The Gylfi thread.

[JordCot]

Thank you for your irrelevant and incorrect opinion.

Just an opinion, what's yours?

[sandman]

My opinion is that Reading Football Club are about to engage in their 3rd ever season as a Premier League club, have won the Championship twice in the last decade, Have their own training ground and are about to get backing from a billionaire Russian family. All of which results in a package that is easily a match for the likes of Swansea City and their one, mid-table, PL season.

[RoyalJames101]

We did bid for him.

[Royal With Cheese]

You confirming that or merely seeking validation?

[andrew1957]

I understand those on here that say spending 7M plus would be a lot of money. Also we don't know for sure that RFC have not expressed interest in Gylfi and for all we know he might for some reason prefer Swansea.

However, the reason that I and many on here will be disappointed if it comes to light that no attempt was made to sign him back is as follows.

I first saw Gylfi as a 17 year old in a youth cup game. Even then it was obvious that he was a real talent. In fact in my view he is the first and perhaps only world class player that RFC will ever develop. I don't use that term lightly. I think Gylfi will go on to be world class and play in either top PL or top European sides.

If Swansea get him for 7M then I fully expect them to make a huge profit within a season or two (less sell on fees one assumes). Gylfi is a special once in a lifetime player that RFC will most likely never see the light of again.

That is why many of us were so gutted to see him go when he did and why we would love to see him back here. If TSI have any money then I find it inconceivable that they would not be prepared to invest 7M of it on what is as sure an investment as you will ever see. To lose out to say Man U would be understandable but to miss out to Swansea would be to say the least disappointing.

[JordCot]

My opinion is that Reading Football Club are about to engage in their 3rd season as a Premier League club, have won the Championship twice in the last decade, Have their own training ground and are about to get backing from a billionaire Russian family. All of which results in a package that is easily a match for the likes of Swansea City and their one, mid-table, PL season.
.

I don't think past glories are that much more important than current stature for a player, otherwise they would all be playing for teams like Sheffield United right? Obviously the whole having our own training ground is a point in our favour but having been on loan he obviously doesn't have complaints about Swansea's state of affairs. I'm optimistic about TSI deal but in reality it hasn't gone through yet. I like how you use finishing mid-table in the PL as derogatory term so well done with that one. So I don't think we are easily a match for them. Hopefully with backing we can be an established PL side, something which may be out of the reach of Swansea with their poor history and bad facilities, but we aren't there yet.

I've said my opinion of Glyfi in this thread before and been shot down very quickly but I honestly feel he is more of type of signing a team makes in their second season rather there first so regardless of playing style I think he is more suited to a club like swansea

[RoyalJames101]

You confirming that or merely seeking validation?

Confirming it. We bid £7 million for him but the sell on fee went back to us, so it was effectively £5.5-6 million. Swansea, however, offered £6.8 million and too pay the sell on fee.

[royalsroyalsroyals92]

I think people don't understand that we are (hopefully) still going to operate in the Reading way - and the Reading way would dictate that we aren't going to spend £7 million plus wages and agents fees on a player - who is extremely good may i add, as for all we know we could be back down in a years time. We need to plan more carefully, and ill be far happier to see 4 or 5 hungry and lower priced players come through the door who will improve our squad as a whole, instead of just boosting one position which would mean a different style of play to what we have now and which would leave us with little funds to strengthen in vulnerable areas.
What would we do if we blew the budget on gylfi, and then a week into the season Cummings got injured - we couldn't have the cover or the depth in the squad to improve adequately.
Reading football club, no matter what many people think or whether they agree or disagree with the intentions, are brilliant at planning for the long term. Long term we need to establish ourselves in this league, and for now that will probably leave us without luxury players for a while and we wil have to be like swansea and norwhich did last summer and take smaller steps. Albeit swansea got very lucky in the january window to get Gylfi on a cheap and relatively risk free loan - the work that they did OVER A WHOLE SEASON, and many would add previous seasons, has put themselves in a position where they can spend £7m on a player and be comfortable.
Gylfi is a great player, he was a great Reading player 2 years ago - but unfortunately its time to let go, and realise that every few seasons teams find players like Gylfi, and maybe next season if we finish high/mid table in the league we can buy theirs off them for £7m.
No lack of ambition - just an abundance of sense

[winchester_royal]

My opinion is that Reading Football Club are about to engage in their 3rd season as a Premier League club, have won the Championship twice in the last decade, Have their own training ground and are about to get backing from a billionaire Russian family. All of which results in a package that is easily a match for the likes of Swansea City and their one, mid-table, PL season.
.

I don't think past glories are that much more important than current stature for a player, otherwise they would all be playing for teams like Sheffield United right? Obviously the whole having our own training ground is a point in our favour but having been on loan he obviously doesn't have complaints about Swansea's state of affairs. I'm optimistic about TSI deal but in reality it hasn't gone through yet. I like how you use finishing mid-table in the PL as derogatory term so well done with that one. So I don't think we are easily a match for them. Hopefully with backing we can be an established PL side, something which may be out of the reach of Swansea with their poor history and bad facilities, but we aren't there yet.

