Hunty at Left Back

[Ian Royal]

Here's a novel thought. Why don't we actually wait until Shorey is gone and the transfer window closes before we slag off the club for not getting a replacement.

OK, but do you think its good business to get a replacement first, for the reasosn I stated before.

Its probably fair to say that if Shorey stays, its not down to him having a change of heart, so is he really going to be up for it ?

If we get a quality LB in now, it will push Shorey, if he slips, we bin him, and bring in the new lad.

Pressure for places and all that.

Just a thought.

I think it's good business to have your replacement figured out, but you can't bring one in until you know the player has gone. It sounds like this is the first firm offer we've had this summer and it was too low. 7 days ago it was looking quite likely no one was willing to stump up for Shorey and he'd still be playing for us. Not much point in having brought someone new in if that was the case.

Releasing DLC was the real mistake IMO. We could easily have kept him on longer as cover and then let him go in January for a free.

[papereyes]

I don't care how much money is spent, tbf. You can get players for very little - Wigan shored up their defence in their first season by signing Henchoz and De Zeeuw on frees. If you only get a season out of them, it gives you a chance to get a younger player in and get him some experience.

Alongside those two players, they spent a total of £1.25 million on Ryan Taylor and Pascal Chimbonda.

Maybe they got lucky with all four of those transfers?

[rfc58]

Here's a novel thought. Why don't we actually wait until Shorey is gone and the transfer window closes before we slag off the club for not getting a replacement.

OK, but do you think its good business to get a replacement first, for the reasosn I stated before.

Its probably fair to say that if Shorey stays, its not down to him having a change of heart, so is he really going to be up for it ?

If we get a quality LB in now, it will push Shorey, if he slips, we bin him, and bring in the new lad.

Pressure for places and all that.

Just a thought.

I think it's good business to have your replacement figured out, but you can't bring one in until you know the player has gone. It sounds like this is the first firm offer we've had this summer and it was too low. 7 days ago it was looking quite likely no one was willing to stump up for Shorey and he'd still be playing for us. Not much point in having brought someone new in if that was the case.

Releasing DLC was the real mistake IMO. We could easily have kept him on longer as cover and then let him go in January for a free.

Ian - I do hear what you are saying about not bringing in a replacement if he is staying, but SC has admitted Shorey wants out, and i'd say the majority of players who want out rarely play to their best, and I see nothing in Shorey that tells me he'd reproduce the "England call up" performances anytime soon.

As I said before, get a quality lad in, that gives Shorey a dilemma, does he play to his best, knowing he's in the stiffs if he doesn't, and could harm a move, because if he has no real competition, he can labour through games, knowing either way he won't be dropped.

I don't buy into the theory "if he's playing crap, no-one will come in for him", managers are cute enough to know that players never perform when their mind is elsewhere.

[Ian Royal]

I hear you're point about pushing him. But do we really want someone on Shorey's wages bench warming, and lets face it we're not going to get anyone close to as good.

He probably wouldn't have had his heart in it when he played. But he'd still be easily good enough considering the quality of the league.

We've got Golbourne to bring through, Kelly got preseason minutes and Murty and Rosenior can't both play at right back. Until Shorey goes I just don't think it's sensible to bring in a replacement. And Why should we let him go on the cheap?

Personally I'd have flogged him early for £2-3M, someone must have been interested at that price. I'd have kept DLC around, but told him to look for other clubs because I had other plans and once I'd got rid of Shorey I'd have tried to get in my target early.

If we now get £4-5M and get a replacement a couple of weeks into the season its not exactly a disaster. This close season was never going to be an ideal one and was always going to be filled with uncertainty.

So far we've kept; Lita, Doyle, Hunt, Harper, Matejovsky, Bikey, Sonko, Rosenior, Murty & Hahnemann. They all are, or have been very important players for us. That's pretty good going IMO>

[Archies Volley]

Ian Royal - I agree with you for what its worth. I also think DLC should have been offered one more year as cover. I also think that with Golbourne, Murty and Liam we have 3 full backs (I realise 2 are better on the right but a right full back is better than a left winger to cover left back IMO. DLC was able to play either full back position well enough). I think our plans may have been hit by the fact that both Murty and Golbourne have been out for the whole pre-season and am sure that had they both been fit we would not have seen Hunt at left back. Whether Golbourne or one of our right backs would be good enough for a season at left back is another question but the club has been unlucky in not being able to try/find out during pre-season.

