Hunt out.

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Mid Sussex Royal
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Re: Hunt out.

by Mid Sussex Royal » 11 Oct 2025 18:18

Royal_jimmy No glimpses of improvement


Yes - and a full strength team today, bar Williams; time to make the change now.

We have a free hit next Sat then half a dozen very favourable looking fixtures, mostly at home, where I just don't believe Hunt will get the wins needed.

We have a point a game and the excuse of bedding in a new squad is wearing very thin now.

We're looking at 46 points as it stands on current form, which may well not be enough as no teams are tailing away and some of the expected pre season strugglers are well up the table. Already looks like a potential 50 point survival season this year.

Will Couhig act though?

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Re: Hunt out.

by andrew1957 » 11 Oct 2025 18:39

Very much Hunt in but I have to say RFC were very poor today - particularly in the first half. Quite good for 20 minutes in the second half but then both sides seemed to settle for a point.

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Re: Hunt out.

by One Beer is never enough. » 11 Oct 2025 18:54

I think we can all agree that Hunt was appointed, not because he was the best, but he wasy the best available to us in the circumstance that we were in.

I’m a glass half full person, but having taken time to consider it, I now believe the glass is half full of piss. Time to empty it out and start again.

Sorry Noel.

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Re: Hunt out.

by West F » 11 Oct 2025 20:21

One Beer is never enough. I think we can all agree that Hunt was appointed, not because he was the best, but he wasy the best available to us in the circumstance that we were in.

I’m a glass half full person, but having taken time to consider it, I now believe the glass is half full of piss. Time to empty it out and start again.

Sorry Noel.


I was shocked that someone gave him three years at a time when the change of ownership was a matter of time, and most likely at the end of that season. If he was in interim charge and proved to be successful, then he would have earned more time. Today was a pretty par for the course performance for us at the moment. I am starting to think that although we have seen a small improvement over the last few weeks, that this has now plateaued.
Before anyone shoots me down, I still hold the last two home performances of last season against Noel. They were both must win games in the circumstances and the performances were identically insipid.
The reasoning behind having a new squad is wearing thin now. I still have no idea what sort of goal we are trying to score. The tactic of keeping the ball at the back to beat a press that no longer comes must change.

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Re: Hunt out.

by Hound » 11 Oct 2025 20:31

I just don’t think we are going to be much better than about 15th place under Hunt this season. Depends whether the owners are ok with that or not

We’re not getting much better. Same old every game; the experienced players will be good enough to dig us out a few wins here and there but that’s about it


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Re: Hunt out.

by Royal_jimmy » 11 Oct 2025 22:29

West F
One Beer is never enough. I think we can all agree that Hunt was appointed, not because he was the best, but he wasy the best available to us in the circumstance that we were in.

I’m a glass half full person, but having taken time to consider it, I now believe the glass is half full of piss. Time to empty it out and start again.

Sorry Noel.


I was shocked that someone gave him three years at a time when the change of ownership was a matter of time, and most likely at the end of that season. If he was in interim charge and proved to be successful, then he would have earned more time. Today was a pretty par for the course performance for us at the moment. I am starting to think that although we have seen a small improvement over the last few weeks, that this has now plateaued.
Before anyone shoots me down, I still hold the last two home performances of last season against Noel. They were both must win games in the circumstances and the performances were identically insipid.
The reasoning behind having a new squad is wearing thin now. I still have no idea what sort of goal we are trying to score. The tactic of keeping the ball at the back to beat a press that no longer comes must change.


Pretty much nailed it on this.

1) We don't have any identity to the way we play. This makes it hard for players to know their roles in the system nor gain a proper understanding of each other's play. It's no wonder why we don't create many chances and work the opposition goalkeeper.

2) A new squad can take maybe 5-10 matches to gel. We've passed that point now and we've kept most of our key players fit.

3) Defensively we're an accident waiting to happen. Jacob and Burns have both been very disappointing. Ahmed is a talent but clearly isn't ready to play every week. He needs dropping and getting substitute appearances as soon as Yiadom is 100% fit.

4) We know we're underperforming because Wing and Savage in particular don't look like the same players at the moment. Lane was decent for Pompey and he's looked poor for us.

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Re: Hunt out.

by morganb » 11 Oct 2025 22:58

In the Couhig Q&A he mentioned metrics, specifically to Noel keeping the manager's job when the take over completed

You expect Rob would have other in-season metrics for Noel to meet

I'd guess 2 League wins from 11 and in the Relegation places wouldn't meet expectations nor will it entice fans to the stadium or make Reading a World Wide Brand

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Re: Hunt out.

by WestYorksRoyal » 11 Oct 2025 23:57

It's very rare for a manager to turn things around when the critical mass of the fanbase has turned against them. Of course Selles did exactly that, but it's rare and he'd have been sacked by November at a normal club.

It does feel like Hunt has gone past that point. The more vocal fans on Twitter, HNA?, podcasts and blogs are pretty much all in the "Hunt Out" camp. They're ultimately a minority of fans, but also are the ones who engage with the club and feedback, so they are important. Even among more normal fans, I'd be surprised if you get as much as 25% backing him, and if you sacked him tomorrow, would anyone be arguing that it was the wrong decision? And of course, the most important fans are the ones who are not there. We can't grow as a club with a 50% full stadium, and we've made no attendance improvement from last year despite ousting Dai. The fans staying away clearly don't back him.

It feels like it's inevitable he'll have to go, and it's simply a question of how long we let this be dragged out and keep digging out hole. Broomfield is available, knows Couhig and Jacobson. Get it done.

