STAR Fans Forum Notes January 05

STAR held it's 1st fans forum of the season on Thursday, 13th January at the Millennium Madejski Stadium Hotel. The guests were club captain Graeme Murty, Dave Kitson, Lloyd Owusu and James Harper. Also present was the new Academy Manager Eamonn Dolan. 200 STAR Members were present.

Reading supporters have argued about Andy Hughes for months (years?!).  The debate seems to have died down recently, as people have realised that they'd rather have him in the squad than not!  Obviously it's not fun for the individual, but does the rest of the squad suffer when one player is being booed by their own fans?

GM: The booing is a slur on him and affects him badly, there should be no place for this at the Madejski Stadium. He will do anything for other squad members and no one has a bad word about him.

LO: We are good mates and he is always at training an half hour before everyone else and gets behind other players when things aren’t going well.

Do you prefer grounds with touchlines near the stands or further away so you can't really hear individual comments if you're near edge?

JH: I don’t care but occasionally the negative comments can get you down but you just get on with it. Nothing beats winning and it’s good when fans get behind the boys.

Reading fans are constantly beating themselves up about the atmosphere at the Madejski Stadium. Being honest, how do the players rate the support they get? We are keen to show our support at matches, but some people object to the drummer, while others find him helpful as a focus.  What do the players think?

DK: The players are usually so focused on the game that we don’t usually hear what’s going on, but a noisy crowd can make a difference - both home and away fans. The game at West Ham was brilliant as the fans were behind the team and if this continues we should go up.

Eamonn, tell us about your playing and management career.

ED: I supported West Ham and I started there as a young player and stayed there till I was 23, then played for Birmingham and Exeter, where my playing career ended due to testicular cancer.  After 9 months of treatment, Exeter offered me a coaching role on the community scheme and I started their Centre of Excellence, then progressed to 1^st team manager and developed a good relationship with the fans. Supporters and Supporters Trusts are very important to clubs especially at Exeter and I was very happy in the West Country.   Reading approached me twice and I knocked it back both times but I was impressed with the club as it had the spirit of Exeter but on a bigger scale, at the third time of asking I took the job as Academy Manager.

Is there a possibility of changing from 4-4-2 to play to the strengths of our best players available, or are we more likely to stick with what works and adapt players to play to fit to the formation?

LO: The players we have are comfortable with and prefer 4-4-2 and generally Steve Coppell teams play 4-4-2 and I believe it works for Reading.

I'm not quite sure how to word this, but I'd like to ask if it's true that Marcus (and the team generally) are encouraged by SC to "knock it long"?  With the players we have, surely we are able to build passing movements from the back, rather than hoofing it for Fozzy to run on to?

LO: If you look at the stats - the long ball does work but is only used when we are chasing the game as training is usually based on short, sharp passes.

JH: I had better not answer this as I could go on for hours.

How much input do players actually get to team tactics, club discipline, new kits?

GM: Both Kits being late tonight and Eamonn’s phone going off will be put to the fines’ committee!  On tactics, the management team has a lot of knowledge and the players are receptive in training. Its not a one way street as the manager and coaches do take on suggestions from us. It was not as enjoyable under Tommy Burns even though it looked good.  The team do have options if plan a does not work and we do have the capacity to win ugly or play good football to achieve the end result.

How is Bobby Convey?  We're really hoping to see him play and haven't really caught much more other than a glimpse of his talent.  What type of character is he and how does he fit in with the rest of the squad?

JH: It was difficult for him to settle into the English game but did well on Sat (Swansea) and realised he could affect the game and be a dominant force in the team.

How difficult is it to play against sides that are really not allowing any time on the ball, how do you naturally want to counter that?

DK: In our division, there is a lot more talent obviously than lower divisions and teams do try to stop them playing. We used this tactic on Michael Carrick and he disappeared out of the game and we are as good as anybody at this.

Eamonn, some Reading fans have been disappointed that the academy hasn't produced as many super-stars as they had hoped, but several of the older lads seem to be playing well in the reserves.  How long before we see  some tangible results? Specifically Scott Rendell, Johnny Mullins and James Henry.

