Hunt dissapointed

[Dirk Gently]

To me this is purely a journo making a story out of virtually nothing.

So says the counsel for the defence.
Players really do not have to speak to reporters (unless the poor hard up chaps need to top-up their miniscule salaries by a few bob)and we really don't want to hear their "honest" answers.
How would he feel if he was "honest" enough to say that he thought the manager is a twat and that his place is in no danger because Bobby is such a lightweight?
All of us have to bite our tongue from time to time and footballers should let their talking be done solely on the pitch.

Maybe, but I've seen many times the way journos twist things to report their own agenda, and they're always looking for conflict of some sort. Doing the press work I do, about once a week I'm phoned up and "invited to be outraged"by someone or other. Sky News are one of the worst for that, too, I have to say!

I've also seen Hunty do interviews before, and from what I've seen he'll always explain/disclaim what he's saying - whether that gets reported or not is a completely different matter.....

I can imagine this would be something like the question Steve, do you want to play in the Premier League again?" which gets a throw-away answer, which is then reported out of context as a big thing and then over-analysed to death.

[Stranded]

As I see it two players with much greater ability than Hunt in Shorey and Sidwell chose not to go public with their thoughts over a very long period.
When Shorey didn't get that last minute move to West Ham I don't recall him saying after an England call-up that he was disappointed not to get that move.
I don't blame Hunt wanting to move on but in expressing that wish he does imply that he doesn't expect Reading to get promotion-at least that is the way I read it.

I don't think it implys that at all, in fact I very much doubt that thought had crossed his mind. It was simply a rant about a perception that his career has been held back now.

[Binfield Royal]

I would like to put my two penneth worth>

I read a letter in Piers Morgans column and broadly (and briefly) it went something like:

"I am fed up with these footballers feeling they have a right to break their freely entered into contracts.

How do you think it would go if it went to Vodafone and said "you know that contract I signed with you a few months ago? well O2 have offered me a much better deal so I want you to cancel yours - is that OK?"

Of course its not and if I did break the contract I would rightly be sued."

Hunt and Doyle signed legally binding contracts (as did Ronaldo and Berbatov). If the club who owns to players contract does not want to sell, the player should put his "hurt" to one side and get on with it and if (a la Sidwell) his contract comes to an end, he can then leave and pocket a fat signing on fee with his new club if his stock is still high as it were.

I applaud Fergies stance on Ronaldo (sic - "he can rot in the reserves if he wont give 100%"). I hope Coppell would do the same - even if it is Hunt and Doyle because as we saw with Shorey last year, any player playing at only 90% is not worth having in your team.

[Southbank Old Boy]

I would like to put my two penneth worth>

I read a letter in Piers Morgans column and broadly (and briefly) it went something like:

"I am fed up with these footballers feeling they have a right to break their freely entered into contracts.

How do you think it would go if it went to Vodafone and said "you know that contract I signed with you a few months ago? well O2 have offered me a much better deal so I want you to cancel yours - is that OK?"

Of course its not and if I did break the contract I would rightly be sued."

Hunt and Doyle signed legally binding contracts (as did Ronaldo and Berbatov). If the club who owns to players contract does not want to sell, the player should put his "hurt" to one side and get on with it and if (a la Sidwell) his contract comes to an end, he can then leave and pocket a fat signing on fee with his new club if his stock is still high as it were.

I applaud Fergies stance on Ronaldo (sic - "he can rot in the reserves if he wont give 100%"). I hope Coppell would do the same - even if it is Hunt and Doyle because as we saw with Shorey last year, any player playing at only 90% is not worth having in your team.

I'm not sure either of them will give less than 100% though. We'll have to wait and see of course and if it affects their performances then Coppell will have to show the balls to drop them both. Only problem is, how bad do their performances have to get to warrent being dropped for Convey or Long?

[Thaumagurist*]

Maybe, but I've seen many times the way journos twist things to report their own agenda, and they're always looking for conflict of some sort. Doing the press work I do, about once a week I'm phoned up and "invited to be outraged"by someone or other. Sky News are one of the worst for that, too, I have to say!

Speaking of Sky Sports News, I do wonder what their source was for this non-existent £3.5M offer from Everton.

[UpNorth]

Someone is telling porkies and it does not look like SC.

Everton have now said there was no bid for Hunt (see EP web site), backing up SC's version of events.

Hunt has fallen for the hype and rumour, no doubt fuelled by his greedy agent. Makes him look a bit of gullable prat. I hope he is prepared to eat humble pie on his return to Reading.

[Stranded]

Oh dear Stephen, might be time to look for another agent:

From the EP website as mentioned above:

Everton today confirmed that they did not make an official bid for Royals winger Stephen Hunt on transfer deadline-day.

Hunt, 26, was reportedly subject to a £3.5million bid from the Toffees on Monday night.

However, Reading manager Steve Coppell has since rubbished these reports saying they were part of a 'media frenzy'.

Today, an Everton spokeman echoed Coppell's comments saying: "No bid was made for Stephen Hunt."

Currently with the Republic of Ireland ahead of their World Cup qualifier with Georgia this Saturday, Hunt has spoken of his disappointment at missing out on a return to the Premier League

[winchester_royal]

I'm starting to lose all respect for him.

After the loyalty that Coppell has shown him.....he has a bloody nerve.

Hard luck Stephen, I know it will be really hard for you earning 15k a weak.....tw@t.

