SJM's radio interview ..

[Mr Angry]

Heard a bit of Dellor's interview on BBC berks this morning.

Synopsis: There will be very little money, if any, to spend in January. We have an 'amazing squad' (said that three or four times) and a great manager and promotion is a possibility. The fans need to rally behind the club. It's a community club. And there are no buyers for RFC.

Anyone hear any more.

Why does he do this to himself? He would have been better off saying, he and BR are as disappointed as the fans that we are in the position we are in at the moment, that fans need to give BR and the team some time and although we may not be up there pushing for promotion, we are building a team that he hopes will be able to do in another 2 years or so.

That way we're not disappointed if we struggle a bit for the rest of the season- on the other hand, if we were to finish top 6, BR would be hailed a hero and everyone would be happy.

My response to JM's comments, personally, as as follows: It's no surprise there's no money. We don't have an amazing squad, unless by amazing he meant to say pretty mediocre at the moment, I'm not sure what BR has done yet to make him a great manager and, in our current position, promotion seems like far from a possibility. The fans are "rallying" behind the club, in as much as most of us still turn up and when we do we cheer the team on and try to motivate them, except when we go behind and play like a bunch of under 9 schoolboys. It's not the community club it was. I'm not surprised there are no buyers for RFC if the price bandied about is to be believed, and considering our current league position.

Totally agree.

As a fan, all I want is some honesty and realism from club officials whenever they give interviews, whether we are pushing for a UEFA cup spot or in the bottom 3 of the Championship; most fans aren't morons (though they are a few notable exceptions); treat your custmers with respect please.

[Dirk Gently]

Yep - looks like SJM has been caught by a journo while he's off the lead again, and is spouting his mouth off again.

Never forget that he employs people to protect him from having to have anything to do with the club on a day to day basis.

And would you expect him to say anything different, really?

Synopsis: There will be very little money, if any, to spend in January.

That's obviously quite wrong. SJM needs to talk to Ian Royal, who knows far more about the situation and how much cash will be available in January.

[OzBiscuit2004]

Our recent success has spoilt a lot of you fans over there. We spent most of our history in the division below the one we are now in.


Jeez I miss going to the footy.

As I've said time and again, I've watched us in the depths of old Div 4 - but we were never given any comments by Waller or Smee (to my knowledge) that we were pushing for promotion and how well we'd do. JM has always "bigged" the club and it's ambitions up - which isn't always a bad thing, obviously, but when you're in the bottom 3, and have been struggling all season so far, talk of promotion from the chairman does rather stick in the craw sometimes.

Yeah, it wasn't the likes of you i was referring to. More the JCL's who demand instant gratification.

[winchester_royal]

If we get our home record sorted out soon.....then a play-off place is not an unrealistic target.

[strap]

If we get our home record sorted out soon.....then a play-off place is not an unrealistic target.

Bless!!

[Thaumagurist*]

If we get our home record sorted out soon.....then a play-off place is not an unrealistic target.

Bless!!

I actually agree with winchester_royal. We just need some luck and then we can get our confidence back as we go on a good run...

[Compo's Hat]

Good lord! Our chairman has also been brainwashed by that clown.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Thoroughly depressing all round.

Why doesn't this businessman realise you have to have a product that people want to be able to sell it.

To get a product people want it has to be of a certain quality or there has to be something special that people just can't resist.

All we've got at the moment is the same we had just over ten years ago, a shiny stadium and a load of underachieving nobodys led by a manager with zero experience. As a result Mr Madejski has a product that nobody wants.

And all of it is down to the stupid shortsighted cutting the purse strings at every turn of the corner instead of loosing off the players who we knew had to go (Doyle, Hunt and possibly Bikey) and gradually evolving something out of the rest.

If JM was so determined to go down the route he has there is no way on earth he should have capped it all off by appointing a manager with no experience!

Lastly if it wasn't for the early ST holders, who must feel they were "conned" into renewing their STs, attendances would be very very depressing.

Last chance saloon at the moment boys.

[BR2]

If we get our home record sorted out soon.....then a play-off place is not an unrealistic target.

Bless!!

I actually agree with winchester_royal. We just need some luck and then we can get our confidence back as we go on a good run...

I think the question of "luck" has been discussed under other topics.
We have had our share of good luck and bad luck this season so to expect a greater amount of good luck is asking for a lot.
IMHO a play-off place will now require automatic promotion form for the rest of the season to make up the points and I just can't see that our squad is anywhere near strong enough to do it.
Like most on here I will be just glad not to get relegated.

