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Brian McDermott expressed his disappointment at having to answer questions about his future at Reading FC
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Brian McDermott disappointed by Advocaat speculation

By Jonny Fordham
November 17, 2012

Brian McDermott expressed his disappointment at having to answer questions about his future at Reading following speculation that Dick Advocaat is being lined up to replace him.

Royals’ manager is hoping to steer his side to their first Premier League win of the season at home to Everton today (3pm kick-off).

But his preparations have been overshadowed by reports in Holland that he is on the verge of losing his job to the vastly experienced boss of Dutch Eredivisie leaders PSV Eindhoven.

Advocaat, 65, had a three-year spell in charge of Zenit St Petersburg, the club that Reading’s owner Anton Zingarevich supports, from 2006 to 2009.

When quizzed over the links McDermott said: “It’s pretty sad to have a conversation like this.

“You have a bunch of people here trying their best to the nth degree. We’ve got six draws, that could have been different.

“I’ve got great staff and stories like that are just stories. It’s out of my control and nothing to do with football or what we have to do tomorrow. This conversation is unsettling and nothing to do with the game.”

Advocaat’s previous jobs include managing Rangers, Borussia Monchengladbach, South Korea, Belgium, Holland and Russia.

But Zingarevich risks angering a core of loyal Royals if he were to sack the man who saved the club from relegation to League One in 2010 and just two seasons later got them promoted to the Premier League.

In a recent survey an overwhelming 78 per cent of Reading Post readers voted to keep McDermott in the Reading hot-seat.

Royals have been linked to the signing of Arsenal’s Andrey Arshavin.

But McDermott insists that Zingarevich has not been dictating transfer signings.

When it was suggested that Pavel Pogrebnyak, was the ‘owner’s signing’, McDermott declared: “The owner didn’t bring in Pavel Pogrebnyak. The owner was helpful in bringing Pavel to the football club.

“He didn’t physically go ‘There’s Pavel’ and just turn up with him at the training ground like some owners do.

“We had a conversation, we spoke about it, we agreed, we met, I liked him and we signed. That was it. It was as straightforward as that.

“The owner didn’t come to the training ground and just put him in the team. That does happen at some places, but not here and it won’t happen under me.”

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Most recent user comments 8 of 8

We won 2-1 today. Congrats to McDermott and hope he can relax tonight and have a pint...... 1st half poor, 2nd half - much more like it......

Southbank Dave
17/11/2012 at 19:14

Patience is a virtue in some circumstances - but not always.

Management of a potentially (next season when extra tv revenue comes in) £100m company does not allow for patience.

Its a results business but in the entertainment world.

Neither are happening - or have happened.

come on lads
17/11/2012 at 13:29

It's not past glory, he has proved three years running he's a top manager. Every season he's done better than expected. He's been given massive challenges and risen to them. We have some fantastic memories because of that guy! He deserves time, we're not getting beat. I remember a time when patience was a virtue.

DJ Royal, Reading
17/11/2012 at 12:52

So it's alright for a manager to talk about new signings but it's not alright for speculation about a manager who's 2 games away from going into December with no league wins and a team that is not playing football.

I can't believe there will be even 50% supporting no change if we don't start winning and playing football TODAY.

No-one deserves a job based on past glory - that's daft.

come on lads
17/11/2012 at 12:14

I can't believe it was as low 78. McD deserves a season, this is by miles his biggest challenge. We are a half decent championship club who had an amazing season. The quality of the prem is so impressive and if we survive it will be an even bigger achievement than last season. If we go down it's not the end of the world and we will be in better shape to bounce back and give the prem a proper go. It's about being ambitious in the context of the situation you are in. He has to show loyalty, the club is built on team ethnic. Fedders' will tell you, he can make changes!

DJ Royal, Reading
17/11/2012 at 10:42

As they say "football is a funny old game". We can't beat bottom of the league teams but i've got a feeling we will win today 2-1 and then we will be off and running.

love buddha, Berkshire
17/11/2012 at 10:23

Speculation will only continue unless there is a rapid move out of the relegation zone. Reading must stay in the Premier League and the owner must have a plan B. MCDermott's downfall could be staying loyal to some Championship quality players, I hope not.

Col.i.n, new zealand
17/11/2012 at 10:02

Brian, there's a simple way to stop the speculation - stop moaning about what is being said and written about you and the team and start winning a few games!

Draws are not good enough and 'could' is not good enough. Some of those draws should have been wins.

By the way, where was that survey? I suspect the figures might be somewhat different if we lose today making it 11 games without a win.