Are Reading really this bad?

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Uke
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by Uke » 30 Dec 2007 21:28

floyd__streete Lest anyone forget - we are still right in the midst of a relegation battle, focus please gentlemen.


Silly me, I thougt it was the players in the relegation battle not the internet posters. Now I see where I have gone wrong for all these years. ;)

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by Arch » 30 Dec 2007 22:16

I think we're on the fringes of a relegation battle. The likes of Wigan and Sunderland are in the middle. Not that we couldn't get dragged into the thick of it in short order.

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by Mr Angry » 31 Dec 2007 09:21

The problem we have is this; for us to move to the next stage the club will have to get players who are better than we have now; this will mean paying salaries far in excess of that which our current players are on or which the club - thus far - have been willing to consider paying.

Therefore, until this circle is squared, we will - at best - be a club that will maintain its Premier League position for another couple of seasons before inevitable relegation and us becoming a yo yo club between The Championship and The Premiership.

However, with investment in the right players (at realistic wage levels) then I can see us pushing on for a UEFA spot in maybe 2 or 3 seasons.

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by Platypuss » 31 Dec 2007 21:08

Mr Angry The problem we have is this; for us to move to the next stage the club will have to get players who are better than we have now; this will mean paying salaries far in excess of that which our current players are on or which the club - thus far - have been willing to consider paying.


The strange thing is that up to a few weeks ago, this is exactly what Coppell was saying we were prepared to do and had to do.

However, it looks like he's now back to the "quite happy with the squad if no one comes in" mantra.

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by The whole year inn » 31 Dec 2007 23:45

Platypuss
Mr Angry The problem we have is this; for us to move to the next stage the club will have to get players who are better than we have now; this will mean paying salaries far in excess of that which our current players are on or which the club - thus far - have been willing to consider paying.


The strange thing is that up to a few weeks ago, this is exactly what Coppell was saying we were prepared to do and had to do.

However, it looks like he's now back to the "quite happy with the squad if no one comes in" mantra.


Agreed. I hope a couple of decent results haven't gone to his head.


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by Cemy Junction Expat » 01 Jan 2008 13:47

The whole year inn
Platypuss
Mr Angry The problem we have is this; for us to move to the next stage the club will have to get players who are better than we have now; this will mean paying salaries far in excess of that which our current players are on or which the club - thus far - have been willing to consider paying.


The strange thing is that up to a few weeks ago, this is exactly what Coppell was saying we were prepared to do and had to do.

However, it looks like he's now back to the "quite happy with the squad if no one comes in" mantra.


Agreed. I hope a couple of decent results haven't gone to his head.


For what it's worth here's how I read the tea leaves:

Mr Mad is now focused on the exit strategy (flogging the club) and is therefore firmly in "maintenance" as opposed to "growth" investment mode. In other words just wants to spend the minimum required for us to stay in the Prem, so he still has something he can sell, asopposed to investing what it would take to start building us as contenders for 6th place or better.

SSC is very happy with this because, having got us into the Prem, it's infinitely easier to meet an expectation of making 17th or better with just "maintenance" investment, as opposed to making 6th or better with "growth" investment. We all know that, if Mr Mad was persuaded to take up a growth strategy, he would want to acheive it with minimal investment and this would put SSC in a much harder position than he is in today.

I don't think SSC has any burning ambition to lead the club (or any club) into a fight for European cup places, and the whole pressure-cooker life that goes with it. I think he derives much greater satisfaction from getting the best out of a team of average players, and showing a good return on the resources put at his disposal. He was playing at the top of his game by getting us into the Prem, and is now probably fairly comfortable that he can keep us here.

To the point made above: he knows how to make the right noises about investment in order to keep the current squad on its toes, but I think that his real belief system is about avoiding upsetting the apple cart by bringing in big wage prima donnas, as he has also repeatedly stated in the past.

So in summary, SSC is absolutely the man for the job if you are Mr Mad, but probably not if you are a RFC fan who now wants to see the club move firmly into growth mode.

