Next Reading Manager

[karbota]

Okay so let's give him a chance next season surely?

Why on earth would we do that? The new manager bounce and the fighting character effect have already worn off and the slide has begun. His post match comments yesterday were deluded 'good performance and created some great opportunities' and were an insult to those fans who had to sit through it.

We were achieving absolutely nothing yet he waited until the last few minutes before introducing the passion and commitment of Meite. And where the hell was Halilovic? Barker is absolutely dreadful and the waste of a space on the bench, let alone on the pitch.

Finished wetting the bed yet?

What Feckin planet you on Simps ( seriously what a wan£er ) but would be great if we could entice Pissy Arse FSB to take the helm.

[tmesis]

Definitely not a time for sentimentality or hopeful decision making! This needs to be a cold blooded and cold hearted decision in the "moneyball" style.

Sadly the club doesn't work like that. Recruitment seems to rely completely on a contact knowing somebody.

We know what we need and it won't/can't be pretty, anything, other than a hard arsed task master, with a proven pedigree, will be a coin toss IMHO!

Probably worse than a coin toss. There are more managers who come in and do a mediocre or poor job than ones that do a good one. Factor in our appalling recruitment over the last few years, and I think the odds of us picking a good one are much worse than 50/50.

I think another huge problem is that we don't know what sort of budget and restrictions we'll be under next season. The sort of guy you might need a battle to stay up kind of season might not be the guy we'd want if we know relegation is all but inevitable (and we are building for the future), or if we are someone able to improve the squad.

[Snowflake Royal]

Definitely not a time for sentimentality or hopeful decision making! This needs to be a cold blooded and cold hearted decision in the "moneyball" style.

Sadly the club doesn't work like that. Recruitment seems to rely completely on a contact knowing somebody.

We know what we need and it won't/can't be pretty, anything, other than a hard arsed task master, with a proven pedigree, will be a coin toss IMHO!

Probably worse than a coin toss. There are more managers who come in and do a mediocre or poor job than ones that do a good one. Factor in our appalling recruitment over the last few years, and I think the odds of us picking a good one are much worse than 50/50.

I think another huge problem is that we don't know what sort of budget and restrictions we'll be under next season. The sort of guy you might need a battle to stay up kind of season might not be the guy we'd want if we know relegation is all but inevitable (and we are building for the future), or if we are someone able to improve the squad.

We do know our budget and restrictions


Max wage bill of £16m, which is a decrease of about £6m - £9m on what it was supposed to be this season and not far off half what it's been the previous two or three seasons prior to that.

We'll not be able to pay transfer fees without them meeting the requirements of the business plan the FL have determined for us and them agreeing them. The wages we can offer will likely have a max on them for individual players too...

Paying more than £8k to £12k a week to anyone new is unlikely.

[tmesis]

Definitely not a time for sentimentality or hopeful decision making! This needs to be a cold blooded and cold hearted decision in the "moneyball" style.

Sadly the club doesn't work like that. Recruitment seems to rely completely on a contact knowing somebody.

We know what we need and it won't/can't be pretty, anything, other than a hard arsed task master, with a proven pedigree, will be a coin toss IMHO!

Probably worse than a coin toss. There are more managers who come in and do a mediocre or poor job than ones that do a good one. Factor in our appalling recruitment over the last few years, and I think the odds of us picking a good one are much worse than 50/50.

I think another huge problem is that we don't know what sort of budget and restrictions we'll be under next season. The sort of guy you might need a battle to stay up kind of season might not be the guy we'd want if we know relegation is all but inevitable (and we are building for the future), or if we are someone able to improve the squad.

We do know our budget and restrictions


Max wage bill of £16m, which is a decrease of about £6m - £9m on what it was supposed to be this season and not far off half what it's been the previous two or three seasons prior to that.

We'll not be able to pay transfer fees without them meeting the requirements of the business plan the FL have determined for us and them agreeing them. The wages we can offer will likely have a max on them for individual players too...

Paying more than £8k to £12k a week to anyone new is unlikely.

We know the budget, but without knowing if we can shift certain high earners out, we don't know if it's feasible, or if we'll be relying on our youth set-up - from which we look set to lose some players.

We do not know the FL business plan, and it's possible the club doesn't yet either. Do we even know if there will definitely be a points deduction next year or not?

