Rival Watch

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Probably a bit of disdain towards Mowbray also stems from last season as well. I remember his post-match interview after they lost to us 1-0 last season suggesting his future was very much in doubt then and it seemed as if, at first glance, he may have been getting the boot then after a poor run of form and an underwhelming finish. That in addition with their fall from the play offs (currently) may be the source from the fans.

You've got think surely between him and Warburton, they would both be an upgrade on what Ince would give us after this season, based off reputation anyway.

[NathStPaul]

You've got think surely between him and Warburton, they would both be an upgrade on what Ince would give us after this season, based off reputation anyway.

They are but are either of them going to be grateful for work like Ince would be? Both Mowbray and Warburton would be in relatively high demand I'd say, this gives them both good negotiating positions. Ince on the other hand is more likely to be happy to work with the owner on a lower salary than either Warburton or Mowbray would command due to him not being in demand or having a recent track record, I couldn't see him getting many offers should he walk away from Reading.

In short, Ince is the easy option for the owner so he is definitely in pole position. It would be completely negligent for the owner to not speak to Mowbray and Warburton though imo, at least interview them and hear their ideas.

[Nameless]

You've got think surely between him and Warburton, they would both be an upgrade on what Ince would give us after this season, based off reputation anyway.

They are but are either of them going to be grateful for work like Ince would be? Both Mowbray and Warburton would be in relatively high demand I'd say, this gives them both good negotiating positions. Ince on the other hand is more likely to be happy to work with the owner on a lower salary than either Warburton or Mowbray would command due to him not being in demand or having a recent track record, I couldn't see him getting many offers should he walk away from Reading.

In short, Ince is the easy option for the owner so he is definitely in pole position. It would be completely negligent for the owner to not speak to Mowbray and Warburton though imo, at least interview them and hear their ideas.

That’s not the situation with Ince at all though. He’s not desperate for the job. He’s not been applying for and getting rejected for jobs for years, he’s been playing golf and having a nice life. He doesn’t need the job here and didn’t come looking for it. I can see him being pretty strong on what he wants from the owners if he were to take the job.
Not sure not interviewing every out of work manager would be negligent. Presumably they would have to interview Dyche and Caralho as well, plus Chris Hughton, maybe BIelsa, Jobi MacAnuff, Brian McDermott, Steve Coppell, Joe Root and many others.

[Whore Jackie]

In short, Ince is the easy option for the owner so he is definitely in pole position. It would be completely negligent for the owner to not speak to Mowbray and Warburton though imo, at least interview them and hear their ideas.

Certainly wouldn't discount either, but given Mowbray's just finished 5 years with Blackburn and Warburton 3 with QPR, I do wonder how many ideas they'd presently have about Reading. They both need a break, can't help thinking that a lot of what's gone wrong with Bruce and West Brom stems from him only having 3 months off after 3+ years at Newcastle.

[Nameless]

In short, Ince is the easy option for the owner so he is definitely in pole position. It would be completely negligent for the owner to not speak to Mowbray and Warburton though imo, at least interview them and hear their ideas.

Certainly wouldn't discount either, but given Mowbray's just finished 5 years with Blackburn and Warburton 3 with QPR, I do wonder how many ideas they'd presently have about Reading. They both need a break, can't help thinking that a lot of what's gone wrong with Bruce and West Brom stems from him only having 3 months off after 3+ years at Newcastle.

So maybe Ince’s 8 years off is actually a huge plus in terms of his suitability ?

[YorkshireRoyal99]

If Ince was to walk away this summer I could see him being far more in demand now than what he probably has been previously, just due to the fact he's proven a point with ourselves in ensuring our survival so would be a good bet for clubs struggling at the wrong end of the table in the EFL.

I also wouldn't want us to appoint Ince just because he is the "easiest and cheapest" option, depending on the context of the term easiest.

I'm not sure if Mowbray or Warburton would want the job at this time, but I wouldn't say the perception is we are a club that some managers would want to avoid. We present a challenge that most other clubs don't have, but in terms of our facilities, recent history, pulling power, owner investment etc, we would represent a good club to be at.

As Ince himself has said though, it's structuring the club correctly. Having no scouts and just relying on Kia's disciple in Seb Ewen, our Head of Recruitment with no previous experience working in a scouting role at a football club, that will be a struggle for any club. I don't think our financial situation helped either, as we significantly reduced our playing staff as well, but we need to get that sorted.

[Whore Jackie]

In short, Ince is the easy option for the owner so he is definitely in pole position. It would be completely negligent for the owner to not speak to Mowbray and Warburton though imo, at least interview them and hear their ideas.

