The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

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My managerial option would be

Richie Wellens
13
18%
Robbie Savage
5
7%
Matt Bloomfield
10
14%
Gareth Ainsworth
3
4%
Ruben Selles
7
10%
Gareth Southgate
4
6%
Michael Gilkes
1
1%
Dave Challinor
0
No votes
AN Other (please specify)
12
17%
Ian Royal
16
23%
 
Total votes: 71
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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by Hound » 28 Oct 2025 14:54

I think he’ll get us moving up the table pretty quickly

I’m looking forward to seeing what changes are made (and there really do need to be some changes made imo) and how he implements a new style

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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by Forbury Lion » 28 Oct 2025 14:59

I hear Ian Royal is on the shortlist as the club do listen to the fans, nah just kidding, they gave the name to an agent who wasn't able to locate anyone by that name, although one of two were prepared to change their name if it meant getting an interview

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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by Brogue » 28 Oct 2025 15:03

christ, you lot really have been brainwashed by Couhig haven't you? this is a disaster of an appointment - the cheapest available option. We are now in a very real battle against relegation. He will be gone by February/March

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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by mikey_1871 » 28 Oct 2025 15:11

Brogue christ, you lot really have been brainwashed by Couhig haven't you? this is a disaster of an appointment - the cheapest available option. We are now in a very real battle against relegation. He will be gone by February/March


How has anyone been 'brainwashed' - we've heard nothing from Couhig specifc to Richardson, and won't until he's formally appointed. The responses on here are far more measured than those having a tantrum on twitter.

I can't speak for anyone else, but seems a solid appointment to me. A solid track record in the league we're in - including a league title - and good to see us appoint someone with experience of getting promtoed from League 1. The proof will of course be in our performances/results, but I see no reason to throw the toys out of the pram with this appointment. Your comments on relegation and him being gone are simply without merit.

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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by Brogue » 28 Oct 2025 15:17

mikey_1871
Brogue christ, you lot really have been brainwashed by Couhig haven't you? this is a disaster of an appointment - the cheapest available option. We are now in a very real battle against relegation. He will be gone by February/March


How has anyone been 'brainwashed' - we've heard nothing from Couhig specifc to Richardson, and won't until he's formally appointed. The responses on here are far more measured than those having a tantrum on twitter.

I can't speak for anyone else, but seems a solid appointment to me. A solid track record in the league we're in - including a league title - and good to see us appoint someone with experience of getting promtoed from League 1. The proof will of course be in our performances/results, but I see no reason to throw the toys out of the pram with this appointment. Your comments on relegation and him being gone are simply without merit.


Win % of his past five seasons:

8.7% - 2 wins in 23
25% - 5 wins in 20
58.7% - 27 wins in 46
32% - 11 wins in 34
27% - 9 wins in 33

if we win 30% of our remaining fixtures (which is his average win % over his last 5 seasons) there are 32 games remaining, that's 9 wins. 27 points. we are on 15 points - gives 42 points. we'd be looking for another 8 draws to get to the magic 50 from the remaining 21 games. of course the 30% is vastly swayed by his one good season. any less than 30% and we are in deep shit.


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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by Linden Jones' Tash » 28 Oct 2025 15:23

Having just watched a short video of Missy rummaging around old unsold Reading Merch in a random stock cupboard, claiming its a goldmine, maybe she can run the press conference to convince everyone we've got the next Pep....

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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by morganb » 28 Oct 2025 15:24

Surely, until there is an official announcement, there is an outside chance that it isn't Leam

One worry is that the owners pick the wrong person. Have they only considered three candidates as there are a lot of names currently available? I thought the rushed sacking could be due to another club approaching their favoured candidate but perhaps as the other low end teams were doing it they decided to too?

Regardless of who the new manager is we have to give him a number of games to organise the team and work with the players before writing him off

Next we have a January window to negotiate - will the new man be backed by the owners as further investment looks to be needed?

Relegation only happens after 46 games so until then its all guesswork but the newbie deserves a chance

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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by mikey_1871 » 28 Oct 2025 15:46

Brogue
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Brogue christ, you lot really have been brainwashed by Couhig haven't you? this is a disaster of an appointment - the cheapest available option. We are now in a very real battle against relegation. He will be gone by February/March


How has anyone been 'brainwashed' - we've heard nothing from Couhig specifc to Richardson, and won't until he's formally appointed. The responses on here are far more measured than those having a tantrum on twitter.

