Sorry to See McDermott Go

... think Reading would have gone down regardless though. Hope they don't approach Hughes - LOL

Unfortunately football is a results business and he ain't been getting any good ones lately.....think the defeat at home by Villa just about tipped the powers that be over the edge.
How soon they forget the good times of last season though, yet with limited funds they still expect the manager to work miracles and avoid relegation.

Agreed Wensdi, Reading will go down regardless of who's incharge now, so McDermotts departure really is a pointless one.

It's laughable really isn't it - no money to spend and a Championship side at best who have had one or two good matches. I think he's a top class bloke - and should have been given the time. Having said that I think Nigel Adkins was the same - given no money to speak of and yet took the Saints up two leagues. Oh well.

Didn't he say that Benteke cost more than his whole team?

Sometimes, it's just about fine margins. IF Reading had beaten Villa, they would have been outside the relegation zone and he'd probably not lost his job.

I think some club owners are just too unrealistic. Take Reading, they were never a perpetual member at the top table of football, they've had some good stabs at being there, but ultimately they're another yo-yo side: Good enough to pick up a promotion, but barely good enough to stay up. Sacking McDermott isn't the answer though; his team have tried their best, but they've been found wanting and, without some money spent on new players, they were never going to compete.

I think McDermott would've fared better if he'd had a boss like Dave Whelan. It can't be easy trying to motivate a team whilst wondering when the dagger will be stuck in your back. I suspect the main reason Wigan scrape out of relegation year on year is because Martinez doesn't have to worry about the Sword of Damocles hanging over his head and can concentrate on getting his team out of bother.

Reading will probably end up sacking the new guy too, when he fails to rescue them from the drop. Ridiculous.

I hear DiCanio is fav for the job now?, be good to see him back in the Prem, if only for a brief while! He's someone with plenty of fire and passion, which might be the spark Reading need. I especially savour the thought of him going toe to toe with Fergie on the touchline!!!

The new guy at Reading , DiCanio or whovever may not be sacked if they go down but should they get stright back up he will almost certainly be sacked before the end of the first season back when they fail to stay up again as they will almost certainly will do because they lack the funds to maintain a prolonged run in the PL.

Most clubs coming up from the Championship lack the funds to maintain a prolonged run in the PL. That's the way it's structured now - unfortunately. The rare exception would be a wealthy club like QPR who have spent lavishly - although it doesn't appear to have done them any good so far. Swansea have done extremely well - with 2 good managers at the helm and have been astute buyers - Michu having been a bargain buy. Holloway with Blackpool had fire and passion but it wasn't enough to keep them up. Not a lot of money and an older ground. Saints sure have passion and the will to win - will be intereting to see if they make it with Championship players.

With the increased TV revenues, I think it'll become even harder for Championship clubs to make the leap and stay there. It's hard enough at the moment, but the additional funds are only going to help the weaker PL clubs to stay up at the expense of promoted teams as they've had longer to build up their team to remain at least competitive enough to stay up.

Sooner or later, we'll end up with 16 perpetual members of the PL and five or six yo-yo clubs, which will all be down to the league's FFP rules preventing new owners spending a bit of cash to get the club into the top flight and stay there. The potential for sleeping giants such as Leeds, Forest and either of the Sheffield clubs to get back will become zero. And we'll be stuck with Stoke!

Well if that's the case - won't those Championship clubs lodge complaints at what's going on? There's free enterprise in everything else - why should there be a monopoly in footie?

This is where the FFP rules have to be drawn up very, very carefully indeed. While they can hide behind the notion of protecting the sport, they have an iron-clad defence. If they stray into the arena of business then they fall foul of all manner of anti-competitive laws. But football IS a business and all the rules are around each club being run as such. I reckon any hotshot lawyer could end around the sport angle and pull it to shreds, but it'll need a club willing to set the precedent and I doubt there's anyone brave enough to risk it backfiring.