Basically, there's an awful lot up in the air at the moment, and potentially we might just have to accept relegation is almost certain, fielding a very young team. That kind of situation would call for a team-builder type manager, with a longer term vision, rather than a firefighter who might just keep a weak team up.

[Snowflake Royal]

Sadly the club doesn't work like that. Recruitment seems to rely completely on a contact knowing somebody.


Probably worse than a coin toss. There are more managers who come in and do a mediocre or poor job than ones that do a good one. Factor in our appalling recruitment over the last few years, and I think the odds of us picking a good one are much worse than 50/50.

I think another huge problem is that we don't know what sort of budget and restrictions we'll be under next season. The sort of guy you might need a battle to stay up kind of season might not be the guy we'd want if we know relegation is all but inevitable (and we are building for the future), or if we are someone able to improve the squad.

We do know our budget and restrictions


Max wage bill of £16m, which is a decrease of about £6m - £9m on what it was supposed to be this season and not far off half what it's been the previous two or three seasons prior to that.

We'll not be able to pay transfer fees without them meeting the requirements of the business plan the FL have determined for us and them agreeing them. The wages we can offer will likely have a max on them for individual players too...

Paying more than £8k to £12k a week to anyone new is unlikely.

We know the budget, but without knowing if we can shift certain high earners out, we don't know if it's feasible, or if we'll be relying on our youth set-up - from which we look set to lose some players.

We do not know the FL business plan, and it's possible the club doesn't yet either. Do we even know if there will definitely be a points deduction next year or not?

Basically, there's an awful lot up in the air at the moment, and potentially we might just have to accept relegation is almost certain, fielding a very young team. That kind of situation would call for a team-builder type manager, with a longer term vision, rather than a firefighter who might just keep a weak team up.

Fair point on the likes of Moore, Joao, Meite, Ejaria... although that's standard.

Why would there be a points deduction next season? Only way that happens is if we haven't stuck to the Business Plan, or we break it next season.

If we have a budget agreed for next season in the Business Plan, we basically know what it is.

[Hound]

Sounds very much like quite a few of the current squad will be off

Do think there is a strong chance the likes of Abrefa, Samuels, Tetek and Camara (if they all stay) will get significant game time next year

Probably keep hold of Thomas and hopefully keep Dorsett

Reckon we’d take an offer for Ejaria. Prob then building around TMc, Dann, Joao and Meite

I don’t think it’s that much of an unknown what we are facing. Just need to find the right manager to work with that difficult situation. Ince might be reasonable in that firefighting role tbh

[The Royal Forester]

I don't think Ince will be the manager next season. He has stated he will be meeting Dai this week. His comments in interviews he has said the club needs to change, he appears he wants scouts, probably a DOF etc. (reducing or ending Kia's grip on the club?). I think Ince will walk away if the changes he wants are not going to happen. I can't see Dai changing the way things he has run the club since he took over.

[Snowflake Royal]

Sounds very much like quite a few of the current squad will be off

Do think there is a strong chance the likes of Abrefa, Samuels, Tetek and Camara (if they all stay) will get significant game time next year

Probably keep hold of Thomas and hopefully keep Dorsett

Reckon we’d take an offer for Ejaria. Prob then building around TMc, Dann, Joao and Meite

I don’t think it’s that much of an unknown what we are facing. Just need to find the right manager to work with that difficult situation. Ince might be reasonable in that firefighting role tbh

I wonder about Meite. Not sure where he fits in.

He doesn't have the touch to play up top on his own and he can't really play back to goal. He's best running at people. But I'm not sure his traditional RF slot really fits any more.

Although he and Azeez seem to play similarly.

As the squad stands, we currently have Meite, Ince, Hoilett, Halilovic and Azeez who are all (imo) at their best on the right flank. And realistically, we probably should try to limit ourselves to two per position... PInce talking about a 20 man squad etc.

[windermereROYAL]

When does the summer transfer window close this year? there was talk of it shutting before the season starting a while back.

[elrey]

Why is everything on here always about rash and irrational decisions..why can't we just have ince

I criticized the appointment of Pauno because his record wasn't good.

Pauno had a 32.21% win rate with one good season out of four. He got lucky one season, the rest of the time he couldn't hold it up.

