New Owners - Redwood Watch

[Brogue]

Agreed although personally I'm not going to decry anyone for criticising because the ownership haven't helped themselves with their public proclamation of "awesomeness".

I get the issue with all the hyperbole but if that's the worst of their crimes then I'll take that over what's happened over the past 10-12 years.

I mean, when we were bringing genuinely world class players into the club it was all "Jorabchian has too much influence". I get that there's a balance to be found but I believe there's a fundamental honesty and open-ness to how Redwood operate.

I'm never going to take 'OMG the owners are being positive having just taken over and in the build up to a new season!' seriously.

Hype? I can't believe it!

are you fine with it?

[Snowflake Royal]

The window is still open and
I understand there is a (supposedly) sustainable budget to stick to, so let's see what happens when the window closes.

My criticism, if any, is two-fold.

1. To hype things up at the start - he didn't have to and set false expectations about the state of the squad on 'day one'...

2. To throw the old 'I'm getting beef because I haven't signed a striker'....you can't please football fans...

We're not Arsenal fans who complain about a lack of a striker comewhatmay & millions spent.

It's not illegitimate to say that a squad with only a 20 year old CF on loan on 'day one' isnt what was hyped up a month ago...

2... it's a oxf*rd light hearted joke ffs.

[Linden Jones' Tash]

I get that ultimately football fans are never happy....

There's always the next game to win....

And it may have been a light hearted, throw away line from RC....

It's ironic that actually, based on the situation today, its not an empty complaint by Reading fans....

I'm old enough to remember when Tommy Burns inevitably claimed we were 3 players short from being a great team, even after the magnificent 7 came in....

Manager's will always want 3 more players...

Fans will always want another Striker....

[RoyalBlue]

I hope the host provided the context - not retaining JW or CC, selling HK, having sold SS and not retained BB the replacement....

Stop taking us for fools...

How difficult is it to print names? I got Wareham Knibbs and Smith,

Was feeling lazy, Chem Cambell & Billy Bodin...

Still disingenuous of Rob to throw that old cliche at the fan base when its kinda legit this time -

One 20 year old loanee CF in vs 2 home grown CFs out...


I was probably being a bit petty with Campbell and Knibbs as we have (hopefully) replaced them...

He was joking, not moaning. Likewise when one of the hosts asked him what the food was like in Reading, His response was along the lines of: 'I'm trying to build up good relationships here and then you ask me a question like that?!' He went on to say that the Governor of Louisiana was going to arrange for some food to be sent over to Reading to give people a taste.

To answer LJ's question. No, the host(s) didn't add context as they know very little about the club. Rob Couhig was given the opportunity to go on air to start spreading the word about Reading FC in the US. Towards the end, one of the hosts pointed out something along the lines that rich owners taking over English clubs had been done to death in terms of documentaries but that the Reading story and planned approach was clearly different and would be interesting to see.

[Whore Jackie]

Also, come on.

Chem Campbell has been replaced. With a better player in Lane.

Harvey Knibbs has been replaced with Doyle, of course we aren't going to get someone as good as a player we just sold to a higher division for millions

Wareham replaced with O'Mahoney. Pretty reasonable exchange.

Bodin replaced with Kyerewaa - that’s looking like an upgrade to me, sidegrade at worst.

Craig - Fraser - good
Mbengue - Burns - ok
Bindon - O'Connor - of course we're going to have a downgrade on Bindon, we sold him two divisions up.

For the most part our business has been very good and we're still looking for players.

Couhig inherited a team with one striker and Smith already gone. He can't just wave a magic wand.

It feels a little early to be judging any of the new recruits just yet. The general consensus amongst most sensible fans is give the owners time. Same must be true with the players. Thought Lane had a really quiet game on Saturday, there's been flashes but not much else from Kyerewaa, a reasonable showing from Fraser, and two less than brilliant games from O'Mahoney. Bit harsh on Chem, Bodin, Craig and Wareham to say they've already been upgraded. My gut feeling ATM is it's a shame we couldn't find a way to keep those last two.

[nailseabiscuitman]

I think expectations aren't helped by certain ITK members on here, Bowler, Cole and Ritchie all done deals???

[Snowflake Royal]

Also, come on.

Chem Campbell has been replaced. With a better player in Lane.

Harvey Knibbs has been replaced with Doyle, of course we aren't going to get someone as good as a player we just sold to a higher division for millions

Wareham replaced with O'Mahoney. Pretty reasonable exchange.

Bodin replaced with Kyerewaa - that’s looking like an upgrade to me, sidegrade at worst.

Craig - Fraser - good
Mbengue - Burns - ok
Bindon - O'Connor - of course we're going to have a downgrade on Bindon, we sold him two divisions up.

For the most part our business has been very good and we're still looking for players.

Couhig inherited a team with one striker and Smith already gone. He can't just wave a magic wand.

It feels a little early to be judging any of the new recruits just yet. The general consensus amongst most sensible fans is give the owners time. Same must be true with the players. Thought Lane had a really quiet game on Saturday, there's been flashes but not much else from Kyerewaa, a reasonable showing from Fraser, and two less than brilliant games from O'Mahoney. Bit harsh on Chem, Bodin, Craig and Wareham to say they've already been upgraded. My gut feeling ATM is it's a shame we couldn't find a way to keep those last two.

Obviously we have to wait to see if they perform, that's true of anyone. But you can certainly talk about their potential and expectation.

I'm talking about them as transfers, rather than as actual performers.

