CONFRIMATION of the CONFIMRED

[Snowflake Royal]

Can you imagine how short the party would be getting a new owner and promoted only for it to immediately become a relegation fight? Especially with some of the anti-Couhig sentiment... could go toxic quite quickly.

[Orion1871]

Is it really true that Rob Couhig plans to close or downgrade the academy, or is this just some tenuous, self-feeding rumour with no substance?

I'm more than prepared to give him a chance (like him even) but would be very concerned by this direction of flow. Surely, bringing on and selling a few academy players is the best way to man and fund lower league teams who won't be able to exist on turnstile fees alone?

Downgrade is more likely in the short term given the presumed losses of backroom staff the academy has had over the last couple of years. Anything below category 2 would be incredibly disappointing and really set back our ability to produce good young players.

Another crucial thing is what he plans to do with Bearwood. If he finds a way to sell it then you can kiss goodbye to the academy in it's current form for the forseeable future. It would likely be disbanded and changed to the "development squad" model outside of the EPPP system that he had at Wycombe.

It's a plausible scenario that he could close it given how he ran Wycombe, albeit the worst case scenario at this stage.

[Ascotexgunner]

Is it really true that Rob Couhig plans to close or downgrade the academy or is this just some tenuous, self-feeding rumour with no substance?

I'm more than prepared to give him a chance (like him even) but would be very concerned by this direction of flow. Surely bringing on and selling a few academy players is the best way to man and fund lower league teams who won't be able to exist on turnstile fees alone?

You hear whispers but I don't think any of it is substantiated. It's looking like it will be him that takes over, and he will have a lot of work to do to win over a fair amount of fans I think. Closing down the academy would eliminate almost all good will, and even though he's American I don't think he's that stupid.

Of course savings need to be made and people appreciate that, but the academy has literally sustained us this season so I think a good owner knows they will need to put money into it in order for it to keep bearing fruit. There are some incredibly good people working in the academy and throughout the club in general, and their commitment and hard work throughout Dai's ownership, and covid, should be rewarded with a more settled environment in which to work.

Don't know why but I do get a feeling we will see a significant hike in ST prices. Although I'll be thrilled to get rid of Dai, I get the feeling we are heading into the unknown a bit.....Running Wycombe is not the same as running a club this size, and the numbers financially aren't even close with the losses we make....The academy keeps us afloat, is it really wise to downgrade it? It's certainly made us a few quid in recent season, where else do we get a cash injection like that?

[Mr Angry]

I would suggest that "the worst case scenario at this stage" is Dai not selling the club, rather than worrying about what a potential new owner might, or might not do with the Academy/Training Ground/Women's team..........................................................

We are at an existential threat right now; literally, without a buyer the club could fold, so arguing about nuances of the motivations and plans of a potential new owner seems a little pointless.

Let us get a new owner in, and let Dai depart never to darken Berkshire with his malevolent shadow ever again.

[stealthpapes]

I personally don't think promotion would be a good thing this season. We've already got something of a squad rebuild in the offing regardless of what league we are in so it would be doubly difficult in the Championship. I think we'd struggle to stay up and we'd see our better players depart.

Beggars can't be choosers though. Who knows when we may get another chance of promotion even with a new owner....

89th minute of a tense 0-0 at wembley, RFC players all look around, wink at each other and fall to the floor.

1-0 loss.

[Hound]

Can you imagine how short the party would be getting a new owner and promoted only for it to immediately become a relegation fight? Especially with some of the anti-Couhig sentiment... could go toxic quite quickly.

You’re probably right but it really shouldn’t. It’s a real challenge to get up and stay up - likes of Derby, Plymouth, Portsmouth were a lot better teams than we currently are and have found it very hard work

We’d need to totally overhaul the squad. It’s do-able but no one should be any doubt it’d very likely be a relegation struggle if we did go up

[Sutekh]

Can you imagine how short the party would be getting a new owner and promoted only for it to immediately become a relegation fight? Especially with some of the anti-Couhig sentiment... could go toxic quite quickly.

You’re probably right but it really shouldn’t. It’s a real challenge to get up and stay up - likes of Derby, Plymouth, Portsmouth were a lot better teams than we currently are and have found it very hard work

We’d need to totally overhaul the squad. It’s do-able but no one should be any doubt it’d very likely be a relegation struggle if we did go up

The club will have to totally overhaul the squad whatever happens though, and aren’t we all very used to Championship relegation struggles now?