Ince hasn't made it past 56 games for any club he's managed. Pauno's managed 83 games for Reading and has a higher win percentage than Ince does at Reading.

At Blackpool he was awful, first season was okay. Three losses and four wins and 7 draws from Feb 18th to the end of the season.

Ince came in at Reading on the 19th February, 6 losses, 5 wins and three draws.

Beginning of the next season was quite good, at Blackpool, five out of six wins and a draw. Then three wins in 11 games, and then it just went downhill from there.

He's change and he's not an awful, awful manager, but he's a guy who is able to put change in, gets some results and then gets found out.

Similar at Notts County, took a while, got some results then crawled back under the stone, with 7 loses in his last 8 games.

Okay so let's give him a chance next season surely?

Well, we'll give him a chance and I'd say there's a 75% chance he'll be out by March.

[The Royal Forester]

isn't that the probability. whoever the next manager is?

[Snowflake Royal]

isn't that the probability. whoever the next manager is?

Probably varies a bit.

Warnock, maybe about 50%, Jose Gomes reappointment 99%

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I don't think Ince will be the manager next season. He has stated he will be meeting Dai this week. His comments in interviews he has said the club needs to change, he appears he wants scouts, probably a DOF etc. (reducing or ending Kia's grip on the club?). I think Ince will walk away if the changes he wants are not going to happen. I can't see Dai changing the way things he has run the club since he took over.

Said it a few days ago, I think Ince would fit quite nicely in a Sporting Director/DoF kind of role personally speaking. I think that's where his best role at the club might be. Had a hands on opportunity to see who will stay, who won't and who we can bring in and where as well.

Potentially bringing a manager in with more experience at this level (or in general) and can work with a "blank canvas" might be best for all parties.

[Mr Angry]

I am not a fan of Paul Ince.

However, look at the actual situation as opposed to delusions of grandeur that some people have on here....

Firstly, he was brought in to do one job - keep the team up.

He achieved that.

He achieved it despite inheriting a squad that he had zero input in putting together, with no time to change playing style or formations, and with an injury list that, though a couple of players were returning after long lay offs, was still daunting.

On top of that, the team were shot. They played with no confidence and no heart, and had all but given up the ghost. Back in February, most posters on here, let alone pundits, thought we had no chance of surviving; that a resurgent Barnsley would go past us, or meejay dahlings Wayne Rooney's Derby County would do it, or even plucky Peterboro might get more points than us.

What Paul Ince brought to the team were qualities that they had lost during the season (and even towards the end of last season); spirit, fight, a determination not to give up, to play for each other and the fans. With that came confidence and belief - and with that came results such as drawing away at Bournemouth, beating Shef U with an injury time winner having just conceded an equaliser, and the fight back against Swansea from 4-1 down with barely 30 minutes to go.

For those reasons, he should be given the opportunity to manage the team next season, after getting in new players (if he can) with a pre season and a chance to instil in the teams what he wants them to do.

Will it be a "success"? Firstly, we need to define what "success" will look like next season. Those who think success will ONLY mean promotion despite all the restrictions we will be under are moron's.

To me, success next season will mean staying up, and never being seriously in danger of relegation. So can Paul Ince achieve that? I think he can.

He has done all that was asked of him and I think he has earned the chance to manage us next season - if he wants to.

[Stranded]

I am not a fan of Paul Ince.

However, look at the actual situation as opposed to delusions of grandeur that some people have on here....

Firstly, he was brought in to do one job - keep the team up.

He achieved that.

He achieved it despite inheriting a squad that he had zero input in putting together, with no time to change playing style or formations, and with an injury list that, though a couple of players were returning after long lay offs, was still daunting.

On top of that, the team were shot. They played with no confidence and no heart, and had all but given up the ghost. Back in February, most posters on here, let alone pundits, thought we had no chance of surviving; that a resurgent Barnsley would go past us, or meejay dahlings Wayne Rooney's Derby County would do it, or even plucky Peterboro might get more points than us.

What Paul Ince brought to the team were qualities that they had lost during the season (and even towards the end of last season); spirit, fight, a determination not to give up, to play for each other and the fans. With that came confidence and belief - and with that came results such as drawing away at Bournemouth, beating Shef U with an injury time winner having just conceded an equaliser, and the fight back against Swansea from 4-1 down with barely 30 minutes to go.

