The Future Starts Today!

[Dirk Gently]

We've had a superb and extremely eventful last 5 or so years - unbelievable highs, terrible lows, but never, ever, boring.

But now the end of the era has come - perhaps later than it should, perhaps earlier, but there are enough threads discussing that. While we should never forget the debt we owe to SC, Kevin & Wally, Murts, Marcus and many others, the future must start today.

We have a crop of promising kids coming through, and we need a manager who can nurture them and help them flourish, ideally a manager who is young and hungry, like them, who can succeed here.

Remember the team of 05/06. We always used to describe it as "a team without stars" - Sidwell was the only one anyone outside Reading had heard of - no sweating during transfer windows or talk of £5M swoops in those days. But those players were young and hungry and wanted to prove how good they were, and they showed that hunger on the pitch. That's the model we've got to get back to.

So here's to an exciting future, with hungry, motivated kids, a new manager and no stars or their egos getting in the way. Things may not always go right from day one as everyone will be learning as they go, but we need to give them a chance before we get on their backs, and look forward with them, not just look back to what was but has now gone.

Who's with me?

[floyd__streete]

I think we'll get relegated next season

[Ian Royal]

I'll salute that post!

I'm with you all the way.

[Royalee]

I'm totally with you on that post, although ideally I'd like someone capable of managing egos also, which I think Rodgers is having worked with perhaps the biggest ego in football.

[floyd__streete]

I'm totally with you on that post, although ideally I'd like someone capable of managing egos also, which I think Rodgers is having worked with perhaps the biggest ego in football.

I never knew Dave Kitson played for Chelsea?

[AthleticoSpizz]

I'll salute that post!

I'm with you all the way.

as the say on here


'greed


even if it means the "sojourn" into League One?

[DougEFresh]

paragraphs..... friday night...



for that reason I'm out

[PEARCEY]

I think we'll get relegated next season

Hmm by your own high standards that really is pessimistic.
Sort of with Dirk but not convinced our youngsters are as good as so many nobbers think.

[Row Z Royal]

I'm up for some motivational booing.

[Ian Royal]

I'll salute that post!

I'm with you all the way.

as the say on here


'greed


even if it means the "sojourn" into League One?

I'd rather it didn't, but I'll be going nowhere.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Likewise, but as long as we are going somewhere

[Millsy]

Who's with me?

Great post Dirk.

I'm with you mate.

[Ian]

Evolution not revolution. Sir Steve, with great skill built on Pards team adding new blood where needed with astute buying in as needed. That team peaked in 05/06 and although we had two seasons in the top flight some departed because they thought the grass was greener elsewhere; Sidwell, Kitson, Little, others because they seem to get fed up Shorey. Now we have others Murty - a fantastic servant of the club but getting to his sell by date. Marcus probably another couple of seasons in him. On the management side Kevin and Wally continuity but many managers like there own staff and have their own players. The trick is finding the right balance so that the team evolves. Too much new blood may take too long to settle in and if we don't finish better than mid table next season in what is going to be an even more competitive league the only way could be down.

[Rex]

Agree Dirk. The club is in exactly the position i though it would be in after the season was over. It's just a numbing feeling to realise the era is over and another is about to begin. I suppose i'm footballed out at the moment and hope for the renewed optimism as we start to get news filtered that the build has started. At the moment is about deconstruction.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Have we bounced the czech yet?

[Sarah Star]

This is what I was looking forward to if we didn't make it to Wembley and beyond...

but...but...but...

much I realise Murty, Hahnemann and the rest have to move on, I'm not sure I'm ready to say goodbye to some of the others such as Doyle, Rosenior and Ingimarsson... and I'm still wondering if it's worth splittin gup the squad if we only missed out on promotion by a few points.

Am looking forward to seeing more of Karacan, Pearce, Henry and the like though.

[PremAddict]

I'm in. Still a bit weird to see phrases like "former Reading Manager Steve Coppell" and "former Reading goaltender (edit: keeper. erm...It's the Stanley Cup finals) Marcus Hahnemann". I think there will be fewer exits than we think and I don't think they'll be too painful. Looking forward to seeing what the future holds.

[Whore Jackie]

I'm in. Still a bit weird to see phrases like "former Reading Manager Steve Coppell" and "former Reading goaltender Marcus Hahnemann". I think there will be fewer exits than we think and I don't think they'll be too painful. Looking forward to seeing what the future holds.

To be fair, there's absolutely no place for phrases like goaltender, whatever the scenario. 'Greed with your sentiments though and Dirk's opening salvo.

[Maguire]

ideally a manager who is young and hungry

Why? Coppell wasn't.

[Tamworth_Royal]

We've had a superb and extremely eventful last 5 or so years - unbelievable highs, terrible lows, but never, ever, boring.

But now the end of the era has come - perhaps later than it should, perhaps earlier, but there are enough threads discussing that. While we should never forget the debt we owe to SC, Kevin & Wally, Murts, Marcus and many others, the future must start today.

We have a crop of promising kids coming through, and we need a manager who can nurture them and help them flourish, ideally a manager who is young and hungry, like them, who can succeed here.

Remember the team of 05/06. We always used to describe it as "a team without stars" - Sidwell was the only one anyone outside Reading had heard of - no sweating during transfer windows or talk of £5M swoops in those days. But those players were young and hungry and wanted to prove how good they were, and they showed that hunger on the pitch. That's the model we've got to get back to.

So here's to an exciting future, with hungry, motivated kids, a new manager and no stars or their egos getting in the way. Things may not always go right from day one as everyone will be learning as they go, but we need to give them a chance before we get on their backs, and look forward with them, not just look back to what was but has now gone.

Who's with me?

Rupert Lowe is with you