[Vision]

I hear you're point about pushing him. But do we really want someone on Shorey's wages bench warming, and lets face it we're not going to get anyone close to as good.

He probably wouldn't have had his heart in it when he played. But he'd still be easily good enough considering the quality of the league.

We've got Golbourne to bring through, Kelly got preseason minutes and Murty and Rosenior can't both play at right back. Until Shorey goes I just don't think it's sensible to bring in a replacement. And Why should we let him go on the cheap?

Personally I'd have flogged him early for £2-3M, someone must have been interested at that price. I'd have kept DLC around, but told him to look for other clubs because I had other plans and once I'd got rid of Shorey I'd have tried to get in my target early.

If we now get £4-5M and get a replacement a couple of weeks into the season its not exactly a disaster. This close season was never going to be an ideal one and was always going to be filled with uncertainty.

So far we've kept; Lita, Doyle, Hunt, Harper, Matejovsky, Bikey, Sonko, Rosenior, Murty & Hahnemann. They all are, or have been very important players for us. That's pretty good going IMO>

The issue with Shorey is if we don't sell him now then I can't see him going in January as from his point of view he'll be a free agent which should give hime greater scope to negotiate. It might work to our advantage as it did with Sidwell in that it would motivate him to perform week in week out but there's certainly no guarantee.

[Agent Balti]

The trouble is that Sidwell is of vastly different stock than Shorey. Sidwell hadn't been flirting with the England set up and ran his socks of for RFC. Shorey had one niff of the big time and then proceeded not to proceed.

Shorey is better off being replaced for a hungrier model than Sidwell was in the same situation two seasons ago.

[Scarface]

I'm sure this has been mentioned elsewhere but as I'm so concerned about it I thought I'd start a thread

this to me is totally wrong of RFC

I know it was only a friendly the other day but Hunt looked totally out of place and would get skinned all season there - he was ok going forward but it was as good defensively as Tony Rougier

we know Shorey has left RFC mentally and very soon physically and we have shit loads of cash (no big signings, parachute payments, £5.5 for kits, 6+ player wages wiped from books) so why we havent already got a replacement beats me

i'm astonished we haven't done something already - Shorey is far from happy and wants to leave - so we should have sorted this ages ago

not 6 days before the season starts

Shorey wanted out last year and boy did it show. This whole saga is yet more evidence that Coppell is not good at managing change and moving the club forward.

Last week he was quoted saying no players will be leaving and on Saturday he said he expected Shorey to leave, what a walking contradiction the man has become. 6 days before the season starts and we could be left with Hunty as our left back. Even if the offer for Shorey is not enough and he stays, he'll be even more p1ssed off than last year, so he'll sulk even more.

We should offer DLC a one year deal now.

[Matt de K]

Errr, just a thought - but i'm sure BC can play LB - isn't that where he plays for the USA - or at least used to play for the USA??

Why has no-one mentioned this?? Is it because it would be one less thing to rant about?

[Bill Oddie's Beard]

Errr, just a thought - but i'm sure BC can play LB - isn't that where he plays for the USA - or at least used to play for the USA??

Why has no-one mentioned this?? Is it because it would be one less thing to rant about?

Although I'm sure you're right about Convey playing there for the US before, I don't actually recall ever seeing him make a tackle for us, so I doubt he would be very successful as a defender.

[Scarface]

Errr, just a thought - but i'm sure BC can play LB - isn't that where he plays for the USA - or at least used to play for the USA??

Why has no-one mentioned this?? Is it because it would be one less thing to rant about?

Hunt is seen as a better left back by the club, that says it all mate. He's far too lightweight to play at the back, the USA must of played wing backs.

[brendywendy]

I'm sure this has been mentioned elsewhere but as I'm so concerned about it I thought I'd start a thread

this to me is totally wrong of RFC

I know it was only a friendly the other day but Hunt looked totally out of place and would get skinned all season there - he was ok going forward but it was as good defensively as Tony Rougier

we know Shorey has left RFC mentally and very soon physically and we have shit loads of cash (no big signings, parachute payments, £5.5 for kits, 6+ player wages wiped from books) so why we havent already got a replacement beats me

i'm astonished we haven't done something already - Shorey is far from happy and wants to leave - so we should have sorted this ages ago

not 6 days before the season starts

Shorey wanted out last year and boy did it show. This whole saga is yet more evidence that Coppell is not good at managing change and moving the club forward.