For those reasons, he should be given the opportunity to manage the team next season, after getting in new players (if he can) with a pre season and a chance to instil in the teams what he wants them to do.

Will it be a "success"? Firstly, we need to define what "success" will look like next season. Those who think success will ONLY mean promotion despite all the restrictions we will be under are moron's.

To me, success next season will mean staying up, and never being seriously in danger of relegation. So can Paul Ince achieve that? I think he can.

He has done all that was asked of him and I think he has earned the chance to manage us next season - if he wants to.

This is fair and hard to argue with - given what he has said about the club of late, it may even be fair to say if he takes it then there has been a commitment to change some of the issues we have. Therefore, moving on from Ince (either through the club or Ince's choice) may be a sign that lessons are still not being learnt and things will just get worst & we are about to have a squad of Kia players and no more.

Success next year is 21st, no more, so that we can come out of the business plan as a Championship side rather than L1 with, hopefully, a plan to be competing for a play-off spot within 2 or 3 years.

[Hound]

Yeah agree with the above but don’t mind Ince at all. Don’t think he is a superb manager etc but he may well be the man for the job of keeping us afloat next year

I’d not say no to Warburton or Mowbray but Ince has the head start on them of knowing who we will be left with and what we have in the academy etc

I think it’s impt for the club to work out who will be staying asap. Don’t need a situation where we are heading into July with the oocs still not committing one way or another (though suspect this might well happen)

[Snowflake Royal]

He achieved the objective, but so have many who came before and failed the next season.

There have been warning signs, back slides and issues he hasn't handled brilliantly amongst the good.

He's a mixed bag. No one should be writing him off or being disparaging about him, but equally no one should be going forward thinking there is no weakness or that he is the ideal candidate.

Whilst 21st next season is mission accomplished still. I'd like to think we can set our sights a bit higher and aim for lower mid-table, if only as a stretch goal. We're not so weak in a strong division that simply saying up by the skin of our teeth is all we can hope for. Although I don't think Mr A was saying that tbf, but Hound is quite close.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I can't imagine we will be too much worse off next season, even if all the out of contract players were to leave this summer. I still think we'd be able to build a good enough squad to finish at least where we are now, we just have to make sure the signings are correct and we can get as much as, if not all of, Moore's wages off our wage bill.

It will probably be about the same, if not slightly improved on next season. Knock the 6 points back on and that's us on 47 during a season where we've had a mass amount of injuries for probably 40-50% of the season, have had a stricter embargo than what we will have this summer, mid-season disruption with Moore being stripped of the captaincy and told he won't be playing again alongside a run where we lost 8 games on the trot, including some embarrassing results to Kidderminster and Fulham, that prompted protests and a managerial change.

It's going to take something to be worse than this season in all fairness, which I wouldn't say is unlikely, but I'd say it's more likely that we will see some improvement next season. Even if that meant Ince stayed on and was sacked early on in November.

[Stranded]

Yeah agree with the above but don’t mind Ince at all. Don’t think he is a superb manager etc but he may well be the man for the job of keeping us afloat next year

I’d not say no to Warburton or Mowbray but Ince has the head start on them of knowing who we will be left with and what we have in the academy etc

I think it’s impt for the club to work out who will be staying asap. Don’t need a situation where we are heading into July with the oocs still not committing one way or another (though suspect this might well happen)

The problem we have is the club have absolutely no power in defining when any OOC's may re-sign. Ince has stated as much. We can offer, say Yiadom a deal on the same terms but he is absolutely right to sit on his current deal until 30th June and then decide he's off to QPR or decide to re-sign for us. It's partly why I'd be tempted to bin the lot and just go for a total rebuild - even if signing on a couple makes sense.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

In terms of signing on current players though, is it too much different from the norm?

Yes obviously we have an embargo, but does that (still) mean we can only offer players a maximum of x or does it simply mean we just have to keep equal to, or below, the budget we have been set for the season? Or is it both?

If it's the former, then fair enough, if it's the latter then I don't see why that's too much different from what any other club would be able to do. They'd all have their budgets and their maximum offers for players and it would still be down to the players to decide when and where their next move is.