Rodgers Revolution

[ZacNaloen]

This comparison stuff is bullshit, you can't make that kind of comparison until Rodgers has had the same amount of time to build a squad capable of being promoted. Fools game.

[SteveRoyal]

We have sold/loaned out almost every player Coppell ever played, excluding the likes of Long, Church, Matejovsky, Federici, etc. (the reserves/subs under Coppell) and brought in two (or three? Howard) loan signings and signed four more players, McAnuff, Rasiak, Cummings and Mills.

The average age of the squad is low, must be something like 22 (correct me, stat laaaavvverssss), but that means there is much more room for improvement in the squad.

We've lost the 106 team, but we're assembling a new one, one which includes home-grown, academy players that many a football fan years for.

So, are you excited by the possibilities ahead, or terrified?

[Archies Volley II]

Excited here!

[Dirk Gently]

Younger players, giving it everything - inconsistent but learning.

Can only be good!

[winchester_royal]

You can't not be excited by what the future holds.

We have a group of talented youngsters having come through the academy. A splattering of experienced pros, and a couple of outstanding prospects have been brought in.

Bring on Donny.

[Sarah Star]

Can't we be both? It is a bit like taking a parachute jump when you've trusted someone else to make all the arrangements and pack the parachute for you.

[glass half full]

Can't we be both? It is a bit like taking a parachute jump when you've trusted someone else to make all the arrangements and pack the parachute for you.

I agree. Great analogy!

[07RFC]

Excited here!

[Terminal Boardom]

Isn't it all sooooo exciting though.......

With Copps we were used to a conservative transfer policy, rigid formations, frustratingly consistent team selection, and very little youth involvement. Yes we were succesful, yes we played some nice football for a couple of seasons, but it really was rather dull.

Rodgers is sticking his neck out and trying to create something special at the club, and I'm looking forward to the journey we're about to embark on.

I agree totally. I bleated often enopugh in the past about the lack of a plan B. This current regime is refreshing because I can turn up at a game and I haven't got a clue who will be playing or what the formation will be.

[SHORT AND CURLY]

I feel that all the experience has been whipped out of the club. I fear for the youngsters if games start going against us. We have no one to steady the ship.

I am sure they have plenty of potential but I do think that we will do well to stave off relegation this term.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Bankrupted the club??????

How the does one of the least spending clubs the prem has ever seen nearly go bankrupt despite trawling in fvcking millions on tv money, increased season ticket prices, parachute payments,etc

We were that badly manged they pissed the money away?

Simply, August 2006 wasn't year zero as far as our bank balance is concerned.

Making £12 million profit in the premier league doesn't equate to us having £12 million in the bank.

[ellpryjon]

I feel that all the experience has been whipped out of the club. I fear for the youngsters if games start going against us. We have no one to steady the ship.

I am sure they have plenty of potential but I do think that we will do well to stave off relegation this term.

You are Jonathan Ross AICMFP

[Terminal Boardom]

Bankrupted the club??????

How the does one of the least spending clubs the prem has ever seen nearly go bankrupt despite trawling in fvcking millions on tv money, increased season ticket prices, parachute payments,etc

We were that badly manged they pissed the money away?

Simply, August 2006 wasn't year zero as far as our bank balance is concerned.

Making £12 million profit in the premier league doesn't equate to us having £12 million in the bank.

Really? No shit

I must have dreamt it all then when the man with hair was bankrolling us to the tune of £40k per week when he took over the club from Roger Smee. So, obviously there is the "minor" matter of the amount bankrolled since he took over.