Certainly wouldn't discount either, but given Mowbray's just finished 5 years with Blackburn and Warburton 3 with QPR, I do wonder how many ideas they'd presently have about Reading. They both need a break, can't help thinking that a lot of what's gone wrong with Bruce and West Brom stems from him only having 3 months off after 3+ years at Newcastle.

So maybe Ince’s 8 years off is actually a huge plus in terms of his suitability ?

Don't think it does him any harm. No doubt, it was a slightly bizarre appointment in the first place, but he's passed the first test. Judging by his press conference comments, he's not afraid to point out what's wrong with the club. That's got to be healthy. No idea what he's been up to in the last 8 years, other than sporadic media work, but presumably he's reasonably sorted financially, and doesn't actually need the job. If he's willing to take it permanently given his knowledge of all of the constraints, shallow squad, lack of structure, etc etc, then it's hard too see who may be a better bet.

[Sutekh]

Certainly wouldn't discount either, but given Mowbray's just finished 5 years with Blackburn and Warburton 3 with QPR, I do wonder how many ideas they'd presently have about Reading. They both need a break, can't help thinking that a lot of what's gone wrong with Bruce and West Brom stems from him only having 3 months off after 3+ years at Newcastle.

So maybe Ince’s 8 years off is actually a huge plus in terms of his suitability ?

Don't think it does him any harm. No doubt, it was a slightly bizarre appointment in the first place, but he's passed the first test. Judging by his press conference comments, he's not afraid to point out what's wrong with the club. That's got to be healthy. No idea what he's been up to in the last 8 years, other than sporadic media work, but presumably he's reasonably sorted financially, and doesn't actually need the job. If he's willing to take it permanently given his knowledge of all of the constraints, shallow squad, lack of structure, etc etc, then it's hard too see who may be a better bet.

Something in common with Sir Steve I think, he plays a lot of golf!

At the end of the day though he hasn’t just gone away and been a hermit for 8 years, he’s done football media work and obviously must talk to people still in the game regularly so I wouldn’t have said he’s exactly out of touch. Yes he may need to freshen up on the current state of the transfer market but as it’s apparently a team that deals with that side of things at Reading these days I hardly think that’d matter a great deal.

I’d expect him to be offered a 1 year deal which he may or may not turn down depending on how he feels about it. Perhaps the club can aid that decision by offering a big bonus if he achieves x, y and/or z.

Meanwhile the club should also be sounding out options in case PI doesn’t go for it.

[Snowball]

You've got think surely between him and Warburton, they would both be an upgrade on what Ince would give us after this season, based off reputation anyway.

They are but are either of them going to be grateful for work like Ince would be? Both Mowbray and Warburton would be in relatively high demand I'd say, this gives them both good negotiating positions. Ince on the other hand is more likely to be happy to work with the owner on a lower salary than either Warburton or Mowbray would command due to him not being in demand or having a recent track record, I couldn't see him getting many offers should he walk away from Reading.

In short, Ince is the easy option for the owner so he is definitely in pole position. It would be completely negligent for the owner to not speak to Mowbray and Warburton though imo, at least interview them and hear their ideas.

That’s not the situation with Ince at all though. He’s not desperate for the job. He’s not been applying for and getting rejected for jobs for years, he’s been playing golf and having a nice life. He doesn’t need the job here and didn’t come looking for it. I can see him being pretty strong on what he wants from the owners if he were to take the job.
Not sure not interviewing every out of work manager would be negligent. Presumably they would have to interview Dyche and Caralho as well, plus Chris Hughton, maybe BIelsa, Jobi MacAnuff, Brian McDermott, Steve Coppell, Joe Root and many others.

I managed Redifusion Wasps in the Newport & District Sunday League
to two consecutive promotions. I've spent to last 40 years playing Scrabble
and Sudoku... but happy to throw my hat in the ring

[Nameless]

They are but are either of them going to be grateful for work like Ince would be? Both Mowbray and Warburton would be in relatively high demand I'd say, this gives them both good negotiating positions. Ince on the other hand is more likely to be happy to work with the owner on a lower salary than either Warburton or Mowbray would command due to him not being in demand or having a recent track record, I couldn't see him getting many offers should he walk away from Reading.

In short, Ince is the easy option for the owner so he is definitely in pole position. It would be completely negligent for the owner to not speak to Mowbray and Warburton though imo, at least interview them and hear their ideas.