Anyway what’s the latest twitter nonsense on the take over happening yesterday, today, tomorrow, never?

[Hound]

Can you imagine how short the party would be getting a new owner and promoted only for it to immediately become a relegation fight? Especially with some of the anti-Couhig sentiment... could go toxic quite quickly.

You’re probably right but it really shouldn’t. It’s a real challenge to get up and stay up - likes of Derby, Plymouth, Portsmouth were a lot better teams than we currently are and have found it very hard work

We’d need to totally overhaul the squad. It’s do-able but no one should be any doubt it’d very likely be a relegation struggle if we did go up

The club will have to totally overhaul the squad whatever happens though, and aren’t we all very used to Championship relegation struggles now?

Anyway what’s the latest twitter nonsense on the take over happening yesterday, today, tomorrow, never?

If we’re taken over but stay down, I don’t expect huge changes to the squad tbh. Reckon most will sign back on

[Linden Jones' Tash]

I would suggest that "the worst case scenario at this stage" is Dai not selling the club, rather than worrying about what a potential new owner might, or might not do with the Academy/Training Ground/Women's team..........................................................

We are at an existential threat right now; literally, without a buyer the club could fold, so arguing about nuances of the motivations and plans of a potential new owner seems a little pointless.

Let us get a new owner in, and let Dai depart never to darken Berkshire with his malevolent shadow ever again.

Agreed...

I understand this is a fan forum for hypothetical discussion, but given the actual situation some of this seems so pointless....

Facts seem to get in the way for a lot of people

[From Despair To Where?]

You’re probably right but it really shouldn’t. It’s a real challenge to get up and stay up - likes of Derby, Plymouth, Portsmouth were a lot better teams than we currently are and have found it very hard work

We’d need to totally overhaul the squad. It’s do-able but no one should be any doubt it’d very likely be a relegation struggle if we did go up

The club will have to totally overhaul the squad whatever happens though, and aren’t we all very used to Championship relegation struggles now?

Anyway what’s the latest twitter nonsense on the take over happening yesterday, today, tomorrow, never?

If we’re taken over but stay down, I don’t expect huge changes to the squad tbh. Reckon most will sign back on

I think we'll tie down players who are OOC but we will need a LB, CB, maybe 2, a proper wide player and a goalscorer. We probably need a back up keeper as well as there seems to be little confidence in CBC.

I think we need to look at the medical side of things as well as we seem to get a stupid number if injuries and it's an area where I imagine there's been a few cutbacks.

[MartinRdg]

Can you imagine how short the party would be getting a new owner and promoted only for it to immediately become a relegation fight? Especially with some of the anti-Couhig sentiment... could go toxic quite quickly.

You’re probably right but it really shouldn’t. It’s a real challenge to get up and stay up - likes of Derby, Plymouth, Portsmouth were a lot better teams than we currently are and have found it very hard work

We’d need to totally overhaul the squad. It’s do-able but no one should be any doubt it’d very likely be a relegation struggle if we did go up

But with only 5 first team players in contract at the end of the season we need to rebuild anyway so doesn't matter if we rebuild for L1 or Champ

[Brogue]

I personally don't think promotion would be a good thing this season. We've already got something of a squad rebuild in the offing regardless of what league we are in so it would be doubly difficult in the Championship. I think we'd struggle to stay up and we'd see our better players depart.

Beggars can't be choosers though. Who knows when we may get another chance of promotion even with a new owner....

You make the most of wherever you are, but I agree with FDTW, I think the cluh is stronger in the medium and longer term failing to go up this season and doing it next seasom or the one after. But obviously nothing is guaranteed and it probably being worse for the club doesnt mean you dont try to do the best you can regardless.

what we need is a relegation to clear out the dead wood

[andrew1957]

Is it really true that Rob Couhig plans to close or downgrade the academy or is this just some tenuous, self-feeding rumour with no substance?

I'm more than prepared to give him a chance (like him even) but would be very concerned by this direction of flow. Surely bringing on and selling a few academy players is the best way to man and fund lower league teams who won't be able to exist on turnstile fees alone?