Yeah, what an idiot! He wants to move to a bigger club to further his career - huge twat ay?

Get real people. If people offered you a higher position in your current job with more money then you're gonna take it.


Like he says, he could have rocked the boat by declaring he wanted to leave but he's kept his nut down and put in some good performances - even at left back.

Good luck to you stephen, you deserve a move m8ey.

He doesn't deserve anything. He should honour his contract, where he is earning big money (in general terms) and is playing for a succesful club. If Everton had offered the 5mil needed to release Hunt then fair enough, but they didn't, therefore he stays. He should act like a professional and keep his gob shut, do the job he is getting paid to do, and then maybe he'll earn his move to 'a bigger club' later on.

I like him as a person and a footballer, and maybe these quotes are taken out of context, but the club and the fans deserve better from him.

[brendywendy]

silly billy

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Come on Coppell never tells the truth about transfers. It's not lying, just the old school way of dealing with the press.

[loyalroyal4life]

he must feel like even more of a twat now that everton have come out and said no bid was made. how much help does he expect the club to give him now?

[brendywendy]

storm in a tea cup

no bid made, though i guarantee hunt would cite the high release value in his cntract(which he agreed to) maybe restricted his ability to move on
but coppell was right, we dont need to sell, and if your under contract, and no one meets our valuation, there is no need for us to sell.

[Streets]

Oh dear Stephen, might be time to look for another agent:

From the EP website as mentioned above:

Everton today confirmed that they did not make an official bid for Royals winger Stephen Hunt on transfer deadline-day.

Hunt, 26, was reportedly subject to a £3.5million bid from the Toffees on Monday night.

However, Reading manager Steve Coppell has since rubbished these reports saying they were part of a 'media frenzy'.

Today, an Everton spokeman echoed Coppell's comments saying: "No bid was made for Stephen Hunt."

Currently with the Republic of Ireland ahead of their World Cup qualifier with Georgia this Saturday, Hunt has spoken of his disappointment at missing out on a return to the Premier League

Well I hope it's not connected to a rumour doing the rounds, and that is that Reading will allow Hunt to leave in January after verbally agreeing a deal with Everton.
It is just a rumour going around, but both parties making a point of there being no bid, Hunt gets his head back down knowing he will get what he wants in January and until then he gives us everything and we have time to line up a replacement, maybe?

Hope not, probably not...hope not.

[winchester_royal]

Oh dear Stephen, might be time to look for another agent:

From the EP website as mentioned above:

Everton today confirmed that they did not make an official bid for Royals winger Stephen Hunt on transfer deadline-day.

Hunt, 26, was reportedly subject to a £3.5million bid from the Toffees on Monday night.

However, Reading manager Steve Coppell has since rubbished these reports saying they were part of a 'media frenzy'.

Today, an Everton spokeman echoed Coppell's comments saying: "No bid was made for Stephen Hunt."

Currently with the Republic of Ireland ahead of their World Cup qualifier with Georgia this Saturday, Hunt has spoken of his disappointment at missing out on a return to the Premier League

Well I hope it's not connected to a rumour doing the rounds, and that is that Reading will allow Hunt to leave in January after verbally agreeing a deal with Everton.
It is just a rumour going around, but both parties making a point of there being no bid, Hunt gets his head back down knowing he will get what he wants in January and until then he gives us everything and we have time to line up a replacement, maybe?

Hope not, probably not...hope not.

Probably not.....

[Denver Royal]

Bid or no bid, I wouldn't be surprised if Hunt's days at RFC are numbered.

Sure, players want to further their careers...but not all of them go public with comments like that.

And when he returns he's also left himself open to criticism next time he has a bad game for us...or even an average one.

[Streets]

Bid or no bid, I wouldn't be surprised if Hunt's days at RFC are numbered.

Sure, players want to further their careers...but not all of them go public with comments like that.

And when he returns he's also left himself open to criticism next time he has a bad game for us...or even an average one.

Yeah, lets drive him out shall me, or drive him on with support?!

[Thou Voice]

The little Elf has probably popped a couple of guinesses too many while on tour with the Lepricons for the Irish Internationals.

Whatever we say, he has served us well and "like it or not", he needs to be allowed to build his career. THAT BEING SAID...

What is Steve Coppell had left, this is really the question that needs to be answered here...

...we would have had a max-exodus of all our players to the Promised Land of the Premiership...

...be glad that Sir Steve is still with us...

...the one thing that makes me laugh is that we were not good enough to be in the Premiership last season as we dropped out, so why do players think that big clubs will be biting at out ball sacks for us to sell?

The best that most can hope for is to be a "Backup" player with more money.

[Fat Leather Jacket]

Bid or no bid, I wouldn't be surprised if Hunt's days at RFC are numbered.

Sure, players want to further their careers...but not all of them go public with comments like that.

And when he returns he's also left himself open to criticism next time he has a bad game for us...or even an average one.

Yeah, lets drive him out shall me, or drive him on with support?!

You want to drive him out and drive him on?

[winchester_royal]

If Everton had offered the right amount of money....then he would be gone.

Hunt cannot have honestly thought we would sell him for less than he is worth, just so he could go and 'build his career'.

[Royalee]

I'm disappointed Hunt couldn't cross a ball properly for most of last season and was rubbish since Christmas - perhaps we'd have stayed up if he could.