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by Ian Royal » 01 Jan 2008 13:49

I'd be happy with another couple of seasons of Coppellesque survival. Then we can push on, at that point he'll probably be bored and want a break anyway.

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by Uke » 01 Jan 2008 13:57

Cemy Junction Expat For what it's worth here's how I read the tea leaves:

Mr Mad is now focused on the exit strategy (flogging the club) and is therefore firmly in "maintenance" as opposed to "growth" investment mode. In other words just wants to spend the minimum required for us to stay in the Prem, so he still has something he can sell, asopposed to investing what it would take to start building us as contenders for 6th place or better.

SSC is very happy with this because, having got us into the Prem, it's infinitely easier to meet an expectation of making 17th or better with just "maintenance" investment, as opposed to making 6th or better with "growth" investment. We all know that, if Mr Mad was persuaded to take up a growth strategy, he would want to acheive it with minimal investment and this would put SSC in a much harder position than he is in today.

I don't think SSC has any burning ambition to lead the club (or any club) into a fight for European cup places, and the whole pressure-cooker life that goes with it. I think he derives much greater satisfaction from getting the best out of a team of average players, and showing a good return on the resources put at his disposal. He was playing at the top of his game by getting us into the Prem, and is now probably fairly comfortable that he can keep us here.

To the point made above: he knows how to make the right noises about investment in order to keep the current squad on its toes, but I think that his real belief system is about avoiding upsetting the apple cart by bringing in big wage prima donnas, as he has also repeatedly stated in the past.

So in summary, SSC is absolutely the man for the job if you are Mr Mad, but probably not if you are a RFC fan who now wants to see the club move firmly into growth mode.


Sensible post!

The main problem that people don't see is that there are more than six clubs with "growth" investment with very little to fall back on when (not if) it goes tits up. They cannot all fill all six places and their players get the hump, fail to perform and they plummet down to the Championship. Its almost as if Leeds never happened.

We are maintaining our brick-by-brick approach to growth which means we have been moving forwards since Sir John took over.

Let it continue.

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by Cemy Junction Expat » 01 Jan 2008 16:13

Uke
Cemy Junction Expat For what it's worth here's how I read the tea leaves:

Mr Mad is now focused on the exit strategy (flogging the club) and is therefore firmly in "maintenance" as opposed to "growth" investment mode. In other words just wants to spend the minimum required for us to stay in the Prem, so he still has something he can sell, asopposed to investing what it would take to start building us as contenders for 6th place or better.

SSC is very happy with this because, having got us into the Prem, it's infinitely easier to meet an expectation of making 17th or better with just "maintenance" investment, as opposed to making 6th or better with "growth" investment. We all know that, if Mr Mad was persuaded to take up a growth strategy, he would want to acheive it with minimal investment and this would put SSC in a much harder position than he is in today.

I don't think SSC has any burning ambition to lead the club (or any club) into a fight for European cup places, and the whole pressure-cooker life that goes with it. I think he derives much greater satisfaction from getting the best out of a team of average players, and showing a good return on the resources put at his disposal. He was playing at the top of his game by getting us into the Prem, and is now probably fairly comfortable that he can keep us here.

To the point made above: he knows how to make the right noises about investment in order to keep the current squad on its toes, but I think that his real belief system is about avoiding upsetting the apple cart by bringing in big wage prima donnas, as he has also repeatedly stated in the past.

So in summary, SSC is absolutely the man for the job if you are Mr Mad, but probably not if you are a RFC fan who now wants to see the club move firmly into growth mode.


Sensible post!

The main problem that people don't see is that there are more than six clubs with "growth" investment with very little to fall back on when (not if) it goes tits up. They cannot all fill all six places and their players get the hump, fail to perform and they plummet down to the Championship. Its almost as if Leeds never happened.

We are maintaining our brick-by-brick approach to growth which means we have been moving forwards since Sir John took over.

