Long to WBA

[Alan Partridge]

I also don't agree Long is playing in a much weaker team this year than Doyle was in the 2nd Championship team.

Sorry, that's crazy. We went into the last game needing a win to get automatic promotion

6.5 Million Doyle sold to Prem
4.0 Million SHunt sold to Prem
Andre Bikey who left us to go into the Premiership
a much younger, fitter Ingi, a younger fitter Gunnarson, Marcus Hahnemann,
Noel Hunt at the top of his form,
Armstrong had a blinder of a season (PotS) and is a shadow of that now

etc

There isn't an etc and what you need to do is put that in half because from December Reading barely won a game. Stephen Hunt was abysmal, Doyle's form went, Bikey wasn't a regular.

Seriously there is more options and better players this year in my opinion plus a squad with the right mentality who aren't all plotting their next move.

Big fan of Hahnemann but he wasn't at his absolute best that year, also missed quite a few games to injury. Federici this year has bee much improved. Griffin is miles better than Rosenior. Pearce > Doobs, Mills v Ivar not a lot in that, probably Ivar. Armstrong wins at left back. Kebe now >>>>>>>> Kebe then. McAnuff > Hunt, Leigertwood > Harper, Karacan v Gunnarsson tough one, but loads more options now than then. Where Cisse was back up and he was DREADFUL. Up front, Doyle v Long is tough, Hunt then > Hunt now, then you've got a half arsed Dave Kitson as the back up.

For me this year wins, by some way.

[Mr Angry]

I also don't agree Long is playing in a much weaker team this year than Doyle was in the 2nd Championship team.

Sorry, that's crazy. We went into the last game needing a win to get automatic promotion

6.5 Million Doyle sold to Prem
4.0 Million SHunt sold to Prem
Andre Bikey who left us to go into the Premiership
a much younger, fitter Ingi, a younger fitter Gunnarson, Marcus Hahnemann,
Noel Hunt at the top of his form,
Armstrong had a blinder of a season (PotS) and is a shadow of that now

etc

There isn't an etc and what you need to do is put that in half because from December Reading barely won a game. Stephen Hunt was abysmal, Doyle's form went, Bikey wasn't a regular.

Seriously there is more options and better players this year in my opinion plus a squad with the right mentality who aren't all plotting their next move.

Where have I said that???? Don't try to attribute quotes to me I haven't made thank you very much!

[Snowball]

I also don't agree Long is playing in a much weaker team this year than Doyle was in the 2nd Championship team.

Sorry, that's crazy. We went into the last game needing a win to get automatic promotion

There isn't an etc and what you need to do is put that in half because from December Reading barely won a game. Stephen Hunt was abysmal, Doyle's form went, Bikey wasn't a regular.

Seriously there is more options and better players this year in my opinion plus a squad with the right mentality who aren't all plotting their next move.

Big fan of Hahnemann but he wasn't at his absolute best that year, also missed quite a few games to injury. Federici this year has bee much improved. Griffin is miles better than Rosenior. Pearce > Doobs, Mills v Ivar not a lot in that, probably Ivar. Armstrong wins at left back. Kebe now >>>>>>>> Kebe then. McAnuff > Hunt, Leigertwood > Harper, Karacan v Gunnarsson tough one, but loads more options now than then. Where Cisse was back up and he was DREADFUL. Up front, Doyle v Long is tough, Hunt then > Hunt now, then you've got a half arsed Dave Kitson as the back up.

For me this year wins, by some way.

Bikey started 23 games (50%) and was sub for 2 more. If he wasn't regular = couldn't get in the side
yet he went straight from us into the Premiership. IOW a premiership player was unable to get a
game in the RFC side.

Don't judge a team or a player on half a season. We finished fourth and made the POs. Fact


Do you think RFC will be 4th this year?

[Mr Angry]

Shane Long appears to be 100% loyal to the Royals

http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/NewsDet ... 12,00.html

feel free to debate

Surely, with Mr Mad just looking to make as much cash as possible and having no ambition for the club etc etc etc, we would have accepted ALL the offers we had for our players during the window??

Nope - I simply don't believe it; when we are constantly told by posters who are clearly in the know that we have no ambition and look to sell our players at all times, then that article is obviously a pack of lies.

[Alan Partridge]

They have a chance, but I don't think they will. Duberry played just as much as Bikey such was Coppell's reservations about him. He was proved right, Bikey went to Burnley in the Prem, they had the worst defense in the league he moved into midfield for a bit, went down, he was sub for them Saturday in the CCC again. Too inconsistant.

