be used for football stadia. It was part of the agreement for them to be built

[Fred Sharpe's Nose]

Morning lads, West Ham fan here. Whilst no doubt many of you are not to disappointed to see the dismissal of Pardew, the circumstances seem to be far more complex than it would first appear with a reported high court injunction in place concerning certain 'allegations' surrounding Pardew's private life. End of the day he had clearly lost control of the changing room, any of you that saw even the highlights of the inept display at Bolton could clearly see that was the case. Unfortunately, once the players lose respect for the Manager there is only every going to be one outcome and Pardew simply had to go... Anyway, enough of our woes. Congratulations on a fantastic season so far, you definitely don't look out of place in the Premiership, just beware of the second season hoodoo !!!

Good to hear from you, West Ham fan, and now some of us can get back to liking your club again.

I can't believe the admirable restraint being shown by Reading fans on this board. Pardew sacked - What a joyous day!!! Like some latter-day Icarus, his ill-conceived and treacherous ambitions plummet to the ground where they dissolve into dust, the honourable position of his erstwhile employer is fully vindicated, and his erstwhile club flies high in the ether above him, its craft steadied and guided by mortals with far higher integrity and nobility of spirit than he will ever know! What a day to satisfy the soul, reminding us, once again, what a proud thing it is to be a supporter of Reading Football Club!

[Rob-Royal]

Upton Park is a prime site for residential developement and remember West Ham are looking to move to the Olympic Stadium. So the £85m has little to do with the value of the club. Whereas any purchaser of Reading FC would have to buy for the love of the game. Before the game at Craven Cottage the other week I was wondering how many £300,000 flats could be built on the site.

If was a WHU fan I would be concerned, as stability is a key to success. (Chelsea aside).

Nope, the government has already stated that the none of the Olympic Park will be used for football stadia. It was part of the agreement for them to be built

Not entirely true. The government & the London Olympic Committee have agreed to stipulations from the IOC that an athletics legacy remain in the stadium after 2012....does not rule out being used as football stadia...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 185254.stm

[Vision]

Morning lads, West Ham fan here. Whilst no doubt many of you are not to disappointed to see the dismissal of Pardew, the circumstances seem to be far more complex than it would first appear with a reported high court injunction in place concerning certain 'allegations' surrounding Pardew's private life. End of the day he had clearly lost control of the changing room, any of you that saw even the highlights of the inept display at Bolton could clearly see that was the case. Unfortunately, once the players lose respect for the Manager there is only every going to be one outcome and Pardew simply had to go... Anyway, enough of our woes. Congratulations on a fantastic season so far, you definitely don't look out of place in the Premiership, just beware of the second season hoodoo !!!

Good to hear from you, West Ham fan, and now some of us can get back to liking your club again.

I can't believe the admirable restraint being shown by Reading fans on this board. Pardew sacked - What a joyous day!!! Like some latter-day Icarus, his ill-conceived and treacherous ambitions plummet to the ground where they dissolve into dust, the honourable position of his erstwhile employer is fully vindicated, and his erstwhile club flies high in the ether above him, its craft steadied and guided by mortals with far higher integrity and nobility of spirit than he will ever know! What a day to satisfy the soul, reminding us, once again, what a proud thing it is to be a supporter of Reading Football Club!

Amen brother.

[fruits]

Upton Park is a prime site for residential developement and remember West Ham are looking to move to the Olympic Stadium. So the £85m has little to do with the value of the club. Whereas any purchaser of Reading FC would have to buy for the love of the game. Before the game at Craven Cottage the other week I was wondering how many £300,000 flats could be built on the site.

If was a WHU fan I would be concerned, as stability is a key to success. (Chelsea aside).

Nope, the government has already stated that the none of the Olympic Park will be used for football stadia. It was part of the agreement for them to be built

Considering the history of this government , I would expect a u turn at any time, if two shags is still giving decisions and he has a free holiday from the owners planning permission should be approved overnight. Since when did anyone believe a single word from Bliar and his cronies.

[Dirk Gently]

Upton Park is a prime site for residential developement and remember West Ham are looking to move to the Olympic Stadium. So the £85m has little to do with the value of the club. Whereas any purchaser of Reading FC would have to buy for the love of the game. Before the game at Craven Cottage the other week I was wondering how many £300,000 flats could be built on the site.

If was a WHU fan I would be concerned, as stability is a key to success. (Chelsea aside).

Nope, the government has already stated that the none of the Olympic Park will be used for football stadia. It was part of the agreement for them to be built

Considering the history of this government , I would expect a u turn at any time, if two shags is still giving decisions and he has a free holiday from the owners planning permission should be approved overnight. Since when did anyone believe a single word from Bliar and his cronies.

Keep political rants out of "The Team."