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Re: Hunt out.

by West F » 12 Oct 2025 10:10

morganb In the Couhig Q&A he mentioned metrics, specifically to Noel keeping the manager's job when the take over completed

You expect Rob would have other in-season metrics for Noel to meet

I'd guess 2 League wins from 11 and in the Relegation places wouldn't meet expectations nor will it entice fans to the stadium or make Reading a World Wide Brand


The metrics he alluded to were the continuing diminishing echoes of Seles.


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Re: Hunt out.

by Armadillo Roadkill » 12 Oct 2025 10:50

This is the time of the season where you keep your job for two reasons:

1 - you are where you should be in the table given your relative budget - in our case, that should be top half, not bottom four.

2 - you are turning around a team but from scratch, and there are clear signs of improvement, even if results are not always going your way.

Performances are, if anything getting worse, and we are deservedly in the relegation zone.

If it was my decision, Hunt would have a maximum of two more games. Not necessarily to win both of them by comfortable margins, but at least to really show the defensive cohesion and attacking intent that suggests the team are really improving under his stewardship.

Believe me, it pains me to say this, but If he doesn't, he should go.

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Re: Hunt out.

by The Cap » 12 Oct 2025 10:59

Armadillo Roadkill This is the time of the season where you keep your job for two reasons:

1 - you are where you should be in the table given your relative budget - in our case, that should be top half, not bottom four.

2 - you are turning around a team but from scratch, and there are clear signs of improvement, even if results are not always going your way.

Performances are, if anything getting worse, and we are deservedly in the relegation zone.

If it was my decision, Hunt would have a maximum of two more games. Not necessarily to win both of them by comfortable margins, but at least to really show the defensive cohesion and attacking intent that suggests the team are really improving under his stewardship.

Believe me, it pains me to say this, but If he doesn't, he should go.


Good post that. Well balanced and makes sense.

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Re: Hunt out.

by morganb » 12 Oct 2025 11:12

I wonder if, like the summer striker hunt, we'll dilly and dally too long and any "decent" managers that are currently available will be snapped up before we have a chance to approach them?

Also, who out of our highly experienced recruitment team (Couhig, Joe Johnson) will select the new manager? I realise that Carey is still around so imagine he'll have the majority say?

Otherwise do you think we could use the sticky plaster approach and appoint a more experienced person to Noel's back room staff and hope that does the trick on the cheap?

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Re: Hunt out.

by windermereROYAL » 12 Oct 2025 11:16

I`d definitely be up for getting Brian back for his third spell if Rob pulls the trigger, but I can`t see it happening.


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Re: Hunt out.

by Extended-Phenotype » 12 Oct 2025 11:34

Have to say the Exeter game disappointed me more than any other this season. I have been pinning much of the blame on the players but there comes a point where you have to wonder what sort of psychological impact a manger is having on a team who play that badly. You’d expect poor decisions to have been coached out of them by now but every move we make begins with the expectation that it will break down before it generates any sort of chance. It’s as if we a terrified of scoring, and surely that mentality is a managers job to resolve.

I was excited on Saturday to see Google suggest we were playing 4-2-3-1 with Wing in the pocket. Great, Noel is trying something different, he’s getting our best player in a stronger position and showing a willingness and capability for change. Yet Google of course was full of shit (or perhaps a better manager than Noel) and we just played the same way as always; with Pereira injured maybe Noel can really live the dream and play Wing in goal.

When one new signing disappoints, you think “ah, we got unlucky there - never mind”. When they all disappoint, you start wondering what the common denominator is. Are the players turning up to training and thinking “this guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about”. Because it really looks like everything we do is pure random. Are players performing badly because they are bad players? Or are they playing badly because they aren’t getting coached? I dunno, I just think something has to change and if Noel won’t change it, change him.

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Re: Hunt out.

by Hound » 12 Oct 2025 12:51

Armadillo Roadkill This is the time of the season where you keep your job for two reasons:

1 - you are where you should be in the table given your relative budget - in our case, that should be top half, not bottom four.

2 - you are turning around a team but from scratch, and there are clear signs of improvement, even if results are not always going your way.

Performances are, if anything getting worse, and we are deservedly in the relegation zone.

If it was my decision, Hunt would have a maximum of two more games. Not necessarily to win both of them by comfortable margins, but at least to really show the defensive cohesion and attacking intent that suggests the team are really improving under his stewardship.

Believe me, it pains me to say this, but If he doesn't, he should go.


Yeah that really. Though if he left today I wouldn’t argue the decision

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Re: Hunt out.

by PieEater » 12 Oct 2025 12:53

If we don't sack Hunt then he definitely needs help.

Did anyone replace Gibbs?

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Re: Hunt out.

by RG30 » 12 Oct 2025 13:15

Scott Marshall. Who we had here previously had a game or two in charge of the 1st team.

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Re: Hunt out.

by The Cap » 12 Oct 2025 15:10

RG30 Scott Marshall. Who we had here previously had a game or two in charge of the 1st team.


Always get the impression that Scott Marshall is way too laid back. Not saying that we need a raving lunatic in the background, getting booked in most games, however somebody with a touch more va va voom wouldn't go amiss.

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Re: Hunt out.

by AthleticoSpizz » 12 Oct 2025 15:18

^What’s Martin Allen up to these days?^

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Re: Hunt out.

by Royal_jimmy » 12 Oct 2025 15:32

We're becoming rather famous for being persistent with managers who aren't up to the job.

Paunovic, Ince, Selles (who luckily turned it around) and now Hunt

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