That’s not the situation with Ince at all though. He’s not desperate for the job. He’s not been applying for and getting rejected for jobs for years, he’s been playing golf and having a nice life. He doesn’t need the job here and didn’t come looking for it. I can see him being pretty strong on what he wants from the owners if he were to take the job.
Not sure not interviewing every out of work manager would be negligent. Presumably they would have to interview Dyche and Caralho as well, plus Chris Hughton, maybe BIelsa, Jobi MacAnuff, Brian McDermott, Steve Coppell, Joe Root and many others.

I managed Redifusion Wasps in the Newport & District Sunday League
to two consecutive promotions. I've spent to last 40 years playing Scrabble
and Sudoku... but happy to throw my hat in the ring

I think the club would be negligent not to offer you an interview.
Whether they would sit through the hours of detailed statistical analysis you would turn up with is probably an open question....

[Snowball]

That’s not the situation with Ince at all though. He’s not desperate for the job. He’s not been applying for and getting rejected for jobs for years, he’s been playing golf and having a nice life. He doesn’t need the job here and didn’t come looking for it. I can see him being pretty strong on what he wants from the owners if he were to take the job.
Not sure not interviewing every out of work manager would be negligent. Presumably they would have to interview Dyche and Caralho as well, plus Chris Hughton, maybe BIelsa, Jobi MacAnuff, Brian McDermott, Steve Coppell, Joe Root and many others.

I managed Redifusion Wasps in the Newport & District Sunday League
to two consecutive promotions. I've spent to last 40 years playing Scrabble
and Sudoku... but happy to throw my hat in the ring

I think the club would be negligent not to offer you an interview.
Whether they would sit through the hours of detailed statistical analysis you would turn up with is probably an open question....

Touché

[windermereROYAL]

Some crowd at Blackpool today

Blackpool(0) 0 2 (0)Derby County 50,298
Ebiowei (73'), Joe Cashin (82')

[Mr Angry]

PInce was brought in and asked to do achieve a specific goal - to keep the team up.

He was given a squad of players he had no input into being at the club, who had no morale or spirit, with a large injury list and with no time to change the playing style or mess about too radically with formations.

When he took over, we looked absolutely doomed (read back at some of the comments about our inevitable relegation made by the same posters who are saying that Pince isn't good enough to manage the team) and we were given virtually no chance of preventing Derby (or Barnsley, or Peterborough) overtaking us by fans and pundits alike.

Yet PInce DID keep the team up.

He gave them belief and spirit and fight, qualities that we had lacked beforehand.

Drawing away at Bournemouth, snatching late goals to win at Shef U and to draw against Swansea - all with the same players who surrendered so pathetically in game after game under Pauno just before and then for week after week after Christmas.

I am no fan of Paul Ince, but he did the job he was asked to do and regardless of a home defeat in a pointless dead rubber game, he deserves the chance to manage the team next season.

[Hound]

Bournemouth vs Forest should be a cracker shouldn’t it? Can’t stand either side but should be a great game

[Snowflake Royal]

Very definitely mission achieved. Good job.

But also not really staking a strong claim to be in charge next season if we end the season on LWDLL?

Even if we finish with a win (seems unlikely) it's last 6 form of more defeats than wins and barely above a point a game. Anything less than a win and it's less than a point a game, finishing in relegation form.

It's all very Clement / Gomes. A change kick starts a short lived recovery which farts out of existence and, in the case of those above, returns to total shit the next season.


Let's face it, it's a pattern we're familiar with, and given next seasons constraints, even more likely than normal.

Not to say I'm against him getting the job. He's just not finished well enough to have earnt it, imo. I've no confidence a different appointment by Dai would do better. Although if we do change that would suggest failed promotion campaign next season followed by disaster the one after.

[NathStPaul]

Bournemouth vs Forest should be a cracker shouldn’t it? Can’t stand either side but should be a great game

Really fancy Forest, think they have a far better manager. Really not impressed with the job Scott Parker has done, no way should they not have been promoted by now with the squad they have.

[Hound]

Bournemouth vs Forest should be a cracker shouldn’t it? Can’t stand either side but should be a great game

Really fancy Forest, think they have a far better manager. Really not impressed with the job Scott Parker has done, no way should they not have been promoted by now with the squad they have.

They’ve been in superb form but need the win playing away

I think I still fancy them but could definitely go either way

[windermereROYAL]

Much rather see forest go up, even though I don`t like them they have the infrastructure in place, big city and big stadium, things that Bournemouth are not.

[Royal_jimmy]

I'm starting to think that Leeds might be relegated now

[Hound]

I'm starting to think that Leeds might be relegated now

Definitely a very good chance