The Reading FC Thread

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Lord Rother
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The Reading FC Thread

Postby Lord Rother » 18 Apr 2012, 15:59

Well, goodness gracious me.

An extraordinary run of form has taken us to the Promised Land.

With Russian money now supporting the club it will hopefully mean that we are able to invest sufficiently to get established up there.

It does not mean that the club will be splashing millions on has-beens and never-wazzers, rather the investments will be made in the infrastructure (training and academy facilities espec) which are already of PL standard, and with an extra tier on the stadium if we get beyond a one-season flirtation... plus we won't have to sell our best players to plug a hole.

I'm delighted that the club, which has been run prudently for many years, and has a very strong Balance Sheet (comparitively) has achieved this.

Good governance doesn't always pay, but in our case it has done.

Not gloating but Portsmouth, West Ham, Birmingham etc who have all spent loads more than they had in their efforts over the years can do one as far as I am concerned.

Come on you Royals!!

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Re: The Reading FC Thread

Postby Limpin' Jez McKenzie » 18 Apr 2012, 16:21

very good stuff
I kept thinking "swim as far as you can, swim as far as you can".

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Re: The Reading FC Thread

Postby Nikki Gradual » 18 Apr 2012, 22:34

Funnily enough the Russian investment is what scares me.
This is a club that has succeeded on old-school values and stability. Russian investment is not inherently stable.
The best thing would be for old pineapple face to sell locally and for the club to carry on the prudence.
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Re: The Reading FC Thread

Postby Lord Rother » 18 Apr 2012, 23:51

Well yes, but in the 10+ years since he first said he was looking for a buyer with very deep pockets, no-one suitable has come forward it would appear.

Nothing is guaranteed of course, but Madejski has been extremely straight over the years and if he says this is a deal (and people) that he is happy with, that's as good as it can get for me.

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Re: The Reading FC Thread

Postby Thesiger » 19 Apr 2012, 09:01

I'm pleased for Reading. They're a decent family club with some good players and a fine little stadium (albeit with rubbish parking). But I fear for them in the Premier League. I suspect it'll be a short campaign.
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Re: The Reading FC Thread

Postby Diamond Dog » 19 Apr 2012, 09:20

Thesiger wrote:I'm pleased for Reading. They're a decent family club with some good players and a fine little stadium (albeit with rubbish parking). But I fear for them in the Premier League. I suspect it'll be a short campaign.



I actually think they'll be fine. They're a very well organised side who appear to get the maximum from their players and, with a little investment, should be able to win enough (and not lose enough) to stay up. I would be far more confident of them doing well next year than (let's say) West Ham, should they get promoted.
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Re: The Reading FC Thread

Postby andymacandy » 19 Apr 2012, 19:03

Diamond Dog wrote:
Thesiger wrote:I'm pleased for Reading. They're a decent family club with some good players and a fine little stadium (albeit with rubbish parking). But I fear for them in the Premier League. I suspect it'll be a short campaign.



I actually think they'll be fine. They're a very well organised side who appear to get the maximum from their players and, with a little investment, should be able to win enough (and not lose enough) to stay up. I would be far more confident of them doing well next year than (let's say) West Ham, should they get promoted.


They are good enough, but what the new teams need when they come up is depth of squad, and a Plan B.
Inevitably, things get skinny in Feb/March, and you'll lose a couple of the team that bring you up, and you need to be able to fill in with equal quality.Also, you need to be able to do something different-Swansea have been brilliant this season, but in the last couple of games, their slick passing game just hasn't happened, and you need to be able to adapt.

I think Reading have a Plan B, but Im not sure they have the strength in depth.
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Re: The Reading FC Thread

Postby Lord Rother » 20 Apr 2012, 09:39

We do need strengthening and have no doubt whatsoever that will happen - I would anticipate 3, 4 maybe 5 new faces, no more.

Getting Long, Sigurdsson and Doyle back would fit the bill nicely... :D

(It's actually a midfield playmaker and a defender or 2 that would be priority I suspect.)

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Re: The Reading FC Thread

Postby Nikki Gradual » 20 Apr 2012, 11:03

Royal Rother wrote:We do need strengthening and have no doubt whatsoever that will happen - I would anticipate 3, 4 maybe 5 new faces, no more.

Getting Long, Sigurdsson and Doyle back would fit the bill nicely... :D

(It's actually a midfield playmaker and a defender or 2 that would be priority I suspect.)


Sidwell should be fit again one day, too. Then we can buy him back.
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Re: The Reading FC Thread

Postby Thesiger » 20 Apr 2012, 11:13

Nikki Gradual wrote:
Royal Rother wrote:We do need strengthening and have no doubt whatsoever that will happen - I would anticipate 3, 4 maybe 5 new faces, no more.