FFP is a lock-in clause which only makes room for clubs which could feasibly generate enough support to sustain an expensive squad. The fact Birmingham, with over 2 million people living there, can't sustain three teams in the top flight for any length of time means it's only the "one horse towns" like Newcastle and Sunderland that could mount any meaningful challenge. We could realistically see Middlesborough, Wednesday, Forest and Leeds back in the top flight eventually, but the chances of provincial clubs like Burnley, Oldham or Coventry getting there are minimal and, even if they manage it, it'll be a quick dip and off again.

The fact Wigan have managed a sustained run in the PL when bordered by four big clubs (us, the rags, Liverpool and Everton) all with more chance of winning is nothing short of miraculous.

Which speaks volumes for Martinez then doesn't it who also operates on a limited budget and has to buy wisely. Not only does he operate on a shoestring - but his side play very attractive footie - admittedly they backfire pretty regularly.

But Dave Whelan has also invested £100M in WAFC.

Morning all!

Finally feeling back to life to converse with the public again.

What another ridiculous decision. Another team, along with Southampton, that deserve to go down in my opinion. I'll be happy for them to join QPR.

I agree Leo, we're just going to have the same teams bouncing up and down through the leagues. How are teams in the lower leagues meant to compete with these new rules and the PL TV revenue.

Do these newly promoted teams just expect to stay up in their first year?

I think that's the idea Jordan. They are hoping to stay up without spending too much. If they manage it, then they can consolidate or do the same again the following year (with the owner taking out millions).

If they fail, they can still survive (unlike Leeds, Portsmouth, Wolves, Birmingham etc.)

Topdawg wrote:But Dave Whelan has also invested £100M in WAFC.

True, but that sort of money doesn't buy you much talent these days and, given Wigan are often scrapping for safety, I'd say £100m is the absolute, bare minimum investment needed to keep a club afloat in the PL as long as you happen upon decent coaching staff, scouts who can spot an absolute bargain and players who would rather die than be relegated.

QPR have spent considerably more than that and have only started to show any form of any sort because they finally ditched the inept Hughes and replaced him with someone who knows what he's doing. I'd still have money on them going down, probably because Wigan will ultimately deny them.

Clubs coming up from the Championship need to take a dose of reality. That league is long and hard, but this one contains teams that will ruthlessly punish any mistake you make. Sacking the manager because they're only just out of the relegation places is madness and potentially suicidal.

Next season will be no different though leo.
When you take a look at the clubs competing at the top of the Championship as it stands, not one of them has been throwing money around like confetti.......ultimately because they haven't got the financial backing to do it. This inturn means that next season will probably be no different if they got promoted, these teams will no doubt be in the bottom 6 all season......but what's the betting 1 or 2 managers get sacked for not gaining mid table security.

Sadly, I expect you're right Shaken. Doesn't stop it being shit, though.

I continue with my assertion there's too much money in the sport and it blocks competition.

Certainly gone the way of sports over here. All about big money. Next thing there will be commercials half way thru the first half to accommodate the TV companies.

When my Grandad went to the match with my Dad (as a kid) some of the footballers who played for the Owls were on the same bus with them - going to Hillsborough - LOL. They were probably smoking fags on the bus too - ha ha.

If football ever becomes a game of quarters, I'll start watching cricket

Happened during the Olympics Leo - I was watching a couple of the England matches and half way thru the first half they commercials breaks. I was so irate - the cats ran off!!

Poor cats

I remember when ITV got the rights to show Formula 1 races. They were never going to go two whole hours without an ad break, so they used to just cut over to adverts whenever. I think it was the third or fourth race in, they were tracking Michael Schumacher and he was all over the back of some other driver (don't recall who) and they cut to adverts. When they came back, all you could see was Schuey's on-board camera staring at open track and the commentator exceedingly excited at the sheer quality of the overtaking manoeuvre he'd just made. And we missed it!!

My cats are both City fans - and stand on their hind legs trying to get the ball (on the telly) when City are playing. I think they usually do it when the opposition have the ball - and they are trying to assist Zab to get it back. That's what Harry tells me anyway - and he's the oldest.

Wensdi wrote: That's what Harry tells me anyway - and he's the oldest.

They can talk as well as play football? wow American cats are really smart where do i get one?

My cats elected to play for England Steve - as their adoptive mother is English. They do NOT have American accents and do not recognise the stars and stripes forever......... or summat like that.