It's always a pleasure to welcome David from Reading website Royals Rendezvous back to LFW for the latest goings on at the Madejski Stadium as a tumultuous season of under achievement reaches a grim end.
Odd season overall for Reading, assess it for us…
David: Firstly, a pleasure to be back in contact. At the risk of half repeating myself from last time (but I won’t check up the exact words now) here is a brief summary.
Our own season is a funny tale … Reading started fairly well, reaching the giddy heights of second in mid-October before embarking on a very nasty slump culminating with the sacking of Steve Clarke. Things seem to be picking up a little now.
So it’s a welcome back for Brian McDermott, the man who last got us up to the Premier league. On the positive side, reaching the last eight of the FA Cup as a Championship side while not firing on all cylinders is not bad. But there are plenty of worries about the shape the squad is in for next season, and if Brian can really impose himself now.
Did the season effectively end with the FA Cup defeat?
David: In retrospect yes, but we didn’t know that at the time. In fact, more than half of us (myself included) believed it might be a springboard to something better and a top ten position (obviously play-offs were always a step too far).
However, with all the bunching up at the bottom of the table, with then a big gap down the bottom three, we now realise we are even in danger of finishing twentieth or twenty first. So more than half the fans reckon we’ve got a disheartened club and that there needs to be a big summer shake-up.
Last time we spoke, Steve Clarke was a week from the sack. What went wrong there in the end?
David: Quite simply he was a doomed man from those Fulham negotiations. Not because we get on badly at all with Fulham, but because that ‘honesty’ threshold line was seen as being have crossed. The board were waiting for a handful of bad results as an excuse, they having been guided by the huge fan opposition to maintaining him - really overwhelming negatives percentages came out in the various fan polls at the time. Even if he had stayed longer he wouldn’t have lasted, I’m sure he would not be there today. The slump I first mentioned had already started well before his sacking - however the big question has to be: was that somewhat of a consequence by the players to feeling that the boss was living on borrowed time? Hard to say, but certainly may have been a big negative influence.
What did you think of the decision to re-appoint Brian McDermott? Never go back?
David: From the various fan sources I’d say it was roughly a two to one in favour of his return. As you mention there was a small group who were worried about the ‘second time syndrome’ per se, but Brian had talked to Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe exactly about this and he was convinced that this shouldn’t be a problem. There was a bigger number of fans though who, whilst applauding Brian for his efforts in the second tier, felt he was out of his depth in the Premier and was somewhat hoodwinked by naivety, therefore why appoint a manager who would ‘only’ sort us out in the second tier? I’d personally love to have the ‘problem’ of actually getting to the Premier and then seeing what to do.
I wouldn’t even blame Brian in the Premier League last time around — remember this was the tail end of the Russian Zingarevich regime — he was to do a ‘runner’ a few months later leaving the club trembling both economically and structurally and Brian was not blessed by a sensible transfer kitty minimally proportionate to the requirements of the top tier before that season started nor in the later winter transfer window.
How has he done so far?
David: As we stand today fans are a little worried, a little cautious. He is famed for having produced three second half of season wonder spurts with Reading, taking us in successive seasons from relegation/near relegation places mid-season to eleventh place, then play-off finalists, and finally to a promotion. But this season we are no better off now in the Championship than the day Steve Clarke left. It’s not altogether Brian’s fault in that it’s not ‘his’ group of players, but many do see his admirable ‘man management’ qualities losing a bit of their magic. The thing is, we’ve been in no-man’s land in the league for months now; no hope of promotion yet no worry of relegation either. So many fans point to the obvious first comment — perhaps the players themselves are losing interest?
Levelled against Brian are specifically these points: he’s tactically not always strong or ‘modern’ (make of that what you like); other teams can cancel us out and we have got much of a back-up or surprise; and the pace of the team isn’t what it was in his last stint as the boss.
Also, he isn’t really giving the youngsters a chance despite him being a famed coach. This is even more stranger as the Royals have one of the best U21 teams in the land, at least if the results are anything to go by (we’re currently ahead of Chelsea, Liverpool and Leicester in the U21 table). Why hasn’t he given some an opportunity to shine if we’ve nothing left to play for and are under no pressure?
We’re on an uncomfortable four match losing streak at the moment though nearly always by the odd goal, and even many of our own fans could see that being five against you guys. This Tuesday’s attendance against Hull, in theory an attractive match against promotion contenders, saw our lowest home league gate since August 2009 — draw your own conclusions.
Best players and weak links in the side?
David: Garath McCleary has been given a right-back role just now, and that seems to suit him in the same way it did at Forest. He comes up from deep and is more of a menace than being an out and out winger.
Ali Al-Habsi has been a revelation. He came in as one of two new keepers (alongside with ex-Watford’s Jonathan Bond) and was first seen the second choice. But Bond made a few clatters and did Al Habsi, but the second progressively got better and better whereas the first appeared not to. Now he’s the obvious first choice goalie and a stabilizing influence on the defence.
The other success story has been Jake Cooper. He has risen up through the club’s academy system to being an important part of the first team. Occasionally a mistake but he is young — just 21 — and learning fast. Rumours are he is attracting interest of Premier League clubs, Bournemouth comes to mind …
Now to the big negative: after Nick Blackman went on his way we are absolutely desperate for strikers who can score, even having forward players who seem comfortable and with some sort of confidence up front. It’s unbelievable that Blackman is still our highest goal-scorer half a season later, indeed no-one else even makes half a dozen league goals, nor gets into double figures in all competitions put together. We need a big overhaul in attack this summer, this 95% of Royals fans will admit.
Vydra, for all the hype, has not produced the goods although he is desperate to do so.
Piazon rarely drifts into the real play, not the motor of a team. Yann Kermorgant, despite promises from the Cherries faithful, has also generally been pretty disappointing although at least there’s no denying his involvement or of wanting to try. McCleary I’ve mentioned but he’s more of a wing player. Robson-Kanu in theory could get goals but three league goals is a little depressing; fans think he may be off on his own choice anyway. Ola John has blown hot and cold, as has Danny Williams. The little bust-up (in the Boro match just a couple of weeks ago) between Williams and McShane hardly helped team spirit either.
Now we are wondering if our loan players of success: Tanner, Stacey, Fosu, Rob Dickie couldn’t in fact do a better job? However I’d say our starlet for the future — if not snatched up by a big club — will shortly be Dominic Samuel. Remember that name pals.
Reasons for optimism next season?
David: Because that’s the nature of football fans!
Personally…
- I think Brian has the head to mould a time wisely, look at the youngsters and introduce new blood. Plus off load who he thinks is surplus, and bring in a couple of older faces but those in his style, not those of his predecessors.
- I think the board is committed and I believe funds could be made available for backing Brian McDermott.
- The club has a huge catchment area and if we could see a reasonable to good season next time could see once again regular attendances of bordering on 20,000
Links >>> Royals Rendezvous
@the1871club, @loftforwords
Pictures — Action Images