As for our chairman-I saw him in the background (that must be a first)last night after The Heroes game(BTW what a good player/manager Gus Poyet could be)being interviewed for the radio and I suspect that he got swung along by the occasion.
He really ought to think at least twice before he says anything.

As Mr A says-don't treat us as morons.

[DOYLERSAROYALER]

The way he spoke about the "fantastic manager" suggests that Rodgers will be there for the long haul, irrespective of results on the pitch

[BR2]

Heard a bit of Dellor's interview on BBC berks this morning.

Synopsis: There will be very little money, if any, to spend in January.

Anyone hear any more.

Someone should tell Brendan Rodgers. Brendan Rodgers wants more firepower

Brendan at least has toned down his words-the squad is now just plain "good" and could do with improving.
Our chairman describes it as "amazing"-Lord knows how he will describe it if we hit anywhere near mid-table.

[Forbury Lion]

Heard a bit of Dellor's interview on BBC berks this morning.

Synopsis: There will be very little money, if any, to spend in January. We have an 'amazing squad' (said that three or four times) and a great manager and promotion is a possibility. The fans need to rally behind the club. It's a community club. And there are no buyers for RFC.

Anyone hear any more.

Reminds me of the Iraqi communications officer telling the press there was no Baghdad invasion taking place and refusing to acknowledge one of the reporters who asked "what about those American tanks over there"

Maybe the club should employ him as press liason officer

Everything is good, we are fighting for promotion and the squad is amazing, with our amazing squad and the superb support of our glorious chairman and the best manager money can buy we will continue to dazzle the league with our tennacity, spirit and flair. Mark my words, This amazing squad will go down in history and eclipse the previous 106 record with ease. Unfortunatly the fans are letting us down, so we demand that they buy tickets, hot dogs, replica shirts and send cash donations because it is vital for them to share in our future glories.

[Focher]

Brendan Rodgers



He's got everybody brainwashed

[Forbury Lion]

Our recent success has spoilt a lot of you fans over there. We spent most of our history in the division below the one we are now in.


Jeez I miss going to the footy.

I remember rattling around at the bottom of division 2 with Tommy Burns at the helm, We were in a mess and we knew it. Fortunatley the chairman was in tax exile over in Malaysia so we didn't get a load of rubbish about pushing for promotion and having an amazing squad.

I don't mind a relegation fight, I just wish the club would be open and honest about it instead of playin gup our chances. I've discounted the fact that they may be so deluded to actually think we have a god given right to be near the top... but now I'm starting to have my doubts. Maybe they are the ones who've been spoilt and think we are unsinkable?

[Compo's Hat]

Someone photoshop comical Ali with Brendan's head please.

[TFF]

What the madman actually said was that we have a squad quite capable of promotion, not that we would achieve it this year, or even next.

With the exception of the strikers (and there are signs of improvement there) he's quite right. The Championship is full of pretty ordinary teams this season. The quality is not good. Our squad should be much further up the table.

[Wycombe Royal]

JM is painting himself into a corner here. Basicly it comes down to this: unless he deals with the problem and sacks the manager, the fans will turn on him and start questioning his integrity.
If he does nothing, then he is dependant on Rodgers being a success. Which he is not. Since Rodgers is in fact failing, JM must act, or face thousands of disgruntled fans.

Basically, it doesn't.

Does your life come down to just two options? Or is it like that because it is simple just like something else around here.........

[Sun Tzu]

It would be interesrting to know how many contributors have heard the interview and how many have reacted to the synopsis posted in the OP.

I've not heard the interview.

I'd agree with Dirk that it's rarely a good thing if SJM gets cornered by a journo and talks off the cuff. What he says usually requires a massive pinch of salt added.

Is a playoff place still possible ? Theoretically it is very possible, 13 points is not a massive gap with still 2 thirds of the season (90 points) still to play for. The lack of any real quality in the division means pretty much anyone is still in the hunt provided they get some consistency and I think the chances of someone doing a Palace / Sunderland are pretty high. Whether it is us is a different question !

I'm bemused by Ideal's claim that people will question SJM's integrity. What is that all about ? Ae you suggesting he is engeaged in some kind of fraud or other criminal activity in connection with the club ?

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Don't drink and give interviews kids.....

[Mad Dog's Ghost]

Sun,

Promotion was briefly mentioned as something the squad is capable of. Only once I think.

However, he was at pains to point out that the squad is 'brilliant'. He also called it 'amazing'.