[floyd__streete]

Floyd, I was thinking about this too. Everything good about this club has to do with its professionalism, its top-to-bottom soundness, its low-key approach. We have a fantastic staff of players, coaches, directors and everyone else. From JM to Ron Grant, it's hard to think of anyone who doesn't epitomize what the club stands for. If JM leaves and hands over to someone who wants the club as an accessory, it's wholly unlikely that what makes it all work will be maintained.

Well said, Arch. I couldn't agree more.

It amazes me when you hear (increasingly less, thankfully) people still whinge about Madejski getting his chequebook out. Nobody is beyond criticism, and I speak admittedly as a fully fledged Madejski-ite, but on the whole the man comes pretty close to infalibility RFC-speaking imho. Madejski-ism, the most frugal of pragmatism in an expensive arena, hasn't served us too badly imho - we've effectively moved up two divisions in his 16 year tenure and replaced our dear old Garden Shed with a Conservatory. I worry that when the day comes that Mr M has decided he's taken us as far as he can (and I fear that day is very soon upon us) it might be like that old Joni Mitchell song: don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.

[fruits]

Upton Park is a prime site for residential developement and remember West Ham are looking to move to the Olympic Stadium. So the £85m has little to do with the value of the club. Whereas any purchaser of Reading FC would have to buy for the love of the game. Before the game at Craven Cottage the other week I was wondering how many £300,000 flats could be built on the site.

If was a WHU fan I would be concerned, as stability is a key to success. (Chelsea aside).

Nope, the government has already stated that the none of the Olympic Park will be used for football stadia. It was part of the agreement for them to be built

Considering the history of this government , I would expect a u turn at any time, if two shags is still giving decisions and he has a free holiday from the owners planning permission should be approved overnight. Since when did anyone believe a single word from Bliar and his cronies.

Keep political rants out of "The Team."

It was n´t a rant it was all true .

[Tilehurst Mike]

Whilst enjoy a good chortle at Pardew's demise today, you really have to stop and think - what a staggeringly short-sighted decision from a board in place for a mere 3 weeks. Come to think of it, any man willing to pay 85 million pounds for West Ham United must have serious questions over his mental health anyway, but this (finally) leads on to my RFC-relevant point - namely Mr Madejski's (eventual) successor.

Sir John has recently been shamelessly lifting RFC's metaphorical skirt and flirting with potential foreign investors, putting our name about a bit recently so that rest of the football world must reckon we're a right slapper. Frankly, much like thoughts of global warming, my bank balance and the whereabouts of Ritchie from the Manics, thinking about the eventual RFC owner in the immediate post-Mad future keeps me awake at night.

I am sure I will be accused by the PC brigade of being parochial and downright xenophobic, but RFC falling into foreign hands troubles me somewhat. Why on earth would a middle-of-the-road Premiership club (for that is the best we can aspire to in the immediate future) which makes a loss year upon year be an attractive proposition to a middle eastern sheikh or a Russian oil magnate/mafia man? Crikey, worse still we might end up with a Michael Knighton, an Anton Johnson or a Mark Golberg but at least with a shady British businessman we might at least stand half a chance in knowing our enemy as opposed to a faceless conglomerate from Dubai whose motives aren't clear.

I trust Mr Mad implicitly, his record speaks for itself. But it took 16 often rocky years of his stewardship to deliver what he always promised - top flight football - and I personally hope we don't end up with an Eggert Magnusson as our next chairman.

A very good point and I do worry about the future of RFC post Madjeski era. What worries me is that most of these Foreign investors seemingly know little or nothing about the game and ALL expect immediate success--not every club can win the Premiership and someone has to be relegated.
I think Pardew's demise and his treatment by West Ham is pretty dire as beneath it all he is still a very good manager/coach in my book. I may be living in the dark ages but the more Sheiks and Arabs that buy into clubs the less chance there will be for up and coming home grown youngsters to flourish as they will throw sheds loads of money about and the English game will see an influx of even more foreign players. What hope then of England winning another trophy in the next 20 years!

[brendywendy]

with the probable sale of our beautiful club in the next two years or so- and no matter what anyone says about big jon-hes a business man and what he cares about more than anything is money
if someone offers him more money than he has spent, and they make some sort of effort to appear genuine and honest - he'll be gone in a flash

add to this the possible departure of sidwell, indeed the possible departure of any number of the stars of this/last season to bigger clubs in the next two years.

and the upcoming retirements/decrease in ability due to age of hanneman, murty, and little over the same time period

im a little worried about our future

[Greenwich Royal]

Has JM said he's going to wash his hands completely of RFC when he sell up? I thought he said he would remain at the club in a reduced yet still significant capacity?

[SpaceCruiser]

Good to hear from you, West Ham fan, and now some of us can get back to liking your club again.

I'm sorry, but their actions in getting Pardew has stained their good name and have lost my respect forever.