[West F]

I was getting very frustrated with the lack of ambition in the transfer market. Seeing our best players leave for small fees or nothing at all. These frustrations have eased this week by readjusting my expectations under the realisation of what has been the primary cause. I held on to this notion that we are a good championship side. Threatening to reach the premier league if the wind direction was favourable. But, that was who we were. We are now Wycombe. Run by Wycombe people, to Wycombe budgets with Wycombe expectations. The players we are bringing in are Wycombe signings. Brought by Wycombe people on Wycombe wages. We will be exactly were we are in five years time. Generating enough revenue through the fans and player sales to fund more Wycombe signings. Do it. Breathe in the Wycombeness of it all. Let it wash over you in waves of gratitude for even having a club. Enjoy the cold beers of mediocrity. Wash down the hot dogs of gratitude as our player budget goes up in flames and fireworks. Be excited as relegated Crawley guy plays out of his skin to become an absolutely believable player that consigns Elliot to the bench, and hopefully a move before the window closes. The thrill of signing the guy from Swindon we had a look at 15 years ago as back up for Jobi and Kebe. See it, live it and love the Wycombedetude of it all, and it will be OK.

[Hendo]

Didn't we sign Wing from Wycombe and he's our best player?

Wycombe also finished 2 places and 9 points ahead of us last season.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

I was getting very frustrated with the lack of ambition in the transfer market. Seeing our best players leave for small fees or nothing at all. These frustrations have eased this week by readjusting my expectations under the realisation of what has been the primary cause. I held on to this notion that we are a good championship side. Threatening to reach the premier league if the wind direction was favourable. But, that was who we were. We are now Wycombe. Run by Wycombe people, to Wycombe budgets with Wycombe expectations. The players we are bringing in are Wycombe signings. Brought by Wycombe people on Wycombe wages. We will be exactly were we are in five years time. Generating enough revenue through the fans and player sales to fund more Wycombe signings. Do it. Breathe in the Wycombeness of it all. Let it wash over you in waves of gratitude for even having a club. Enjoy the cold beers of mediocrity. Wash down the hot dogs of gratitude as our player budget goes up in flames and fireworks. Be excited as relegated Crawley guy plays out of his skin to become an absolutely believable player that consigns Elliot to the bench, and hopefully a move before the window closes. The thrill of signing the guy from Swindon we had a look at 15 years ago as back up for Jobi and Kebe. See it, live it and love the Wycombedetude of it all, and it will be OK.

Knibbs is the only in contract player to go and for a fee of circa £2m which is hardly small beer in L1.

Mbengue was never staying whoever the owner was.

I'll give you maybe Wareham, that could turn out to be a mistake, but people were hardly up in arms about him leaving.

[West F]

Didn't we sign Wing from Wycombe and he's our best player?

Yes he did. Yes he is.

Wycombe also finished 2 places and 9 points ahead of us last season.

Yes they did. For which a great deal of credit goes the owner and Bloomfield.

[West F]

I was getting very frustrated with the lack of ambition in the transfer market. Seeing our best players leave for small fees or nothing at all. These frustrations have eased this week by readjusting my expectations under the realisation of what has been the primary cause. I held on to this notion that we are a good championship side. Threatening to reach the premier league if the wind direction was favourable. But, that was who we were. We are now Wycombe. Run by Wycombe people, to Wycombe budgets with Wycombe expectations. The players we are bringing in are Wycombe signings. Brought by Wycombe people on Wycombe wages. We will be exactly were we are in five years time. Generating enough revenue through the fans and player sales to fund more Wycombe signings. Do it. Breathe in the Wycombeness of it all. Let it wash over you in waves of gratitude for even having a club. Enjoy the cold beers of mediocrity. Wash down the hot dogs of gratitude as our player budget goes up in flames and fireworks. Be excited as relegated Crawley guy plays out of his skin to become an absolutely believable player that consigns Elliot to the bench, and hopefully a move before the window closes. The thrill of signing the guy from Swindon we had a look at 15 years ago as back up for Jobi and Kebe. See it, live it and love the Wycombedetude of it all, and it will be OK.

Knibbs is the only in contract player to go and for a fee of circa £2m which is hardly small beer in L1.

It is not small beer. But he has been sold and replaced with a loan.

Mbengue was never staying whoever the owner was.

I think that would depend more on whether or not the offer matched or exceeded the offer from QPR. It is not like him leaving for Liverpool because he wants medals.

I'll give you maybe Wareham, that could turn out to be a mistake, but people were hardly up in arms about him leaving.

A the time, I think most people were under the impression that someone exciting was coming in his stead. Which I have kind of given up on now, and that is OK.

[Snowflake Royal]

We aren't operating on a Wycombe budget, we have a Cat One Academy. Wycombe couldn't dream of one of those. A Cat One Academy costs something like a third to half the normal operating costs of a L1 club on its own.

We've got pretty decent money for all our recent departures (in contract), despite being over a barrell until Couhig came in, and only one has left under him, for approx £2m as Hendo said.

Paudi O'Connor, Paddy Lane and Kamari Doyle are pretty top level L1 signings. Just because they don’t have a big flashy price tag doesn’t change that. Actually you can realistically put Burns in that category too.

Can we remember for a moment, that in April we were staring down the barrell of not existing this season. And went into pre-season with significantly less than 11 senior players in contract. With up to £10m of losses a season to cut.

We have an owner who has openly said he wants the club to pay for itself and we have a 5 year plan to get and stay in the Champ.

Now it’s good that it's becoming clear to more and more people we aren't going to buy the league or gave all he other clubs just wave us on to our divine place in the Champ .

But we can surely manage a bit of middle ground between expecting spending millions to piss the league and being midtable mediocrity for ever more.