Cardiff need to learn from Reading and QPR

Cardiff need to learn from Reading and QPR
17th June 2013

There are two general tactics for promoted clubs within whose bounds all tactics fall.
The left wing tactic, or ?The Reading Tactic?, is to spend little money in the summer transfer window, and rely on the players you already have in the squad ? the players who got you promoted.

The far right wing tactic, or ?The QPR Tactic?, is spend, spend spend. The notion being that the players who promoted you are good enough for the Championship, but a whole new crop will be needed for survival in the Premier League.

These are two ?
extremist? tactics.
Both clubs advocating the respective tactics were relegated soon after promotion, QPR just about lasting 2 seasons, Reading struggling their way through just a solitary campaign. Clearly, both systems fail.

To provide some substance to my allegations, Reading only spent money on 3 players when they got promoted. 2 were from mid-table Championship clubs; 1 was from Bray Wanderers, whom I have never heard of (feel free to enlighten me in the comments section). Clever money management and low levels of risk, would be the proclaimed argument. Yet indeed, the club struggled to find any sort of oomph or creative sparkle on the pitch, and they were swiftly relegated with little more than a whimper. QPR acquired players from Blackburn, Manchester United (x2), West Ham, Tottenham, Fulham, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Portsmouth. Big clubs ? big transfers ? big chances of survival? Apparently not. The squad failed to gel and they were relegated in their second season with a few weeks of the season still outstanding.

Linking this to the newly-promoted clubs now. Looking at their squads now, do they have enough to stay in the Premier League on their current crop of players alone? Surely not. Especially, Palace, who were so reliant on Wilfried Zaha. But equally, the foundations are there. Cardiff have David Marshall, Heidar Helguson, Peter Whittingham. Hull have Jack Hobbs, Tom Cairney, Matty Fryatt. Palace have Julian Speroni, Glenn Murray, Yannick Bolasie. Strong spines. There is no need for panic buys or exaggerated spending.


Premier League experience is vital. There have been numerous players released by top league clubs just this summer who are clearly capable of doing a job. William Gallas. David Bentley. Dean Whitehead. Florent Malouda. The quality is there. Canny exploitation of the loan system is also required. They should be looking at the loan availability of Nick Powell, Wilfried Zaha, Tom Carroll, and other such young starlets at top clubs. All future stars who could be moulded into great players for their respective clubs, but who are also well capable of doing a job right now.

Staying up directly after promotion is not impossible, but equally, it requires a cool head and an intelligent manager. Use the resources available, and selectively purchase new resources. Don?t do a Reading, and don?t do a QPR. I would say do a West Ham ? who stayed up comfortably in the most recent reason - but I?m a Spurs fan, so no way.

Well Norwich Jacks and Southampton didnt spend that much more than Reading bu they bought smarter and had better management --

malky will spend wisely -avoiding buying prima donnas is the answer

Well Norwich Jacks and Southampton didnt spend that much more than Reading bu they bought smarter and had better management --

malky will spend wisely -avoiding buying prima donnas is the answer

Southampton spent about 30 million last summer...

It's not about the money you spend it's the players you buy.

It's not about the money you spend it's the players you buy.

So True

Umm! Heidar Helguson, retired

About the only accurate thing in that article is

The left wing tactic, or ?The Reading Tactic?, is to spend little money in the summer transfer window, and rely on the players you already have in the squad ? the players who got you promoted.


Left wing tactic - all the people at the top keep the money and let the ones at the bottom struggle to survive (Blackpool did the same).

You can spend very little money and survive if you bring in the right players.

A lot of truth in that article.

Maybe Reading thought that most of their players were already at Premiership standard...they were wrong. Added to that, most of the players they brought in were really only good championship standard players and you have a cocktail for relegation.

Biggest problem that QPR had was that they did not have "team" players. Lots of good individuals who simply could not play together. Money does not buy you a team....only a squad of players!

I think Malky will look predominantly for players who can fit into and play with the current squad. If he spends that £25m wisely then I do think that 5/6 more players would give us a good chance of finishing mid table.

Who, wrote. this article? then

May be Reading wanted to sign players but couldn't get those of good enough quality to go there?

All newly promoted sides (excluding the likes of Newcastle & West Ham) have credibility problems when it comes to attracting better players.

That's why those players who do sign usually do so on very inflated wages and are normally totally crap.