Steve Coppell and Reading

[Icy Gull]

Has he taken Reading as far as he can? Not suprised to see them struggling a little having lost Sidwell. No idea who they've got in but they seem to be doing a "Wigan" at the moment. Fantastic 1st year and then a relegation struggle.

He's a good manager but is Reading too small to actually consolidate in the Premiership without Madjedski digging deep, which it appears he no longer wishes to do having put the club on a sound footing.

Personally reckon they'll become a yoyo team but it'll be interesting to see how the crowd react towards SC if they continue to struggle

This could be us in 10 years :wishful thinker:

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Last season they had a good start. Coupled with the feelgood factor of promotion, they were able to get a bit of momentum going and never really went off the boil: winning becomes a habit.

Now they've hit a bad patch, albeit with several of their first few games against the top teams, things will start to level out and we'll get a more realistic idea of how good Reading really are.

Which at the moment is: not very good at all.

 

[bhaexpress]

I think the problem is that Madjedski has stopped bank rolling them and their modest squad is now being found out. It's not that new to Coppell as he had a the same situation at Palarse and to a degree, Brentford. Still a very good manager though.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Perhaps the opposition are not as intimidated as last year.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

He's a good manager but is Reading too small to actually consolidate in the Premiership without Madjedski digging deep

"Too small" seems a bit harsh, given that they regularly get larger home gates than Fulham and Portsmouth (OK, that's down to the fact that Fratton Park is so small), and are generally on a similar level, support wise, as Middlesbrough, Blackburn and Bolton.

They've recently announced plans to take the stadium up to 40,000 I think.

It's not the size of their club that's the problem, it seems to me that the greater issue is that they didn't add any real quality to their squad over the summer. They signed a couple of African players nobody had heard of, while losing Sidwell. Not exactly a move to fire the crowd's imagination and inspire the team. I think they'll drift unless they get a couple of new players in of genuine quality.

 

[Icy Gull]

"Too small" seems a bit harsh, given that they regularly get larger home gates than Fulham and Portsmouth (OK, that's down to the fact that Fratton Park is so small), and are generally on a similar level, support wise, as Middlesbrough, Blackburn and Bolton.

They've recently announced plans to take the stadium up to 40,000 I think.
.

I'd say half that crowd is there on the back of success, the proof will be if they struggle at the wrong end of the table or get relegated, if they can maintain similar crowds next year.

Fulham, Blackburn and Middlesborough are getting the crowds they do after some indifferent seasons. I don't think Reading will get anywhere near the crowds of those three next year, we'll see

 

[NMH]

My view is that he did make a howler last season, and it was from there that they lost momentum, their best player, and basically, heart.

It was when they looked likely to qualify for Europe, and he expressed that they didn't have the right to be in a competition they were not ready for, and didn't have the squad for.

That was a slap in the faces of the players, almost pulling the rug under their enthusiasm for the game, and rather revealing about Coppell.
Behind the soft spoken master of preparation, is a person who's a bit too weak for the top of the game. It wasn't a problem with his players' hearts for the fight - it was a problem with his.

That might explain why he 'almost' got us out of relegation - but not quite. When faced with the real test of character - it's HIS character that withers.

 

[bhaexpress]

That might explain why he 'almost' got us out of relegation - but not quite. When faced with the real test of character - it's HIS character that withers.

Cobblers, had he not been saddled with twelve straight losses we would have survived. The plain truth about Sidwell is that his grass was clearly greener as a bit part player at Chelski, not a whole lot anybody could do about that.

 

[Icy Gull]

My view is that he did make a howler last season, and it was from there that they lost momentum, their best player, and basically, heart.

It was when they looked likely to qualify for Europe, and he expressed that they didn't have the right to be in a competition they were not ready for, and didn't have the squad for.

That was a slap in the faces of the players, almost pulling the rug under their enthusiasm for the game, and rather revealing about Coppell.
Behind the soft spoken master of preparation, is a person who's a bit too weak for the top of the game. It wasn't a problem with his players' hearts for the fight - it was a problem with his.

That might explain why he 'almost' got us out of relegation - but not quite. When faced with the real test of character - it's HIS character that withers.

I think what he actually meant was that the squad was too thin to be involved in European competition when every league game was like a cup final for them The start that they have had this season would suggest he was right as well. They really don't need a European campaign at the moment. If I was a Reading fan I hope I'd understand that, you obviously wouldn't

 

[NMH]

I think what he actually meant was that the squad was too thin to be involved in European competition when every league game was like a cup final for them The start that they have had this season would suggest he was right as well. They really don't need a European campaign at the moment. If I was a Reading fan I hope I'd understand that, you obviously wouldn't

Not about the FANS though is it? It's about the players - and they seem to have reflected this in their performances since - otherwise they'd be 'up for it'. They certainly aren't treating every game as a cup-final NOW, so as a manager he should be asking "why".
As for Sidwell, he wasn't the only difference between winning or losing in the Prem., and his influence on Chelsea's performances haven't underlined that either.

"The start they have had this season" is without having ANYTHING to do with European competition, so that's another load of drivel.

 

[stig]

Ipswich, first season didn't they finish 5th? Season after they went down.
Wigan and West Ham, amazed everyone by doing so well and then both were lucky to stay up last season, one more than the other!!
Reading are kidding themselves if they think this season would be easy, Lita and Doyle may keep them up but I can see them struggling even with Coppel in charge. Love too see them go down

 

[unnameable]

If Reading go down, I will be disappointed for Coppell but elated otherwise.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Maybe he shouldn't have flounced out of every available Cup competition quite so readily. Maybe he demotivated the players by doing that. Not to mention the fans.

 

[severnside gull]

good manager - thin squad and without Lita fit will struggle to get the goals they need. They were very poor at Sunderland which for me at least was the first ringing of warning bells. Will be interesting to see if they can pick it up but may well be in the mix at the bottom come the end of the season. With Bolton, Wigan, Sunderland, Birmingham & Derby for company would bet on their exerience to survive. If only Coppell could be less phlegmatic and more inspirational

 

[NMH]

Maybe he shouldn't have flounced out of every available Cup competition quite so readily. Maybe he demotivated the players by doing that. Not to mention the fans.

Exactly what I have been saying.