ED: It takes time to bring kids through at an academy but the players have to be of a good standard and it is not easy to be successful so you have to have a strong mentality.  I don’t like to single out players but as you have asked about them Scott plays in a similar vein to Dave Kitson and has been at Reading less than a year and works very hard on his game. As you know Johnny Mullins is on loan to Kidderminster and it is proving a good experience and we receiving good word from Kiddy about him.  James is 15 and has been in the Academy since he was 9 years old. He has the ability, strength and mentality to make it at Reading providing we can keep him.  It’s part of my job to help the Academy players bridge the obvious big gap between Academy and proper football (as I call it).

What are the main differences between Alan Pardew and Steve Coppell as managers? Apart from Alan Pardew, who is the better manager?

GM: They have totally different approaches, Alan Pardew as you would have seen is a more in your face sort of manager, eager and demanded the best of himself and his players whereas Steve Coppell leaves it to the player to decide if he has given enough, but will also take players to one side to discuss matters.

JH: As he brought me to Reading, I like and respect him even though he could erupt. However, he did contact the players after he left and wished us good luck. Steve Coppell is a bit quiet but I can tell by the look on his face what mood he is in. In my view he does over-analyse the opposition and he should love us up a bit more. I am not a lover of the long ball and am not 100% comfortable with this style sometimes but I accept where the manager is coming from.

Who is the best manager/management you've played under in your career, who have you learnt the most from, who has it been a struggle under?

DK: The manager I struggled with was John Beck who played the long ball to take advantage of my height - and it really did not matter whether you could play football or not. Generally, those who get stuck in their ways get found out. In my view, Steve Coppell has shown me what a good manager is like but forgets to tell us how good we are.

LO: Steve Coppell is the best manager I have worked with and the worst was Chris Turner when I was at Sheffield Wednesday. I got man of the match and was then dropped for the next game.

If you could bring in one of your ex-colleagues to the squad, who would it be and why?

JH: Dennis Bergkamp

DK: Shane Tudor , he is the fastest player and best crosser of a ball I have played with.

LO: Gavin Mahon, technically brilliant and a good and honest player.

GM: Richard Cresswell, a good centre forward and Jonathan Greening, technically the best player I have played with but has not fulfilled his potential.

Technology for officials or the more interesting excitement of human error?

DK: Any implementation has to be at all levels but sides lower down can’t afford it, some clubs in the Premiership think they can do what they like and its becoming very elitist.

JH: Being a referee is a rubbish job and I can’t see why anyone would want to do it. If a team is good enough a ref’s decision should not matter but some decisions have been dreadful.

In hockey they no longer have offside, do you think it would work in football, and the offside law as it stands is a nonsense - does anyone really understand the stuff about passive and active players ? What do the players think of the law and should it be changed back to the way it was - where you were either offside you weren't !

JH: More and more stupid rules are being made and they should calm down but the pass back rule is a good one. No offside would be crazy and the old rule was fine.

LO: I would get 75 goals a season if there was no offside.

GM: The passive/active rules drive me mad, it’s either offside or its not.  Refs and assistant refs have a difficult time with it which does not help.

DK:  It is a nonsense and Bolton have taken it to the extreme – offside is offside and that is how it should be but thankfully I am a striker but it should be sorted out asap.

Do the players agree with me that every professional footballer should have to sit the referees exam?

GM: It can’t be that hard as its not rocket science its the quality of the applicant that’s important especially their fitness levels. Some refs drag the game down as they want to be centre of the attention.

Eamonn, how will you measure the success of the Academy over your tenure ?

ED: It comes down to how many players get into the 1^st team and its good for the fans to see local boys in the team as it gives the club soul.

It was reported in the press at the beginning of the season that Hughesy and Harps scored very highly on your fitness tests - amongst the top 5% of fittest players in the country.  Does each player have an individual fitness programme for the season and how does your daily or weekly schedule take account of individual targets?

LO: Niall gives out charts to all players-  Both Hughesy and Harps can run all day long.

The schedule is;

Monday: warm up and keepball.

