RUMOUR: Mills to Wolves (leicester bid accepted)

[roadrunner]

I keep thinking back to Ipswich at home last season. The ref was as pedantic as they come but that still did not stop Mills from picking up 2 completely avoidable yellow cards.

I also agree with the level of ill discipline within the team. That was one thing that Coppell had well under control. There will always be occasions when decisions go against you. The secret is how to react when it happens. Giving the officials grief will not do anything positive. It also sets an appalling example to youngsters.

If Mills goes to Wolves or wherever then good luck to him. If he stays then I hope that he works on this side of his game and cuts out the crap.

'gree with this but it was more Wally Downes than Coppell I think, regarding the discipline. Wally was very keen on that and organisation, and our defence, or indeed the team as a unit has never looked as composed as it did when he was here. That defence was a joy to watch, always pulling up to catch players offside at free-kicks, rarely did we see a rash challenge, instead they were told to stay on your feet. Though Coppell being a gentleman of the game will also have had a lot to do with it, I grant you.

[Barry the bird boggler]

EP says we've rejected figures of 3.5 and 3.75m for him and MM has said he isn't going to demand a transfer if other clubs don't meet our valuation.

Interestingly it would seem we could be offering him wages of almost 20k per week to remain at Reading.

Leicester are also apparently interested in Mills.

[roadrunner]

I just can't see us paying those wages at this level, but wages are increasing at all levels so I suppose it's not far off. I would anticipate a sizable release clause inserted ala Doyle, Hunt and Long and Mills to be off next summer if he has another good season and we fail to get promoted again.

[No Hoops]

SSN "JUST IN" saying at 2.50

Wolves told to up offer for Matt Mills if they want him.


How the F*** is that JUST IN

[Ian Royal]

Absolutely - thankfully Mick McCarthy has based his opinion on the Everton FA Cup game live on ESPN rather than the bog-standard league games where he is a yellow card waiting to happen most weeks, where he castigates his defensive colleagues whenever we concede, where he regularly makes positional errors, where his distribution can most politely be described as aimless.

Yep - plus if we get a new captain perhaps we might return to being a team that is properly disciplined and professional, and doesn't go to pieces quicker than a shrapnel bomb at the first perceived injustice.

I think Mills has a lot of potential but I do agree with these last two posts.

It's probably my biggest gripe with McDermotts tenure that we've become quite an ildisciplined outfit and I think that's a sign of the weaknesses that cause that captitulation Dirk refers too. I think it comes from a higher figure in the camp than Mills though, although with Mills, Harte and Long in the side we're always going to be a bit petulant.

I think you can probably add Noel Hunt to the list of the petulant ref worriers. Long got a lot better when things started going right for him. But Harte is an utter disgrace in terms of behaviour towards officials.

I think all three of you have nailed it tbh.

McAnuff would make a good captain in that respect.

Thoroughly agree. I wouldn't mind seeing Pearce get another chance at the armband either.

[Hoop Blah]

I don't think you should saddle an emerging play like Pearce with the responsibility of being captain.

It's not an age thing, it's just that he's not established himself in the team let alone enough to be given the armband.

Players like Legiertwood or Karacan would be more realistic options right now if we need to appoint a new man to the job. I think McAnuff or Griffin would be my prefered choices right now though (if Griff was likely to remain as my 1st choice right back that is).

[No Fixed Abode]

Reading are holding out for £4m.

[roadrunner]

Reading are holding out for £4m.

You're sooooo connected Kes.

[Terminal Boardom]

Reading are holding out for £4m.

First with the news as always

[Ian Royal]

I don't think you should saddle an emerging play like Pearce with the responsibility of being captain.

It's not an age thing, it's just that he's not established himself in the team let alone enough to be given the armband.

Players like Legiertwood or Karacan would be more realistic options right now if we need to appoint a new man to the job. I think McAnuff or Griffin would be my prefered choices right now though (if Griff was likely to remain as my 1st choice right back that is).

Yeah, Legs would be good. Not too sure about Karacan... he gets a bit headless chicken sometimes and seems to be starting to head towards the Harte / Mills official worrier approach at the moment to me. Griff again is a good choice.

McAnuff > Leigertwood > Griffin > Pearce would be my order of preference now you've made me think a bit harder.

[DOYLERSAROYALER]

Hopefully a bit of a bidding war will kick off...but who knows ....

Potters move for Wolves target Mills
Wolverhampton Wanderers, 16:27, June 29, 2011

Stoke look set to fight off competition from Wolves to land Reading defender Matt Mills, according to reports.