It's just my opinion Snowball. I don't need 24%'s 56 times, 1.3 of a goal all this shit to back it up.

For me, the squad is better and has more options than it did then. It was one of the most bizarre seasons I can ever remember, the players were great till December then put in relegation form for the 2nd half of the season.

This team hasn't done that and won't do that.

I look at the options for centre midfield, for centre half, for the wide positions, arguably even up front and I just think this years squad has better options in all fo them.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

I find it unlikely that we have had many real enquiries about any of our players in this window, and a good job too.

Any mention of large offers from anyone, no.

[roadrunner]

I find it unlikely that we have had many real enquiries about any of our players in this window, and a good job too.

Any mention of large offers from anyone, no.

Strange thing to say, especially when we sent out a couple of players on loans.. (Bignal, Davies to name but two).

[Royal Lady]

I find it unlikely that we have had many real enquiries about any of our players in this window, and a good job too.

Any mention of large offers from anyone, no.

Strange thing to say, especially when we sent out a couple of players on loans.. (Bignal, Davies to name but two).

I think HSSC meant first team players.

[roadrunner]

I find it unlikely that we have had many real enquiries about any of our players in this window, and a good job too.

Any mention of large offers from anyone, no.

Strange thing to say, especially when we sent out a couple of players on loans.. (Bignal, Davies to name but two).

I think HSSC meant first team players.

Royals rejected interest in Long
Posted on: Tue 01 Feb 2011

Director of Football Nick Hammond has confirmed that the Royals stood firm in the face of strong Premier League interest for leading scorer Shane Long during the January transfer window, and also rebuffed advances for a number of other players.

[Ian Royal]

gone in the summer then presumably.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Possibly... ...or possibly not

[andrew1957]

Possibly... ...or possibly not

I will be extremely surprised if he stays beyond the summer unless we go up. I am sure that is why he only signed a one year extension. I am sure the club have agreed to let him go if a PL side comes in and we don't go up - much as we did with Doyle.

As for me he has been a great player for us and I would wish him well.

[Elmer Park]

Possibly... ...or possibly not

I will be extremely surprised if he stays beyond the summer unless we go up. I am sure that is why he only signed a one year extension. I am sure the club have agreed to let him go if a PL side comes in and we don't go up - much as we did with Doyle.

As for me he has been a great player for us and I would wish him well.

Having heard the general tone of Hammond's comments on the interview he did for Reading World I agree with Andrew.

[Row Z Royal]

Possibly... ...or possibly not

Spot on.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Director of Football Nick Hammond has confirmed that the Royals stood firm in the face of strong Premier League interest for leading scorer Shane Long during the January transfer window, and also rebuffed advances for a number of other players.

Strong would mean about £1m IMHO, same as we wanted to buy cheap, had we had a bid around the £3m I reckon we would have taken it, and rightly so.

[roadrunner]

Long is now in the same shoes Doyle was in a couple of seasons ago. He will have been told we want him for the rest of this campaign but if a Premiership club comes in with the right offer in the summer we will not stand in his way. If his form continues and the interest in him remains, we will indeed lose him in the summer, and that I believe that is partly why we have signed two strikers this transfer window. One is ready now, the other is a bit of a punt that shows a lot of potential, much as Long did when he arrived with Doyle from Cork City.

[Royal Lady]

If Long wants to continue playing every week as the number 1 striker, he'll be better off staying here - there's no way a Premiership club would come in for him and play him from the off, he'll be seen as cover and a bench warmer at best imo. He's actually not that special you know.

[Ian Royal]

If Long wants to continue playing every week as the number 1 striker, he'll be better off staying here - there's no way a Premiership club would come in for him and play him from the off, he'll be seen as cover and a bench warmer at best imo. He's actually not that special you know.

You are spot on, but money talks and players generally back themselves to take the chance. Hoping West Ham go down as they seem to be the club that want him right now and that would mean they'd be a far less tempting prospect.

[Snowball]

allegedly West Ham offered 3 Million in the window


If he reaches 20 goals this season (fair chance)
and maybe bags a couple more international
goals his price will rise

[soggy biscuit]

If Long wants to continue playing every week as the number 1 striker, he'll be better off staying here - there's no way a Premiership club would come in for him and play him from the off, he'll be seen as cover and a bench warmer at best imo. He's actually not that special you know.

No reason why another Blackpool couldn't go up and sign Long in the process.