Hunt signs to 2012

[TBM]

Hunt realises nobody actually wants him, in the premier league, so thought he'd try get as much money out of us instead

[SLAMMED]

I don't even think you're being clever there are you?

Thats what i was thinking

Its funny how Hunt waited until the window closed. He must have been thinking in his mind that he would sign a contract only if no other team came in for him, whereas Doyle signed his a while ago.

[Super Kevin Bremner!]

This is terrible news for Bozanic

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Tail between legs time for Mr Hunt.

It is a bit BS that he spends the past few months clearly trying to force a move out of the club, doesn't get it and is rewarded with a new contract.

That's football though....

[readingbedding]

People on here were saying that he's off over January.
Wrong, wrong, wrong...

Lump it, he's staying!

[The Rouge]

He has played all but 23 minutes of our league campaign this year - hardly classic want away behaviour - go on Hunty, help fire us back to the Prem.

[Row Z Royal]

I don't even think you're being clever there are you?

I mean it, but obviously it was a direct response to your post.

[Hoop Blah]

Tail between legs time for Mr Hunt.

It is a bit BS that he spends the past few months clearly trying to force a move out of the club, doesn't get it and is rewarded with a new contract.

That's football though....

Agreed.

As a few others have said, this isn't anything to do with loyalty or pledging his future to the club it's all about him getting the most cash whilst he's still here.

Fair play to him for looking after number one, and the club have protected their investment in him by making sure he can't walk out for nothing in the near future but I do wonder at what cost.

It wasn't that long ago that we had all and sundry on here saying the club had to protect morale and team togetherness by not breaking their wage structure. What's the betting that this contract puts Hunt on significantly more money than the rest of the squad (bar perhaps Doyle).

[Ginger Ninjas]

This is the way I see it...

Hunt clearly wants to be playing PL football. At 28 that's understandable, even if there's the question of loyalty to the club which rescued him from obscurity hanging around. I think he also realises that a decent PL club (Everton/Villa/Spurs) might be too good for him, and that given the choice between a Wigan or a Stoke and Reading (in the PL), he'd choose to stay here, with the Irish contingent and Coppell.

With "no firm bids" (ie, of £5M) coming in over the Jan window, he has no choice but to stay here and fight for promotion. If we go up, great - I'd guess that the release clause will be redundant if Reading are in the PL - but if we're in the Championship next season then he can leave in the summer for let's say £2.5-3M.

Hunt is one of perhaps only two players who has shown his ability to play in the PL (and isn't approaching 32/33), and RFC need to keep him if promoted. This contract should ensure that is the case.

[Gordons Cumming]

The contract means nothing except insurance for RFC.

Look at the Robbie Keane fiasco.

[Royal With Cheese]

This is the way I see it...

Hunt clearly wants to be playing PL football. At 28 that's understandable, even if there's the question of loyalty to the club which rescued him from obscurity hanging around. I think he also realises that a decent PL club (Everton/Villa/Spurs) might be too good for him, and that given the choice between a Wigan or a Stoke and Reading (in the PL), he'd choose to stay here, with the Irish contingent and Coppell.

With "no firm bids" (ie, of £5M) coming in over the Jan window, he has no choice but to stay here and fight for promotion. If we go up, great - I'd guess that the release clause will be redundant if Reading are in the PL - but if we're in the Championship next season then he can leave in the summer for let's say £2.5-3M.

Hunt is one of perhaps only two players who has shown his ability to play in the PL (and isn't approaching 32/33), and RFC need to keep him if promoted. This contract should ensure that is the case.

Broadly agree with this - love him or hate him you certainly have no doubt what's going on in the world of Hunt.

It was clear that he would have gone in the transfer window had the right offer/wages had been made.

I, for one, don't think it will have any negative effects on Hunt's play. He just doesn't have the capacity to either think it through or sulk.

All in all, an excellent move by the club.

[Snowball]

Look at it from the club's POV

Even if they added 10K a week to his wages, that's only 140K or so for the rest of the season, and it ought to lift him.

If he raises his game back to his best or near his best, if he scores 1 extra goal and makes an extra 5 between
now and the end of the season, if we win this league, and go up, that 140K is absolute PEANUTS when weighed
against 30-50 MILLION for going up and staying there.

[The 17 Bus]

Look at it from the club's POV

Even if they added 10K a week to his wages, that's only 140K or so for the rest of the season, and it ought to lift him.

If he raises his game back to his best or near his best, if he scores 1 extra goal and makes an extra 5 between
now and the end of the season, if we win this league, and go up, that 140K is absolute PEANUTS when weighed
against 30-50 MILLION for going up and staying there.

When are contracts usually up??

Is it end of June?? or end of May?

[Alan Partridge]

Look at it from the club's POV

Even if they added 10K a week to his wages, that's only 140K or so for the rest of the season, and it ought to lift him.

If he raises his game back to his best or near his best, if he scores 1 extra goal and makes an extra 5 between
now and the end of the season, if we win this league, and go up, that 140K is absolute PEANUTS when weighed
against 30-50 MILLION for going up and staying there.

Maybe you should have mailed them this last season in their hunt (excuse the pun) for new players??

[coyrls]

My favourite quote from Hunt about this is:

I know there's been a lot of talking, and a lot of that has been me talking.

[The Cap]

Very few Reading players go on to better things after leaving this great club. As other posters on here have said, the team at Reading is greater than the sum of all its parts. Reading, under Coppell has always been about the team. Never about individuals. It's always apparent when Reading players leave and can never quite add anything to other teams.

Hunt has made the right decision to stay with the greatest club in Berkshire.

Very astute observation Top Flight. Particularly in respect of players leaving and their subsequent form.

As for your last line... does that translate into "We're by far the greatest club that Berkshire's ever seen!"

[Top Flight]

Very few Reading players go on to better things after leaving this great club. As other posters on here have said, the team at Reading is greater than the sum of all its parts. Reading, under Coppell has always been about the team. Never about individuals. It's always apparent when Reading players leave and can never quite add anything to other teams.

Hunt has made the right decision to stay with the greatest club in Berkshire.

Very astute observation Top Flight. Particularly in respect of players leaving and their subsequent form.

As for your last line... does that translate into "We're by far the greatest club that Berkshire's ever seen!"

Well, I've not said anything that hasn't been said before!

[Top Flight]

"It’s just part and parcel of the game. But even had teams who have been linked with me come in, especially one club, I wouldn’t have gone. I’d still be where I am now and looking forward to the season.”

http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/footb ... s_new_deal

That is an interesting comment from Hunt which is in the Evening Post. Which team is he talking about? Wigan maybe?

[readingbedding]

Featured in 90% of games since he joined, part of the most successful period in Reading's history.
Very important player.
Well done...
Well done..

[Sun Tzu]

I wonder what stopped Hunt making these comments a week ago if he had decided he wasn;t going to leave ?