Let it continue.



agreed - I do wonder however whether the brick-by-brick approach can now deliver anything meaningful anymore, or whether the choice is now very clearly between "maintenance" (investing to avoid relegation and continue to enjoy the Premiership money at minimal cost) or "contending" (maybe a better term than "growth" - basically, investing to get into Europe)

there's been a fair amount of musing about how the team/club needs to "consolidate" - does this actually mean anything at this level?


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by Platypuss » 01 Jan 2008 16:25

Even when building "brick by brick" is it not reasonable to expect a stronger squad after two years?

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by Uke » 01 Jan 2008 16:40

Not if its sufficient to keep your place in the league, even if the fans (and defenders) get squeaky-bum time.

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by Platypuss » 01 Jan 2008 16:45

When does building brick by brick stop being progressive and look just like stagnation?

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by Uke » 01 Jan 2008 16:49

Platypuss When does building brick by brick stop being progressive and look just like stagnation?


When the foundations are sinking at the same rate


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by Cemy Junction Expat » 01 Jan 2008 16:52

Platypuss Even when building "brick by brick" is it not reasonable to expect a stronger squad after two years?


Uke Not if its sufficient to keep your place in the league, even if the fans (and defenders) get squeaky-bum time.


Agreed Uke

Basically, the definition of what is reasonable, right, wrong etc for the club is fundamentally different from the point of view of the owner/investor on the one hand, and the fan on the other.

The owner/investor wants maximum return on investment and a sellable asset - meaning minimal "maintenance" investment is a very valid strategy - and the fan wants more entertainment and success (ie stronger squad).

The two perspectives are pretty much mutually exclusive, and it's this contradiction between the two perspectives that''s at the root of much of the fanbase frustration right now.

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by Platypuss » 01 Jan 2008 16:59

Boss - Spending equals ambition

Posted on: Tue 04 Dec 2007

Steve Coppell has reaffirmed the need for more signings as the Club continues to look for growth.

Earlier this week, Chairman John Madejski confirmed that funds are in place for January signings.

The boss has also said that we would be losing ground if we do not continue to make inroads in the transfer market.

Coppell said, "Players want to come to clubs with ambition, and we like to think we've got ambition.

"If you look at the summer, Man Utd and Liverpool spent £40million, £50million each, we spent hardly anything. So by definition we're losing ground.

"So, for this club to be ambitious we've got be be acquiring three substantial signings every year.

"To be honest, it's a minimum of three.

"As time goes by, those signings will become more expensive.

"For us to make those signings, they've got to want to come here.

"They've got to see the ambition, it's got to be tangible in the form of expensive signings, a bigger stadium.

"Everything about the Club has got to meet the demands of the modern Premier League player."

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by Uke » 01 Jan 2008 17:00

Yes, but that's an increase in Maintenance costs rather than progression costs

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by Platypuss » 01 Jan 2008 17:01

Uke Yes, but that's an increase in Maintenance costs rather than progression costs


The second but last line disagrees with you.

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by Uke » 01 Jan 2008 17:35

Platypuss
Uke Yes, but that's an increase in Maintenance costs rather than progression costs


The second but last line disagrees with you.


Not completely

Seeing the ambition is different from spending to show ambition

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by Platypuss » 01 Jan 2008 17:48

Uke
Platypuss
Uke Yes, but that's an increase in Maintenance costs rather than progression costs


The second but last line disagrees with you.


Not completely

Seeing the ambition is different from spending to show ambition


Not when Coppell equates the two it isn't.

The expanded stadium reference is also obviously not part of a maintenance strategy.

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by Uke » 01 Jan 2008 17:53

Platypuss
Uke
Platypuss
Uke Yes, but that's an increase in Maintenance costs rather than progression costs


The second but last line disagrees with you.


Not completely

Seeing the ambition is different from spending to show ambition


Not when Coppell equates the two it isn't.

The expanded stadium reference is also obviously not part of a maintenance strategy.


But its not 'player' based is it? Its real estate based

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