I can't speak for anyone else, but seems a solid appointment to me. A solid track record in the league we're in - including a league title - and good to see us appoint someone with experience of getting promtoed from League 1. The proof will of course be in our performances/results, but I see no reason to throw the toys out of the pram with this appointment. Your comments on relegation and him being gone are simply without merit.


Win % of his past five seasons:

8.7% - 2 wins in 23
25% - 5 wins in 20
58.7% - 27 wins in 46
32% - 11 wins in 34
27% - 9 wins in 33

if we win 30% of our remaining fixtures (which is his average win % over his last 5 seasons) there are 32 games remaining, that's 9 wins. 27 points. we are on 15 points - gives 42 points. we'd be looking for another 8 draws to get to the magic 50 from the remaining 21 games. of course the 30% is vastly swayed by his one good season. any less than 30% and we are in deep shit.


Sorry, but win percentages relating to different teams and different leagues are of no concern to me and are not a fair indicator. The top two you state are in the Championship (one with the Wigan team he'd taken up and one with an awful Rotherham team he inherited) and are pretty irrelevant as very different circumstances to us.

Think I saw somewhere his League One win % was well over 40%, that's a far more relevant stat to me.

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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by Brogue » 28 Oct 2025 15:50

mikey_1871
Brogue
mikey_1871
How has anyone been 'brainwashed' - we've heard nothing from Couhig specifc to Richardson, and won't until he's formally appointed. The responses on here are far more measured than those having a tantrum on twitter.

I can't speak for anyone else, but seems a solid appointment to me. A solid track record in the league we're in - including a league title - and good to see us appoint someone with experience of getting promtoed from League 1. The proof will of course be in our performances/results, but I see no reason to throw the toys out of the pram with this appointment. Your comments on relegation and him being gone are simply without merit.


Win % of his past five seasons:

8.7% - 2 wins in 23
25% - 5 wins in 20
58.7% - 27 wins in 46
32% - 11 wins in 34
27% - 9 wins in 33

if we win 30% of our remaining fixtures (which is his average win % over his last 5 seasons) there are 32 games remaining, that's 9 wins. 27 points. we are on 15 points - gives 42 points. we'd be looking for another 8 draws to get to the magic 50 from the remaining 21 games. of course the 30% is vastly swayed by his one good season. any less than 30% and we are in deep shit.


an awful Rotherham team he inherited


He's inherited an awful team here too :?


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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by Stranded » 28 Oct 2025 15:53

Brogue
mikey_1871
Brogue christ, you lot really have been brainwashed by Couhig haven't you? this is a disaster of an appointment - the cheapest available option. We are now in a very real battle against relegation. He will be gone by February/March


How has anyone been 'brainwashed' - we've heard nothing from Couhig specifc to Richardson, and won't until he's formally appointed. The responses on here are far more measured than those having a tantrum on twitter.

I can't speak for anyone else, but seems a solid appointment to me. A solid track record in the league we're in - including a league title - and good to see us appoint someone with experience of getting promtoed from League 1. The proof will of course be in our performances/results, but I see no reason to throw the toys out of the pram with this appointment. Your comments on relegation and him being gone are simply without merit.


Win % of his past five seasons:

8.7% - 2 wins in 23
25% - 5 wins in 20
58.7% - 27 wins in 46
32% - 11 wins in 34
27% - 9 wins in 33

if we win 30% of our remaining fixtures (which is his average win % over his last 5 seasons) there are 32 games remaining, that's 9 wins. 27 points. we are on 15 points - gives 42 points. we'd be looking for another 8 draws to get to the magic 50 from the remaining 21 games. of course the 30% is vastly swayed by his one good season. any less than 30% and we are in deep shit.


The last 2 of those seasons of course being at a higher level with a) a Wigan team having cash issues and b) a Rotherham squad that was nowhere near good enough for the division it was in - still a poor record there of course.

