What exactly are these lot doing with this club, do they actually have any positive short or even long term ambitions ?. Other than just signing players on the cheap and selling them on for a possible profit. Surely, there must be more to them than that!.
Why should there be? They are doing exactly what every other set of owners have done throughout our entire history. I don't get how it's hard to understand. You want owners that are going to spend millions upon millions in pursuit of success. They're not going to do that. They clearly do have ambitions and a sense of responsibility for the club that includes putting a significant amount of money, by all but football's stupid standards, into BFC
For now, but they're both temporary promotions until the posts are filled permanently. If they end up going with those that are filling the positions temporarily, they'll then have to recruit to fill the position that was left by the promotion. However, in the grand scheme of a football club I doubt it'll make a massive difference to the financial restraints.
I know we used to sell if/when we had to, but not to this absolutely ridiculous extent that they do now. What was it that Connor Chaplin said, he was right about how this lot treat players. And did we always replace the departing players with obvious poorer quality like they do now, with little or no regards for on the field success.
Can see the DoF being a permanent/replacement position but I think the other side will just be integrated into current roles. Personally I can see BH getting the role full time and a jiggling round of responsibilities in the Academy to minimise the impact and BH keeping overall responsibility. But you are correct even if they did create brand new roles the wages aren’t huge
We sold 4 first team regulars in the summer. 3 of them were in the final year of their contract, with apparently no prospect of signing a new deal, and we received (allegedly) going on for £5 million for them. The other had a bit longer on his deal, and we said we'd only sell if we received a significant sum for him. The manager buying him said we were asking too much, but nethertheless we managed to get £5 million for him too (allegedly). Other than the timing of Kitching’s departure, I honestly don't know how any of that can be seen as ridiculous business. As has been mentioned before, the level of replacement hasn't quite been up to it. But that's obviously not the intention. I expect us to strengthen this window, and I'd be very surprised if any contracted first teamers left, unless we get a silly offer for one of the players due to leave on a free in the summer. The only rumours I've seen so far have been for 2 full international players. If that doesn't encourage you, then I don't know what will.
The way the club has been run since administration has been appalling but we get the club we deserve as people justify the managed decline.
I think Cryne held on to the club for far too long, then tragically was forced to rush a sale for obvious reasons. Unfortunately we got Chien & his cronies, but I’m slightly optimistic now with Neerav, he seems an honest likeable genuine fella, who clearly has fallen in love with the club. Jury’s out on JAQ, wasn’t impressed with her at the last meeting. Hopefully now CEO’s job has been split into two roles, with Bobby running the football side of things, we can start getting things right on the pitch. The long term goal for me is to become a competitive Championship side.
But like it or not we are bound by." footballs stupid standards" Because we are a football club not a corner shop. And also, like it or not, we are no longer in the 1960s. If we only want to pay £100 a week.. then sooner or later we will be playing at that level.. which maybe fine by you and few other diehards. But not for the majority I'd say The problem is and always has been players overinflated wages..back in the 'good old days, when players stopped playing they use to ..god forbid.. get a job. And never expected 10 years of playing football would set them up for the rest of there lives.. until this is addressed and a reset happens.. "football stupid standards" is what we go by. Or walk away and put sheep on the field
That's what I would like to think ie about a championship club but many on here are willing to settle for much less. Trouble is the now annual sale of players and headcoach has become the norm. As for the boardroom antics, we are still facing a possible fine and points ban by the EFL and some of the ex board still own part of the club.
I absolutely agree with most of what you say...the little caveat to all this is our then CEO stating they have plans in process for the selling of players etc. As usual the replacements (with the exception of Roberts) have been no where near the level required. The coach has done a good job getting us where we are imho. The problem of course is loud and clear, the back up plan isn't a great one...as usual its the replacements to players sold where our problem lies. That and letting them go at the last minute, which limits us even further. I really want to believe in this current board and I do think they are trying their hardest.
Surely it's not just an either/or situation. I agree that the main cause is the unjustifiable wages expectation and I am not expecting this to change anytime soon. The current board appear to me to be adopting an appropriate strategy after years of Lee/Conway style management. It is often said that managers need a few season's at the helm to get the desired effect so I think this new board should be afforded the same. Unlike Lee and Conway, Neerav as currently won my trust. Yes, I may end up disappointed but also conversely very happy. Who knows, thats the thing about football.
What exactly do you mean by ‘put up with’? It sounds like 4th Division football is beneath you. I also can’t understand the timing of your post. We’ve popped in and out of the championship for the last 20 yrs, and are currently hopeful of promotion for the 2nd consecutive season. Hardly heading back to the 4th division. I don’t want any owners injecting more money than Is necessary. Money has muddied the waters so much that some clubs have forgotten what they are. Reading fans now want to go back to being the ‘old’ Reading. Do they mean the Reading that played at Elm Park in front of 4K? Do they chuff! They mean the Reading that had a rich owner buying their way to somewhere they don’t belong. They’ve no shame. Could we do better as a club? Probably could in some departments , but I don’t think investment is the answer to everything, I don’t think expecting the owners to throw money about, just because others do it and we don’t want to ‘put up with’ things that don’t meet with our expectations is a fair exchange, it’s a very one sided transaction.
The guy is destined for billionaire status so he's plenty of cash. He's a successful businessman as well as an extremely well paid celeb/actor.