[Royalee]

Yes, Let's! The start of 2005-06 had:
Marcus - with us since promotion
Murts - longest serving player on the books
Ivar - SSC's first signing 2-3 years earlier?
Sonks - had 1 season at least
Shorey - Grown with the club from L1 days into one of the most reliable and consistent players ever
Blakey - Shit loads of experience with Burnley before joining us
Sidders and Harps - Harps got promoted from L2 and Sidders joined one or two seasons later
Convey - Second season with us
Lita - NEW SIGNING with no experience of CCC
Kitson - Been with us for at least 2 seasons or so

The best of the rest:
Bryn - loads of experience with Forest, Stoke and Watford
Doyle - NEW SIGNING, no english experience. Total unknown
Hunt - NEW SIGNING and fringe player at best
Oster - NEW SIGNING and fringe player at best (ex Sunderland & Everton) experienced!
Makin - NEW SIGNING but with plenty of experience at Leicester among others
Long - NEW SIGNING, no english experience. Total unknown

No doubt there are others I have missed out but the vast majority of the starting XI had been with us for some time or had plenty of CCC experience. Added to which was the inexperience of Doyle, Lita and Sonko who all blossomed during that season.What we had was a good mix of youth and experience.

You said players with over 100 appearances for Reading.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

Bankrupted the club??????

How the does one of the least spending clubs the prem has ever seen nearly go bankrupt despite trawling in fvcking millions on tv money, increased season ticket prices, parachute payments,etc

We were that badly manged they pissed the money away?

Simply, August 2006 wasn't year zero as far as our bank balance is concerned.

Making £12 million profit in the premier league doesn't equate to us having £12 million in the bank.

Really? No shit

I must have dreamt it all then when the man with hair was bankrolling us to the tune of £40k per week when he took over the club from Roger Smee. So, obviously there is the "minor" matter of the amount bankrolled since he took over.

...err...yeah. That was kind of the point. It wasn't me asking where where the millions we made in the premiership had gone.

[howser]

Very excited, a vibrant young team full of enteusiasm and energy, with a great manager, perfect start to a new building process.

[Ark Royal]

History has proved that when we have had Stalinist purges in the past (87/88 and 97/98), relegation was the inevitable outcome. I will be delighted if we finish 21st.

[Pseud O'Nym]

I feel that all the experience has been whipped out of the club. I fear for the youngsters if games start going against us. We have no one to steady the ship.

I am sure they have plenty of potential but I do think that we will do well to stave off relegation this term.

You are Jonathan Ross AICMFP

Rancour

[Sun Tzu]

I feel that all the experience has been whipped out of the club. I fear for the youngsters if games start going against us. We have no one to steady the ship.

As has often been pointed out, how did this 'experience' help us out in the second halves of the last two seasons ?

There is still experience at the club - we've got 8 or 9 full internationals and players with hundreds of appearances at this level.

A lot of the 'youngsters' are not exactly inexperienced. Pearce has played for 4 clubs, Karacan has his Turkish international experience, Henry has a play off final behind him etc etc.

The team will learn together, and I'm looking forward to a couple of years that will see ups and downs but couldbe every bit as exciting as things we have seen in the past.

[RoyalBird]

I've only had a brief glance over some of the messages but here's my view on the situation.

Firstly, I am one for the introduction of academy players, such as Karacan and The Sig, into the first team and the need for change through a different manager and perhaps a different playing style that is just as effective. However, imho, this change is way too radical if we want to continue to be one of the better teams in the championship. It may prove to be a complete success, puts my mind at ease and think it was a great call by Rogers, but I'm worried about this drastic shift from one team to the other. I know people are saying that this is a long term plan, but surely a long term plan would be one of gradual change rather than changing the team as quickly as possible. I'm just thinking in comparison from our team this time last year to this year. Off the top of my head when thinking of the team, we've lost Harper on loan, Rosenior on loan, Hahnemann, Doyle, SHunt and Bikey, plus Ingimarsson and Armstrong to injury. So that leaves Cisse/Karacan, Kebe and NHunt. This is the plan Rogers is taking us down and it's going to either boom or bust and I'm not sure we're in a good enough position to have taken the risk of trying it.

Secondly, some people need to remember about how a club runs financially. Just because you sold a person for £6 million doesn't mean you're going to get £6 million to spend on transfer money! If you're losing money, which we probably are because of the relegation over a year ago, then that £6 million would probably mean it's only possible to spend £2-3 million on a new player. This is where we are being cautious financially, or Madejski is trying to sell the club by showing they don't have many debts and have a steady income, making it prospective for a new buyer.