Last week he was quoted saying no players will be leaving and on Saturday he said he expected Shorey to leave, what a walking contradiction the man has become. 6 days before the season starts and we could be left with Hunty as our left back. Even if the offer for Shorey is not enough and he stays, he'll be even more p1ssed off than last year, so he'll sulk even more.

We should offer DLC a one year deal now.

actually the quote from last week was maybe one more will leave wasnt it

[Tinrib]

According to one of my Brentford supporting Pal's, Hunty played LB for them a few times.

He was dump.

[Ian Royal]

You're correct about the quote Brendy.

I'm pretty sure it was as a wing back Bobby played for the US. Hunt ismore likely to play well there IMO.

[Woodcote Royal]

I hear you're point about pushing him. But do we really want someone on Shorey's wages bench warming, and lets face it we're not going to get anyone close to as good.

He probably wouldn't have had his heart in it when he played. But he'd still be easily good enough considering the quality of the league.

We've got Golbourne to bring through, Kelly got preseason minutes and Murty and Rosenior can't both play at right back. Until Shorey goes I just don't think it's sensible to bring in a replacement. And Why should we let him go on the cheap?

Personally I'd have flogged him early for £2-3M, someone must have been interested at that price. I'd have kept DLC around, but told him to look for other clubs because I had other plans and once I'd got rid of Shorey I'd have tried to get in my target early.

If we now get £4-5M and get a replacement a couple of weeks into the season its not exactly a disaster. This close season was never going to be an ideal one and was always going to be filled with uncertainty.

So far we've kept; Lita, Doyle, Hunt, Harper, Matejovsky, Bikey, Sonko, Rosenior, Murty & Hahnemann. They all are, or have been very important players for us. That's pretty good going IMO>

Shorey should have played his last game for this club months ago.

The fans deserve better than a left back who wanted to leave a year ago, especially with most of the Kitson transfer proceeds still languishing in the bank waiting to be invested in the team.

It beggars belief that some fans think we couldn't find a better left back without breaking the bank than "Couldn't give a sh*t" Shorey...................Watford have just got one on the cheap, I believe.

This goes right to the heart of why some of us remain unconvinced that Coppell should still be here.

[floyd__streete]

Shorey should have played his last game for this club months ago.

The fans deserve better than a left back who wanted to leave a year ago, especially with most of the Kitson transfer proceeds still languishing in the bank waiting to be invested in the team.

It beggars belief that some fans think we couldn't find a better left back without breaking the bank than "Couldn't give a sh*t" Shorey...................Watford have just got one on the cheap, I believe.

This goes right to the heart of why some of us remain unconvinced that Coppell should still be here.

Have to say that I totally agree with you.

[rhroyal]

Coppell has never said he will play Hunt there all season. I believe if Shorey leaves we will sign a replacement, but Hunt will play there for a couple of weeks whilst he settles in. I seem to remember Hunt did a very good job against Sheff Utd before.

[towserSL2crew]

No ...Come on he was crap against Villa in that position , he hardly made a tackle and spent most of the game chasing the bloke who just ran past him. Not his fault hes not a defender and if he is played there get ready for lots of penalty kicks against us with mistimed tackles.
As for Convey ..please no hes far too lightweight and again cannot tackle.
Buy a left back ffs and quick.......we are still going up though...only here for the year.

[Cookie]

I can think of an affordable replacement.

Everton boss David Moyes wants to get rid of left-back Leighton Baines just a year after signing him for £6m.

[Big Ern]

I can think of an affordable replacement.

Everton boss David Moyes wants to get rid of left-back Leighton Baines just a year after signing him for £6m.

It's post like this that makes me wonder what planet some Reading FC fans live on.

2 chances of that happening...Slim and None...and Slims just left town.

We won't pay the transfer fee
We could not pay his wages
Bigger, better clubs with more ambition will be in for him.
He would not want to come here.