This can of course also be split as:

League 1 - 47.5% - 37 wins in 80
Championship - 16.3% 7 wins in 43

Based on that win record at this level, most people would be falling over themselves to employ a manager with that record.

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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by Hendo » 28 Oct 2025 15:56

Brogue
mikey_1871
Brogue
Win % of his past five seasons:

8.7% - 2 wins in 23
25% - 5 wins in 20
58.7% - 27 wins in 46
32% - 11 wins in 34
27% - 9 wins in 33

if we win 30% of our remaining fixtures (which is his average win % over his last 5 seasons) there are 32 games remaining, that's 9 wins. 27 points. we are on 15 points - gives 42 points. we'd be looking for another 8 draws to get to the magic 50 from the remaining 21 games. of course the 30% is vastly swayed by his one good season. any less than 30% and we are in deep shit.


an awful Rotherham team he inherited


He's inherited an awful team here too :?


He just hasn't though, has he?

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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by morganb » 28 Oct 2025 16:02

Stranded
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mikey_1871
How has anyone been 'brainwashed' - we've heard nothing from Couhig specifc to Richardson, and won't until he's formally appointed. The responses on here are far more measured than those having a tantrum on twitter.

I can't speak for anyone else, but seems a solid appointment to me. A solid track record in the league we're in - including a league title - and good to see us appoint someone with experience of getting promtoed from League 1. The proof will of course be in our performances/results, but I see no reason to throw the toys out of the pram with this appointment. Your comments on relegation and him being gone are simply without merit.


Win % of his past five seasons:

8.7% - 2 wins in 23
25% - 5 wins in 20
58.7% - 27 wins in 46
32% - 11 wins in 34
27% - 9 wins in 33

if we win 30% of our remaining fixtures (which is his average win % over his last 5 seasons) there are 32 games remaining, that's 9 wins. 27 points. we are on 15 points - gives 42 points. we'd be looking for another 8 draws to get to the magic 50 from the remaining 21 games. of course the 30% is vastly swayed by his one good season. any less than 30% and we are in deep shit.


The last 2 of those seasons of course being at a higher level with a) a Wigan team having cash issues and b) a Rotherham squad that was nowhere near good enough for the division it was in - still a poor record there of course.

This can of course also be split as:

League 1 - 47.5% - 37 wins in 80
Championship - 16.3% 7 wins in 43

Based on that win record at this level, most people would be falling over themselves to employ a manager with that record.


So why haven't they? Why has he been unemployed for ages?

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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by Brogue » 28 Oct 2025 16:04

morganb
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Win % of his past five seasons:

8.7% - 2 wins in 23
25% - 5 wins in 20
58.7% - 27 wins in 46
32% - 11 wins in 34
27% - 9 wins in 33

if we win 30% of our remaining fixtures (which is his average win % over his last 5 seasons) there are 32 games remaining, that's 9 wins. 27 points. we are on 15 points - gives 42 points. we'd be looking for another 8 draws to get to the magic 50 from the remaining 21 games. of course the 30% is vastly swayed by his one good season. any less than 30% and we are in deep shit.


The last 2 of those seasons of course being at a higher level with a) a Wigan team having cash issues and b) a Rotherham squad that was nowhere near good enough for the division it was in - still a poor record there of course.

This can of course also be split as:

League 1 - 47.5% - 37 wins in 80
Championship - 16.3% 7 wins in 43

Based on that win record at this level, most people would be falling over themselves to employ a manager with that record.


So why haven't they? Why has he been unemployed for ages?


+1


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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by Vision » 28 Oct 2025 16:09

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If even the AI is accurate I’ve no particular issue with this. I think we’re way too lightweight at the moment, esp up front. But it’d need different players to come in from what we have currently


This.

I'd be concerned. We're 19th, with how many games until January when the window opens?

A key criteria has to be pragmatism to work with what we have effectively, even if they may have a different vision for the team on a 12 - 18 month horizon.


I make it 9 games until January 1st.

My rough calculation says we took 13 points from our previous 9 games. If new guy just continues on that trajectory we'll be around midtable given how tight the middle of the table is.

If Hunt was the issue then we you'd think we'd see an improvement on that which should see us in the top half of the table before the window opens. A "spectacular" transfer window and a late charge to the play-offs. Happy Days!!!

