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Reading won't match Gus's ambition.



Mo Gosfield

Well-known member
Aug 11, 2010
6,276
We all know that Gus is highly ambitious, is supremely self-confident and has a very high opinion of himself as a manager. Some will argue, he thinks he is better than he actually is.
The question is.....is Reading FC the next logical step up the ladder for him? Can they match his ambition? Have they the resources to be competitive at the highest level?
Reading fans tend to regard themselves as bigger and better than Brighton, particularly the younger ones. They have experienced three seasons in the top flight recently ( and yes, they are going down ) plus two promotions from the Championship. For a club that has spent a good percentage of its history in the bottom two divisions, they have got a bit billy-big-time lately.
This will be their second relegation from the Premiership. Why? Because on both occasions they have failed to invest enough on the pitch. First time around, they had a fighting chance of survival , at Xmas, in their second season but Mr. Mad wouldn't invest and they went down on goal difference on the last day. ( Winning 4-0 at Derby, whilst a previously doomed looking Fulham, who are still in the Prem and doing ok,thank-you, scraped a late win at Pompey )
Last season, they defied all the odds, went on an amazing run and got up. Did they learn their lesson and invest. No.
Why? Because the new Chairman hasn't got a clue and hasn't got the resources to back up his big talk. They have tried to make do with bargain buys from lower divisions and one overpriced and overrated Russian ( Pog ) They relied heavily on Jason Roberts and Ian Harte to get them up and both couldn't cut it in the Prem.
Do the fans back the club? Yes, when they are in the Prem. Why? Because a lot of them support Man.Utd/Liverpool/Arsenal/Chelsea etc and buy up season tickets to guarantee seeing their club play Reading. When Stoke, Fulham, Wigan, Norwich etc come to town, they stay at home. When they get relegated, they lose all this floating support and drop down to 14,000 from 22-24,000. Thats a massive percentage drop.
To be honest, they have been punching above their weight in recent seasons. They are at best a good Championship club. No one is quite sure how legitimate the new owner is. Madjewski took ages over due diligence and Zingarevich wasn't allowed in the country for quite some time. ( The jury is still out )
Reading and Brighton are pretty close at the moment in terms of potential and infrastructure. You could argue that we are still gathering momentum whilst Reading have levelled out.
IMHO it would be nothing better than a sideways move for Gus ( even if they tempted him with a much heftier salary ) and they certainly wouldn't be able to match his ambition.
 




Hotchilidog

Well-known member
Jan 24, 2009
8,645
The OP is spot on. Whilst I think it's believable that Reading want Gus, there is no way he would see it as an upward move. I cannot think why Gus would seriously consider this job at all.
 


andy1980

Well-known member
Feb 23, 2009
1,715
For Gus, it's about getting to the Premier League, he believes it's where he should be. If he really believes he can get us up this season then we don't have a problem. If he believes it's unlikley we will go up this season, then he might go.

What everybody ignors, is the fact that often he goes on about the budget and wages. It doesn't matter if we like to think we are a bigger club than Reading. What matters is that financially, next season, we will not be able to compete against their finances. If he believes that the Russian fella will finacially commit to a promotion push next season then in my opinion,he is going. If he believes that he won't commit enough money, then he will stay, simple as that.
 


saafend_seagull

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
13,883
BN1
Plenty of reasons

1 double or triple his salary
2 super rich owner who will back the new manager
3 probably found out Chelsea don't want him
 




Hotchilidog

Well-known member
Jan 24, 2009
8,645
Plenty of reasons

1 double or triple his salary
2 super rich owner who will back the new manager
3 probably found out Chelsea don't want him

1. Not sure he is too fussed about that.
2. We have a rich owner well placed to take advantage of FFP in the championship or use PL money if we are promoted. If Reading go down they have to work within FFP so extra cash from the Russian doesn't come into it.
3. Not yet anyway.

4. He has total control of the project here, from training ground design, the football philosophy deployed over all age groups at the club. This is not only his team but his club too. Not something that will happen at Reading.
 


strings

Moving further North...
Feb 19, 2006
9,965
Barnsley
I actually think Reading, in terms of budget is a big step up. OK, so they will be playing in the Championship next season, but I still think they are an attractive offer.

Poyet has been expected to reach the playoffs (or thereabouts) here with a budget that we are told is mid-table. If Gus has managed to achieve what he has done here with an average budget, imagine what he could do with a big budget.

The only question in my mind, is whether Gus would be willing to work with another chairman. It is pretty clear that the relationship between Gus and Tony is a major plus point in our favour. Gus will probably never have to chance to build a club around him again (including having his say with new training ground designs, setting up an academy, etc.). Gus has built a style of play here that is echoed all the way down to the most junior teams - how many other clubs will let a manager take the time to do that?

I think Gus will stay, but I will understand if he want to leave.
 


Bwian

Kiss my (_!_)
Jul 14, 2003
15,898
4. He has total control of the project here, from training ground design, the football philosophy deployed over all age groups at the club. This is not only his team but his club too. Not something that will happen at Reading.

Why do you think he wouldn't have total control at Reading? I would imagine that that would be one of the first things Gus would insist on.
 