Wolves are already thought to have failed with one offer of £3million but the Potters have gone straight in and matched Reading's £3.5million valuation of the player.
Tony Pulis has made it clear a new central defender is high on his wanted list and he looks set to turn his attentions to Mills, who has impressed in the Royals backline.
Mills would be a cheaper alternative to Birmingham's Scott Dann who is valued well over £12million.

[Ian Royal]

Hopefully a bit of a bidding war will kick off...but who knows ....

Potters move for Wolves target Mills
Wolverhampton Wanderers, 16:27, June 29, 2011

Stoke look set to fight off competition from Wolves to land Reading defender Matt Mills, according to reports.

Wolves are already thought to have failed with one offer of £3million but the Potters have gone straight in and matched Reading's £3.5million valuation of the player.
Tony Pulis has made it clear a new central defender is high on his wanted list and he looks set to turn his attentions to Mills, who has impressed in the Royals backline.
Mills would be a cheaper alternative to Birmingham's Scott Dann who is valued well over £12million.

This one says Wolves bid £3m and Stoke have met our valuation of £3.5m
Another one says Wolves have bid £3.5m and £3.75m both rejected as our valuation is £4m
Wolves say they've only made one bid.

Someone's telling a lot of porkies. I wonder if it could be the papers?

[Sarah Star]

I particularly like the way the same story is seen as him staying here, wanting to go to Wolves and off to Leicester or Stoke depending on which paper you look at.

[DOYLERSAROYALER]

Hopefully a bit of a bidding war will kick off...but who knows ....

Potters move for Wolves target Mills
Wolverhampton Wanderers, 16:27, June 29, 2011

Stoke look set to fight off competition from Wolves to land Reading defender Matt Mills, according to reports.

Wolves are already thought to have failed with one offer of £3million but the Potters have gone straight in and matched Reading's £3.5million valuation of the player.
Tony Pulis has made it clear a new central defender is high on his wanted list and he looks set to turn his attentions to Mills, who has impressed in the Royals backline.
Mills would be a cheaper alternative to Birmingham's Scott Dann who is valued well over £12million.

This one says Wolves bid £3m and Stoke have met our valuation of £3.5m
Another one says Wolves have bid £3.5m and £3.75m both rejected as our valuation is £4m
Wolves say they've only made one bid.

Someone's telling a lot of porkies. I wonder if it could be the papers?

IR please dont tell me you are questioning the integrity of the british printed media ???...but totally agree with you

[No Fixed Abode]

Looks like Wolves will match the £4m asking price by Friday.

[sandman]

If a ref is pedantic (and they all are in this league) he's going to find a way to send someone off even if they don't do anything like the game in question where the player ran into Mills. What about when Ivar got sent off against QPR two seasons ago? It was rash, late, against 10 men and the ref was a pedantic tw@t. Were you all on his tribute thread saying that we'd got rid off a captain who got himself needlessly sent off when we were struggling at the bottom of the table with a clueless manager?

Mills shows passion the thing that the people of this country constantly implore their pathetic national team players to do at major tournaments. If he stood there like a mouse you'd all be on his back for not showing enough will to win. He really cannot win.

If our players can get the ref to think twice before he blows his whistle than more power to them. If the ref is that weak why not affect his decision making?

[Svlad Cjelli]

There's passion, and there's petulance - and the latter includes being consumed by a red mist once a decision goes against you.

Passion is good, but it has to be controlled, professional passion - too often MM has clearly lost control of himself when as captain he should be setting an example of control and professionalism for the other players.

[Friday's Legacy]

There's passion, and there's petulance - and the latter includes being consumed by a red mist once a decision goes against you.

Passion is good, but it has to be controlled, professional passion - too often MM has clearly lost control of himself when as captain he should be setting an example of control and professionalism for the other players.

agree with this and that is why he will be punished time and time again in the top flight unless he learns and learns early. he has the tools but his temper and his attitude need to change if he wants to be the player we know he can be.

[Ian Royal]

What about when Ivar got sent off against QPR two seasons ago? It was rash, late, against 10 men and the ref was a pedantic tw@t. Were you all on his tribute thread saying that we'd got rid off a captain who got himself needlessly sent off when we were struggling at the bottom of the table with a clueless manager?

What an utterly ludicrous comparison.

[Royal Lady]

If he doesn't go - and we up his wages - I trust we'll be extending another 2 or 3 years to the 1 year left on his contract.