I've said my opinion of Glyfi in this thread before and been shot down very quickly but I honestly feel he is more of type of signing a team makes in their second season rather there first so regardless of playing style I think he is more suited to a club like swansea

You're spot on, but will get shouted down on here. Don't be discouraged, keep posting! We need more objective opinion..particularly on this part of the board.

[Avon Royal]

It's not Gylfi's fault we didn't bid for him.

It's so sad that Swansea have more ambition than us. Maybe he's better off with them.

Swansea could be about to spend £7m on one player. We on the other hand have an ambitious budget, are planning to expand to 38,000, build a new top of the range training ground, and upgrade the academy to cat 1 status? I would argue we are showing more ambition currently.

And there we have it.

People who accuse the club of lacking ambition are beyond dim.

No, people who believe that words and promises equate to ambition are beyond dim.

When we've spent our ambitious budget, start work on our 38,000 stadium, have a new training ground and cat 1 academy - then you can argue that we are showing more ambition.

Talk is cheap.

[andrew1957]

I think people don't understand that we are (hopefully) still going to operate in the Reading way - and the Reading way would dictate that we aren't going to spend £7 million plus wages and agents fees on a player - who is extremely good may i add, as for all we know we could be back down in a years time. We need to plan more carefully, and ill be far happier to see 4 or 5 hungry and lower priced players come through the door who will improve our squad as a whole, instead of just boosting one position which would mean a different style of play to what we have now and which would leave us with little funds to strengthen in vulnerable areas.
What would we do if we blew the budget on gylfi, and then a week into the season Cummings got injured - we couldn't have the cover or the depth in the squad to improve adequately.
Reading football club, no matter what many people think or whether they agree or disagree with the intentions, are brilliant at planning for the long term. Long term we need to establish ourselves in this league, and for now that will probably leave us without luxury players for a while and we wil have to be like swansea and norwhich did last summer and take smaller steps. Albeit swansea got very lucky in the january window to get Gylfi on a cheap and relatively risk free loan - the work that they did OVER A WHOLE SEASON, and many would add previous seasons, has put themselves in a position where they can spend £7m on a player and be comfortable.
Gylfi is a great player, he was a great Reading player 2 years ago - but unfortunately its time to let go, and realise that every few seasons teams find players like Gylfi, and maybe next season if we finish high/mid table in the league we can buy theirs off them for £7m.
No lack of ambition - just an abundance of sense

You miss the point. Players of his quality cost 20M plus - not 7M. This is/was a one off once in a lifetime opportunity. I doubt we will ever buy a player of his quality in the future at any price.

I think Gylfi is a more effective player than Bale and he is being touted at 30-40M+ and given the choice I would have Gylfi over Bale anytime.

[winchester_royal]

Oh stop it.

[JordCot]

My opinion is that Reading Football Club are about to engage in their 3rd season as a Premier League club, have won the Championship twice in the last decade, Have their own training ground and are about to get backing from a billionaire Russian family. All of which results in a package that is easily a match for the likes of Swansea City and their one, mid-table, PL season.
.

I don't think past glories are that much more important than current stature for a player, otherwise they would all be playing for teams like Sheffield United right? Obviously the whole having our own training ground is a point in our favour but having been on loan he obviously doesn't have complaints about Swansea's state of affairs. I'm optimistic about TSI deal but in reality it hasn't gone through yet. I like how you use finishing mid-table in the PL as derogatory term so well done with that one. So I don't think we are easily a match for them. Hopefully with backing we can be an established PL side, something which may be out of the reach of Swansea with their poor history and bad facilities, but we aren't there yet.

I've said my opinion of Glyfi in this thread before and been shot down very quickly but I honestly feel he is more of type of signing a team makes in their second season rather there first so regardless of playing style I think he is more suited to a club like swansea

You're spot on, but will get shouted down on here. Don't be discouraged, keep posting! We need more objective opinion..particularly on this part of the board.

Cheers, I've been reading this forum since Christmas but due to problems with account haven't been able to post until very recently. I'm assuming its because of this that I'm very innocent when it comes to posting haha It seems most people go straight for the jugular which I find funny because I'm really not out to start an internet fight with people

[Reading4eva]

My opinion is that Reading Football Club are about to engage in their 3rd season as a Premier League club, have won the Championship twice in the last decade, Have their own training ground and are about to get backing from a billionaire Russian family. All of which results in a package that is easily a match for the likes of Swansea City and their one, mid-table, PL season.
.

I don't think past glories are that much more important than current stature for a player, otherwise they would all be playing for teams like Sheffield United right? Obviously the whole having our own training ground is a point in our favour but having been on loan he obviously doesn't have complaints about Swansea's state of affairs. I'm optimistic about TSI deal but in reality it hasn't gone through yet. I like how you use finishing mid-table in the PL as derogatory term so well done with that one. So I don't think we are easily a match for them. Hopefully with backing we can be an established PL side, something which may be out of the reach of Swansea with their poor history and bad facilities, but we aren't there yet.