Brovion

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 6, 2003
19,322
The thing is at Brighton he's got the chance to be 'the next Alan Mullery'. Mullery's place in the pantheon of Albion legends is assured. He is still talked about, and that era is still talked about, nearly forty years later! The Bloom/Poyet era has the chance to surpass the Bamber/Mullery era and thus give Gus the footballing equivalent of immortality. At Reading he'll be just another manager, sacked in a year or so when he can't match the owner's grandiose ambitions. His one chance is that he can be successful enough at Reading so that he can land the Chelsea job before it all goes pear-shaped for him there.
 








Icy Gull

Back on the rollercoaster
Jul 5, 2003
72,015
The thing is at Brighton he's got the chance to be 'the next Alan Mullery'. Mullery's place in the pantheon of Albion legends is assured. He is still talked about, and that era is still talked about, nearly forty years later! The Bloom/Poyet era has the chance to surpass the Bamber/Mullery era and thus give Gus the footballing equivalent of immortality. .

Yeah but it's only at little old Brighton, Gus wants more than that. Whatever we may think or feel if he does go, he has never lied and told us that this is his dream job.
 


Hotchilidog

Well-known member
Jan 24, 2009
8,645
Why do you think he wouldn't have total control at Reading? I would imagine that that would be one of the first things Gus would insist on.

Why do you think he would? Given the shameful treatment of McDermott Reading appear to be nothing more than a rich man's plaything. Also Gus has been in on the development of the modern-day Albion from the beginning, whereas Reading are already quite established.

I have no doubt that Gus will be off at the first hint of a DECENT offer, but a move to Reading would be sideways, they have already had their rise to the top and are now finding their level. We have only just begun our upward trajectory. If anyone here thinks Reading is a step up when, in all likelihood, they will be in the championship next season is mistaken in my view.
 


Brovion

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 6, 2003
19,322
Do you honestly think Gus gives a crap about 'being the next Alan Mullery'?
I don't know. Why is in he football management? He doesn't need the job for the money, don't you think he'd want to leave a legacy somewhere (e.g. be known as 'The man who built Brighton') as opposed to being just another name on a conveyor belt?
Yeah but it's only at little old Brighton, Gus wants more than that. Whatever we may think or feel if he does go, he has never lied and told us that this is his dream job.
Agreed, but I don't see why he can't do both, write his name into history here and then move to his 'dream job' next. Reading, whilst a (small) step up from us, isn't his dream job. I'm banking on the fact* that he'll want to see the project here through first, i.e. take us as far as he can.

*'Clutching at straws' might be a better term.
 




Mo Gosfield

Well-known member
Aug 11, 2010
6,276
Why do you think he would? Given the shameful treatment of McDermott Reading appear to be nothing more than a rich man's plaything. Also Gus has been in on the development of the modern-day Albion from the beginning, whereas Reading are already quite established.

I have no doubt that Gus will be off at the first hint of a DECENT offer, but a move to Reading would be sideways, they have already had their rise to the top and are now finding their level. We have only just begun our upward trajectory. If anyone here thinks Reading is a step up when, in all likelihood, they will be in the championship next season is mistaken in my view.

Totally agree. I am gobsmacked that people are coming on here and describing the Reading job as a big step up. They are a small to medium sized provincial club, hamstrung by a largely indifferent fanbase, many of whom are far more attracted to London clubs and the other big boys. When they moved from Elm Park, they struggled to get 10,000 to come and watch them play in the second tier, in a brand new, 24,000 seater stadium. They went down in that very first season at the Mad Stad!
Posters keep going on about this mega-rich new Chairman. Some insiders at Reading are seriously worried that this guy is all front and no back-up. There is no doubt that Madjewski didn't want to sell to him. He took a long time to be convinced that this guy was legitimate and could come up with the money. Even now, a lot of people are convinced he borrowed to fund the acquisition and is totally reliant on premiership income.
Nothing convinces me that a new manager a Reading will have a big budget to work on. Quite the opposite!
 


supaseagull

Well-known member
Feb 19, 2004
9,609
The United Kingdom of Mile Oak
Totally agree. I am gobsmacked that people are coming on here and describing the Reading job as a big step up. They are a small to medium sized provincial club, hamstrung by a largely indifferent fanbase, many of whom are far more attracted to London clubs and the other big boys. When they moved from Elm Park, they struggled to get 10,000 to come and watch them play in the second tier, in a brand new, 24,000 seater stadium. They went down in that very first season at the Mad Stad!
Posters keep going on about this mega-rich new Chairman. Some insiders at Reading are seriously worried that this guy is all front and no back-up. There is no doubt that Madjewski didn't want to sell to him. He took a long time to be convinced that this guy was legitimate and could come up with the money. Even now, a lot of people are convinced he borrowed to fund the acquisition and is totally reliant on premiership income.
Nothing convinces me that a new manager a Reading will have a big budget to work on. Quite the opposite!

Absolutely this...A Reading supporting friend has even said that the money they receive through the Parachute payments will be going on easing some of the debt they have amassed over the last 10 years.

Reading will be the next Wolves/Blackburn next season and, yes whilst Gus would get his wish to manage in the Premier League, even IF Reading did have a good season next year, then he would be no better off career-wise than he is now. In fact, even in two years time both Reading & brighton are in the Premier League, there is only one club who could realistically provide a stepping stone to the "dream job" he wants and with the greatest respect, that's not Reading...
 



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