Tuesday: weights and exercise

Wednesday: Stamina Training

Thursday: Day off – SC is a strong believer in getting appropriate rest.

Friday: Set pieces/five a side and then final preparation for Sat.

When was the last time any of them paid to watch a game of football? 

DK: I am a Spurs fan so the last game I paid for I was giving Freddie Kanoute some grief in the game against Norwich which was the worst game I had seen.

Lloyd - where did the trademark hand action originate?

LO: I scored against Darlington in 98 did the ‘Raise the Roof ‘ and the fans copied in the next game  when my name was read out- I thought they were booing me at first!

What is the situation with Ghana? I believe you were involved in a squad session with them not too long ago. Are you expecting any international call ups ?

LO: I hope to get a call up for the World Cup qualifiers so I could be in Germany in 2006 as we are going well. Its always a honour to play for Ghana.

What are your memories of that famous day at Brentford when we gained promotion ? 

LO; I don’t remember much about who was on the Reading team but I am glad to be at Reading and it was obviously a good day for Reading but its all good now for me.

Graeme - when Sammy Igoe was playing in midfield you seemed to get forward a great deal. You don't seem to have formed the same partnership with other players. Is that down to those players, the manager's instructions or are you just too old to bomb up and down now?

GM: Sammy was one of the best players I played with for awareness and technical ability. I take my defensive and captain’s role very seriously but Alan Pardew did not think I influenced the side as much as I could.

Do you envisage moving back into midfield at any time, especially if you can't dislodge Andy Hughes from the right back spot.

GM: There is no chance of me getting in to the midfield but I see more of the game at right back, I get worried when Hughesy been at right back as he goes on a run then suddenly remembers he should get back. If I had not got back at right back I would have no complaints.

Dave – were you surprised at your rapid rise to fame after you joined Reading ?

DK: It was not as quick as I thought but I loved my time at Cambridge and non-league and would not change anything about how I came into the game. I always believed in my ability and always thought I would make it, if given a chance.

Your booking for diving against QPR seemed harsh – did you dive or were you just avoiding treading on their keeper ?  

DK: I thought he was going to get me after I should have hit it 1^st time but I can see why the ref booked me so no complaints

James - why do you wear such tiny shin pads ?

JH: I can’t bear shin pads but I found under 5 shin pads which I liked and I checked with the ref and he was happy as long as they cannot fall out. I will wear them till I die.

Steve Sidwell gets a booking nearly every game, you rarely gets booked. Seeing you both play the same position this seems a little odd. Any ideas why the difference ?  How do the roles allocated to you and Sidwell differ in the side ?

JH: We both hate getting booked as obviously you can miss games and I think it an insult, Sid is more tenacious than me and I play the more defensive role - tracking the runners from midfield.

Graeme –How do you feel about the chants at games? Especially those that question your Northerness?

GM: They make me laugh but we could do with more noise from fans as it lifts the team and we grow as a result. I get a bit of tap from the squad for trying to gee you up.

Eamonn, just how easy/difficult is it to spot talent in youngsters?

ED: It comes down to experience as this gives you a chance to spot the players and make the right decision. The success of the players and the quality of the coaching brings the better players to the Academy.

It seems that you struggle against big teams- what’s your view?

DK: It seems to me that we struggle against the lesser sides but obviously you can’t beat all the big teams in this division all the time.

Agents seem to get a bad press – what do you think?

GM: Agents seem to be viewed in the same way as double glazing salesmen but I think they do a good job with the nasty things I cant do.  They are good for those who are just starting in the game. My agent is very protective and is good at providing for my future and keeping a good relationship between me and the club.

Who is your hardest opponent you’ve played against?

LO: Matt JACKSON- I had a good tussle with him earlier this season and he is good in the air.

JH: I always  play badly against  Preston.

DK: Danny Cullip –who just joined Sheffield United adding another meathead to the defence- he just grabs anything and leaves you blue with bruises.

GM: Eddie Lewis- he usually gives me a hard time . I hate it when teams bring on a fresh whippet winger after 80  minutes.

The forum then finished with thanks all round.

Our thanks go to STAR for supplying us with the evening notes.