On one level if Couhig manages to buy and save the club from extinction that will be great, but if he downgrades the Academy, I for one would be very disappointed. Surely his way to make money would be to run the club sustainably - free agents + Academy only and no very high wages. I think the club have proved this year that we don't need high price signings to obtain promotion to the Championship. If Couhig continues to fund the Academy and can establish us as a Championship club with lower running costs, I am sure he can sell on to a richer owner and make good money. But downgrading the Academy would in my opinion make the club far less attractive for any future owner and lower his future sale price. So I would say it is good business sense to retain Cat 1.

[Dirk Gently]

I know I've said this before, but it's from the heart and something I truly believe...

The saddest thing about this situation - and it's not unique to Reading, it's been going on at many clubs for many years, is that when a club has a toxic owner the best it's fans can hope for is that the buyer who "rescues" them won't turn out to be quite so toxic as the previous one.

What a damning indictment of football's broken ownership model.

[Mr Angry]

I know I've said this before, but it's from the heart and something I truly believe...

The saddest thing about this situation - and it's not unique to Reading, it's been going on at many clubs for many years, is that when a club has a toxic owner the best it's fans can hope for is that the buyer who "rescues" them won't turn out to be quite so toxic as the previous one.

What a damning indictment of football's broken ownership model.

Sadly Dirk, the days of the Patriarchal owner of the local football club being a local businessman with a few quid are - certainly at Professional level - gone forever, but even then, those owners weren't that brilliant. Look at Frank Waller's ownership of Reading FC in the days before Roger Smee.

Also, even a "perfect" ownership model (whatever that is) will be flawed.

I guess it comes down to a simple question, and one that every fan needs to ask themselves; what do you ACTUALLY want from your Football Club? I guarantee you, there will be a multitude of answers to that question, and all will be equally as valid (although some less realistic than others....)

For me it would be a club that is in the heart of the Community, getting involved as a force for good, playing attractive football with passion and excitement and one that has integrity both on and off the pitch by paying its bills and looking after all of its employees. I don't expect us to be challenging at the top of the Premiership, or demand we pay £50M on a goalkeeper; in fact, I have loved how - due to adversity - we have had to play Academy lads these last couple of seasons.

Others may disagree and have other responses - and that's cool; everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, whether not having this state of affairs at Reading is down to a broken ownership model across the whole of football (rather than us having a crook as an owner)....I don't know. But I am willing to bet that Brighton or Brentford fans don't think that there is broken ownership problem in football today.

[genome]

Beggars can't be choosers though. Who knows when we may get another chance of promotion even with a new owner....

You make the most of wherever you are, but I agree with FDTW, I think the cluh is stronger in the medium and longer term failing to go up this season and doing it next seasom or the one after. But obviously nothing is guaranteed and it probably being worse for the club doesnt mean you dont try to do the best you can regardless.

what we need is a relegation to clear out the dead wood

It could be the reset the club needs

[Sutekh]

I know I've said this before, but it's from the heart and something I truly believe...

The saddest thing about this situation - and it's not unique to Reading, it's been going on at many clubs for many years, is that when a club has a toxic owner the best it's fans can hope for is that the buyer who "rescues" them won't turn out to be quite so toxic as the previous one.

What a damning indictment of football's broken ownership model.

Sadly Dirk, the days of the Patriarchal owner of the local football club being a local businessman with a few quid are - certainly at Professional level - gone forever, but even then, those owners weren't that brilliant. Look at Frank Waller's ownership of Reading FC in the days before Roger Smee.

Also, even a "perfect" ownership model (whatever that is) will be flawed.

I guess it comes down to a simple question, and one that every fan needs to ask themselves; what do you ACTUALLY want from your Football Club? I guarantee you, there will be a multitude of answers to that question, and all will be equally as valid (although some less realistic than others....)

For me it would be a club that is in the heart of the Community, getting involved as a force for good, playing attractive football with passion and excitement and one that has integrity both on and off the pitch by paying its bills and looking after all of its employees. I don't expect us to be challenging at the top of the Premiership, or demand we pay £50M on a goalkeeper; in fact, I have loved how - due to adversity - we have had to play Academy lads these last couple of seasons.

Others may disagree and have other responses - and that's cool; everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, whether not having this state of affairs at Reading is down to a broken ownership model across the whole of football (rather than us having a crook as an owner)....I don't know. But I am willing to bet that Brighton or Brentford fans don't think that there is broken ownership problem in football today.

