McDermott is taking far too much credit.

[MR A-Z]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11688_6990962,00.html

I bet SO'D is sat with a nice brew content with the work he's done. I on the other hand think McDermott is taking a bit too much credit, yes he made Mills skipper but would he have made him skipper before SO'D has worked his magic, or would Mills even be at a high achieving club if it weren't for SO'D. I THINK NOT!

[hoolahoop]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11688_6990962,00.html

I bet SO'D is sat with a nice brew content with the work he's done. I on the other hand think McDermott is taking a bit too much credit, yes he made Mills skipper but would he have made him skipper before SO'D has worked his magic, or would Mills even be at a high achieving club if it weren't for SO'D. I THINK NOT!

He was ready when he left here, incidentally the journo needs some English lessons.

[Kenny_Senior]

The one player who Brian McDermott genuinely deserves to take a lot of credit for is Shane Long. It's a little known fact but when Long actually signed for Reading from Cork City, he was living in McDermott's house when he was chief scout for the club.

Long has always had plenty of potential but it's only been the last couple of years, since McDermott was appointed manager, that he's fulfilled it.

[vaya]

The one player who Brian McDermott genuinely deserves to take a lot of credit for is Shane Long. It's a little known fact but when Long actually signed for Reading from Cork City, he was living in McDermott's house when he was chief scout for the club.

Long has always had plenty of potential but it's only been the last couple of years, since McDermott was appointed manager, that he's fulfilled it.

Did McDermott know he was there, or was Long just scurrying around behind the skirting boards?

[benaldo]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11688_6990962,00.html

I bet SO'D is sat with a nice brew content with the work he's done. I on the other hand think McDermott is taking a bit too much credit, yes he made Mills skipper but would he have made him skipper before SO'D has worked his magic, or would Mills even be at a high achieving club if it weren't for SO'D. I THINK NOT!

So Matt Mills is a good footballer now because a few years ago he played a season at Doncaster Rovers...where Sean O'Driscol manages?

I think SOD is a good manager, but I think that's taking it a little far to suggest he can take the plaudits for what Mills does at the moment. After all SOD isn't Mr Miagi from Karate Kid and didn't show him the crane kick, thus enabling Mills to knobble every defender for the rest of his career, did he?

[andysly]

Benaldo you must be so miserable in your life to throw such a negative slant on every post.

[vaya]

Not every post.

He is quite positive about Ipswich.

[Viking Don]

In response to the OP (and to be fair to Benaldo for once), Mills WAS at a high achieving club before we signed him, if you remember. We were just a bit lucky to get him at the time as Man City had bigger fish to fry.

Then again, when Reading bought him they knew what they were getting and he was considered their leading signing of that summer, it was only the teams performance as a whole that put Mills on the bench temporarily, so McD can hardly take credit for bringing an unknown from the bench to the starting 11, he was always going to be their best defender from the day they bought him.

From what I've seen of him for Reading, he hasn't improved - he was always middle to low Premiership standard. He might get better if he gets a move to the Prem.

[VikingJames]

On the contrary, I remember some comments from Southampton and Colchester fans back when we signed Mills first time around, and he was something of a laughing stock back then, so bad were his defensive displays for the two afore mentioned clubs.

Put it this way, I don't think Matt Mills would be as highly regarded as he is nowadays if Sean hadn't taken a chance on him back in 2007. Before we signed him, he had no future at Man City and poor loan spells at places like Colchester meant that lower league clubs were hardly clambering for his signature either.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

From what I've seen of him for Reading, he hasn't improved - he was always middle to low Premiership standard. He might get better if he gets a move to the Prem.

Agree with that. When we played at Reading he was rubbish. I though he would have come on a bit since then however, despite some indifferent performances they stuck with him and made him captain even with some more experienced pros around him.

I think he's capable to achieving the level of a Jagielka or the other England fella from Bolton. Already better than Lescott in my book.

Yes, he's worthy of chance in the Premiership and the rest is up to him. Good luck Matt.

[Wellred]

I am just pleased that for once in the long time I have supported rovers that we acually will have sold a player with a sell on clause where we get some decent money.
In the past we have sold players who have gone on to be sold for huge amounts of money and we have got bugger all.
Brian Deane being a classic example.

[The Red Baron]

If the article was a dig at anyone then it was at Brendan Rogers. IMO Mills was pretty near the finished article when we sold him to Reading, and I thought (so did John Ryan) that if Mills had been a bit more patient he could have been moving from Rovers to a Premier League club within 6-12 months. He had a setback because he didn't get on with the way that Rogers played, but he's been much more suited by the way McDermott plays football.

We know Mills is ambitious and if a Premier League club comes in for him, it will be very hard to persuade him to stay. Potentially good news for us- not so for Reading. Maybe they should get Shack on their radar!

[Viking Don]

On the contrary, I remember some comments from Southampton and Colchester fans back when we signed Mills first time around, and he was something of a laughing stock back then, so bad were his defensive displays for the two afore mentioned clubs.

Put it this way, I don't think Matt Mills would be as highly regarded as he is nowadays if Sean hadn't taken a chance on him back in 2007. Before we signed him, he had no future at Man City and poor loan spells at places like Colchester meant that lower league clubs were hardly clambering for his signature either.

I think all that proves is that the Southampton/Colchester fans you refer to aren't too good at judging a players ability or potential and talk out of the backsides. The fact is he was signed by a premiership club, who aren't usually known for snapping up players who are a laughing stock. Certainly the Southahmpton fans I spoke to were of the opinion that they should have held onto Mills, and that was before we sold him. His future at Man City was only decided after Mark Hughes had a good look at him on pre-season tour, and he decided that they could afford better.