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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by Brogue » 28 Oct 2025 16:10

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an awful Rotherham team he inherited


He's inherited an awful team here too :?


He just hasn't though, has he?


well, we are 19th in the table, 3 wins in 14. People are saying hunt wasn't the problem and we shouldn't have sacked him. So if Hunt wasn't the problem....

think we are vastly overestimating the quality of the squad.

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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by Extended-Phenotype » 28 Oct 2025 16:15

I mean, it isn’t particularly cultist to believe the owners, privy to 99% more information than the average fan while wanting pretty much the same thing in terms of success, might sign a decent candidate.

If that’s Leam Richardson, fine. I get that what the owners want/can spend doesn’t always align with what the fans demand we spend, but it’s not really in their best interests to sign any old oxf*rd just because they are cheap. There must be something about him. I’m sure his record came up in conversation, and perhaps the owners think the some eras are more relevant than others.

The charge that people are “brainwashed” in favour of Couhig seems conversely applicable to those who preemptively insist he can do no right.

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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by Hendo » 28 Oct 2025 16:18

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He's inherited an awful team here too :?


He just hasn't though, has he?


well, we are 19th in the table, 3 wins in 14. People are saying hunt wasn't the problem and we shouldn't have sacked him. So if Hunt wasn't the problem....

think we are vastly overestimating the quality of the squad.


Yet we're only 9 points off the play-offs and a win in our next game could see us jump up to 12th.

The team and squad is not awful, it is a perfectly adequate League 1 side with players who have performed very well for us or other clubs at this level.

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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by Brogue » 28 Oct 2025 16:32

Extended-Phenotype I mean, it isn’t particularly cultist to believe the owners, privy to 99% more information than the average fan while wanting pretty much the same thing in terms of success, might sign a decent candidate.

If that’s Leam Richardson, fine. I get that what the owners want/can spend doesn’t always align with what the fans demand we spend, but it’s not really in their best interests to sign any old oxf*rd just because they are cheap. There must be something about him. I’m sure his record came up in conversation, and perhaps the owners think the some eras are more relevant than others.

The charge that people are “brainwashed” in favour of Couhig seems conversely applicable to those who preemptively insist he can do no right.


Just out of interest what has he done right.? Not trying to be contrary, but in his first 6 months what’s he done right?. And I get all the steadying the ship financially, I’m not interested in all that, that’s a given and something any new owner would have done. I’m on about the day to day operational decisions of running a football club. What are his achievements so far.

Appointed a new CEO who is inexperienced and not up to the job imo. Was naive to bring in someone like that with the club on its knees.

Weaker squad than last season. Over hyped expectations in the transfer market and where we would finish

Lost Nigel Gibbs missed out on our preferred number two and replaced him with Scott Marshall - who is awful.

Spent all his time going on about how the beer should be cold and the hot dogs hot. But here we are 6 months in nothing has changed on the match day experience and if anything his flagship policy of getting a good tannoy system has got worse

He’s fired a manager and looking to replace him with someone who looks like won’t be any sort of upgrade.

We’ve lost the greyhound car park

Match day tickets have increased

We’ve lost paper tickets

Car parking prices have increased

Ticket office opening hours have reduced

Can’t order tickets from the ticket office anymore.

Lots of redundancies

Stadium still looks run down

Royals TV is worse than having bbc berks as the official commentary


If someone could provide a list things he’s improved I’d be keen to know.

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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by Hound » 28 Oct 2025 16:42

Well steadying the ship was 100% the most impt thing to do - must be joking if you think ‘any owner would have done that’ looking at the mess at certain clubs

We made plenty of signings. Just not the right ones. Not Couhigs fault - JJ/Hunt/Carey must take responsibility there

JJ is learning hopefully. I don’t think he was nec a bad appointment buy definitely needs to learn lessons: the club wasn’t on its knees at that point either

Suggesting a manager who took a team bottom of L1 to the title the following season isn’t an upgrade on Hunt is way off as well

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Re: The inevitable poll for the next Reading manager

by Hound » 28 Oct 2025 16:42

Anyway Richardson confrimed

Welcome to the club and look forward to seeing what he can do

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