Frank Waller’s tenure was truly appalling. Absolutely zero ambition at the club and forever penny pinching and not a particularly good feeling about the place as a result. He really should have put the club up for sale as he and his board had no money and seemingly little interest in the club. However selling a football club in the 70s and 80s was probably next to impossible for anyone (if only JM had earned his millions 10 years or so earlier!). Be great if someone was able to write a “biography” of the Waller years to see things more from the then board’s perspective.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

I know I've said this before, but it's from the heart and something I truly believe...

The saddest thing about this situation - and it's not unique to Reading, it's been going on at many clubs for many years, is that when a club has a toxic owner the best it's fans can hope for is that the buyer who "rescues" them won't turn out to be quite so toxic as the previous one.

What a damning indictment of football's broken ownership model.

Sadly Dirk, the days of the Patriarchal owner of the local football club being a local businessman with a few quid are - certainly at Professional level - gone forever, but even then, those owners weren't that brilliant. Look at Frank Waller's ownership of Reading FC in the days before Roger Smee.

Also, even a "perfect" ownership model (whatever that is) will be flawed.

I guess it comes down to a simple question, and one that every fan needs to ask themselves; what do you ACTUALLY want from your Football Club? I guarantee you, there will be a multitude of answers to that question, and all will be equally as valid (although some less realistic than others....)

For me it would be a club that is in the heart of the Community, getting involved as a force for good, playing attractive football with passion and excitement and one that has integrity both on and off the pitch by paying its bills and looking after all of its employees. I don't expect us to be challenging at the top of the Premiership, or demand we pay £50M on a goalkeeper; in fact, I have loved how - due to adversity - we have had to play Academy lads these last couple of seasons.

Others may disagree and have other responses - and that's cool; everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, whether not having this state of affairs at Reading is down to a broken ownership model across the whole of football (rather than us having a crook as an owner)....I don't know. But I am willing to bet that Brighton or Brentford fans don't think that there is broken ownership problem in football today.

Frank Waller’s tenure was truly appalling. Absolutely zero ambition at the club and forever penny pinching and not a particularly good feeling about the place as a result. He really should have put the club up for sale as he and his board had no money and seemingly little interest in the club. However selling a football club in the 70s and 80s was probably next to impossible for anyone (if only JM had earned his millions 10 years or so earlier!). Be great if someone was able to write a “biography” of the Waller years to see things more from the then board’s perspective.

Yep Waller hung on 2 or 3 years too long and only put the club up for sale when fan protests at games started to ramp up after we sold Webb and Hetzke to ambitious rivals in summer 82.

I don't think he was ever a majority shareholder though....the reason Smee got control was others had enough shares in the club to veto Maxwell's planned merger.

Wonder what would have happened if Ian Gillan had got the club earlier that season, he was rumoured to be backed by Richard Branson.

[Royal Rother]

Is it really true that Rob Couhig plans to close or downgrade the academy or is this just some tenuous, self-feeding rumour with no substance?

I'm more than prepared to give him a chance (like him even) but would be very concerned by this direction of flow. Surely bringing on and selling a few academy players is the best way to man and fund lower league teams who won't be able to exist on turnstile fees alone?

On one level if Couhig manages to buy and save the club from extinction that will be great, but if he downgrades the Academy, I for one would be very disappointed. Surely his way to make money would be to run the club sustainably - free agents + Academy only and no very high wages. I think the club have proved this year that we don't need high price signings to obtain promotion to the Championship. If Couhig continues to fund the Academy and can establish us as a Championship club with lower running costs, I am sure he can sell on to a richer owner and make good money. But downgrading the Academy would in my opinion make the club far less attractive for any future owner and lower his future sale price. So I would say it is good business sense to retain Cat 1.

Totally agree - only time will tell, but (as has been said) beggars can't be choosers.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I would suggest that "the worst case scenario at this stage" is Dai not selling the club, rather than worrying about what a potential new owner might, or might not do with the Academy/Training Ground/Women's team..........................................................

We are at an existential threat right now; literally, without a buyer the club could fold, so arguing about nuances of the motivations and plans of a potential new owner seems a little pointless.

Let us get a new owner in, and let Dai depart never to darken Berkshire with his malevolent shadow ever again.

I guess complaining is a big part of being a football fan, so we need to find potential targets for the post Dai era.