I've said my opinion of Glyfi in this thread before and been shot down very quickly but I honestly feel he is more of type of signing a team makes in their second season rather there first so regardless of playing style I think he is more suited to a club like swansea

You're spot on, but will get shouted down on here. Don't be discouraged, keep posting! We need more objective opinion..particularly on this part of the board.

I agree. At the end of the day there are some fantastic windows out there, but if you need mor bricks to build a bigger house, then surely your house will be worth more

[royalsroyalsroyals92]

I think if he was worth more than £7 million someone would come in for him and pay more.
Football scouting networks are extensive, and there must be SOMETHING putting people off bidding that much for him if that is the case.

[royalsroyalsroyals92]

My opinion is that Reading Football Club are about to engage in their 3rd season as a Premier League club, have won the Championship twice in the last decade, Have their own training ground and are about to get backing from a billionaire Russian family. All of which results in a package that is easily a match for the likes of Swansea City and their one, mid-table, PL season.
.

I don't think past glories are that much more important than current stature for a player, otherwise they would all be playing for teams like Sheffield United right? Obviously the whole having our own training ground is a point in our favour but having been on loan he obviously doesn't have complaints about Swansea's state of affairs. I'm optimistic about TSI deal but in reality it hasn't gone through yet. I like how you use finishing mid-table in the PL as derogatory term so well done with that one. So I don't think we are easily a match for them. Hopefully with backing we can be an established PL side, something which may be out of the reach of Swansea with their poor history and bad facilities, but we aren't there yet.

I've said my opinion of Glyfi in this thread before and been shot down very quickly but I honestly feel he is more of type of signing a team makes in their second season rather there first so regardless of playing style I think he is more suited to a club like swansea

I agree with you 100% .... He was brilliant for Swansea at the tail end of last season, and i think its the perfect move for him. He'll get playing time guaranteed and neither he nor the team will have to change playing style to accommodate him

[Caskeys Lovechild]

The reason it grates...is that it's that bunch of Welsh Oxf*rdTards.

I hope beyond all hope that Rodgers now U-turns and goes to Liverpool, and leaves the Welsh to start their descent to the League of Wales - where they belong.

[Ups and Downs]

I never thought he'd come here but I'm equally surprised that he is going to Swansea because none of the big clubs have come in for him. Fair play to Swansea. They must realise that at £6.8 million it really isn't the gamble other clubs must be scared of.

[sandman]

My opinion is that Reading Football Club are about to engage in their 3rd season as a Premier League club, have won the Championship twice in the last decade, Have their own training ground and are about to get backing from a billionaire Russian family. All of which results in a package that is easily a match for the likes of Swansea City and their one, mid-table, PL season.
.

I don't think past glories are that much more important than current stature for a player, otherwise they would all be playing for teams like Sheffield United right? Obviously the whole having our own training ground is a point in our favour but having been on loan he obviously doesn't have complaints about Swansea's state of affairs. I'm optimistic about TSI deal but in reality it hasn't gone through yet. I like how you use finishing mid-table in the PL as derogatory term so well done with that one. So I don't think we are easily a match for them. Hopefully with backing we can be an established PL side, something which may be out of the reach of Swansea with their poor history and bad facilities, but we aren't there yet.

I've said my opinion of Glyfi in this thread before and been shot down very quickly but I honestly feel he is more of type of signing a team makes in their second season rather there first so regardless of playing style I think he is more suited to a club like swansea

This isn't a situation of past glories as the accomplishments mentioned were not 50 years ago they were in the last 10 years and have been achieved consistently. I reiterate, over the last decade RFC are easily a match for Swansea City and are more established at the top two levels of English football. They have one good season, we have a track record.

Is mid-table in the PL a big achievement in your first season? Yes and no. Martinez successfully implemented a passing style at Swansea that Rodgers leached off. That style was something PL teams weren't used to so it caught them by surprise and Swansea got extremely lucky. They'll be ready for it next year and with Swansea possessing a manager who is incapable of achieving anything on his own merit it will be even harder for them. However, with a player of Gylfi's quality they might just stay up whereas we will go down because we bought more "hungry" players rather than realising that we already had those and needed to add quality.

TSI are coming in and have been for a while despite what certain elements of this board will have you believe. What is holding them back is the old regime with their overly cautious approach and you people, the negative fans, who present yourselves as RTG's but are keeping the club down by encouraging the outdated approach.

[royalsteve]

Maybe he just isn't that good? And that's the reason no other club has come in for him, To be honest most of swanseas team looked class last season, as a team they are great but indivdually are they? , a few ex Reading players have proved this theory.
Yes sig is class, but he didnt quite set the world alight in Germany, maybe has put a few of the bigger teams off

Dont agree with that

Not saying he should be starting at Man Utd etc but you'd thought teams like Everton, Newcastle, Fulham etc would have at least enquired

Doubt if Everton would spend that kind of money, maybe not Fulham but Newcastle would but then they have lots of good midfielders anyway