Getting Long, Sigurdsson and Doyle back would fit the bill nicely... :D

(It's actually a midfield playmaker and a defender or 2 that would be priority I suspect.)


Sidwell should be fit again one day, too. Then we can buy him back.


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Re: The Reading FC Thread

Postby andymacandy » 20 Apr 2012, 17:41

Nikki Gradual wrote:
Royal Rother wrote:We do need strengthening and have no doubt whatsoever that will happen - I would anticipate 3, 4 maybe 5 new faces, no more.

Getting Long, Sigurdsson and Doyle back would fit the bill nicely... :D

(It's actually a midfield playmaker and a defender or 2 that would be priority I suspect.)


Sidwell should be fit again one day, too. Then we can buy him back.

We like Sidwell.
Now he's at a proper club, he's thriving.

Seriously, he a fine player, and I think grooming to be Smurph's successor as our midfield playmaker.
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Re: The Reading FC Thread

Postby Nikki Gradual » 22 Apr 2012, 17:08

Just wanted the promotion, didn't give a fig about topping the table, but they only bloody gone and done it ain't they?

CHAMPIONS!

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Re: The Reading FC Thread

Postby Lord Rother » 30 Apr 2012, 11:45

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Re: The Reading FC Thread

Postby Lord Rother » 29 May 2012, 21:52

Takeover now completed.

Interesting times ahead.

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Re: The Reading FC Thread

Postby Spec » 30 May 2012, 16:55

Will he put much money into the club? He's a fan isn't he from when he studied nearby?

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Re: The Reading FC Thread

Postby Lord Rother » 31 May 2012, 13:17

I suspect the fan bit is being a bit overplayed tbh. It's likely he attended a couple of games at Elm Park as a teenager but that's about it.

Difficult to assess quite what immediate impact his / his father's money is going to have. Right from the start all concerned have been at pains to say that the prudent philosophy adopted by Madejski would not change and that the major investment would be in infrastructure, academy and stadium expansion rather than current / next season's squad. But the fact that Reading FC no longer has to sell its best players to plug the annual budget holes could make a big difference in the fullness of time.

As Madejski himself has been saying for year and years, the club needs someone with deeper pockets than him to take it to the next level and in Boris Zingarevitch we have a double billionaire so that's been achieved, (even though it's very much Anton Z's baby).

Madejski's wealth has been hit quite hard over the last few years so he really couldn't take any risks at all in the funding of the club as he couldn't really cover any losses.

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Re: The Reading FC Thread

Postby Lord Rother » 23 Aug 2012, 08:48

Chelsea 4-2 Reading

I thought Reading gave a very good account of themselves last night. Love the fact that the manager makes such positive substitutions, and not afraid to send the 'keeper up with 90 seconds left against the European champions - always looking to try to get a positive result.

Federici has now made 2 howlers in 2 games which is hugely disappointing because he was so good last season, and but for that we could possibly have held on.

Piss poor from the linesman on Torres' goal. Not a difficult one to get right really.

Oh well, onwards and upwards one hopes - there was enough on show last night to suggest we'll be ok this season.

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Re: The Reading FC Thread

Postby Spec » 23 Aug 2012, 09:08

They played well and were unlucky with the 3rd goal. Chelsea had started to dominated before that but Reading still looked dangerous on the counter attack. As you say, very positive display and it bodes well for the season. Hopefully Federici will put his howlers behind him and return to last year's form.

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Re: The Reading FC Thread

Postby Nikki Gradual » 24 Aug 2012, 12:50

This is why I like Brian Mc:

“What is settling for a draw, how does that work?” the Royals boss asked his pre-match press conference.

“Does that mean you get as many people behind the ball as you possibly can and try to settle for a draw? I don’t think that necessarily works. Sometimes to stick another striker on can get you a draw, by putting more pressure on the ball – that’s my philosophy.

"But generally if it’s 2-2 or 1-1, wherever we’re playing – we’re trying to win. There’s a big difference between three points and one point. I don’t know how to settle for a draw. Enlighten me and maybe I’ll do it!”
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Re: The Reading FC Thread

Postby Lord Rother » 24 Aug 2012, 20:35

A little bit of research (not by me) indicates the following:

Chelsea's starting 11 cost £180m, Reading's cost £5m.

Chelsea's bench cost £69m, Reading's cost £4m.

And they still needed a penalty, a goalkeeping howler, and offside goal and a giveaway to win.

Mind you, I have to say, not that I anticipate watching Chelsea much but, I do think Hazard is a player I'm going to enjoy.


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