Steve Sidwell

rg6royal · by **rg6royal** » 31 Dec 2006 15:17

hope that he signs as he is a really important player !

Uke · by **Uke** » 31 Dec 2006 17:17

Mr Angry I think Sidwell will sign a new contract in january.

Who with?

Irvinchangeyaname · by **Irvinchangeyaname** » 31 Dec 2006 17:38

Sidwell is a good player, and good for RFC.

He is also not a great player who is indispenable. Personally, if he goes I would trust Sir Steve to get in a decent replacement from the lower leagues (possibly not even Brentford!).

Newbie · by **Newbie** » 31 Dec 2006 17:48

sidwell is a great player and we do need him...but i'm sure we could make a replacement...such as Dean Whitehead,now Sunderland are shite!

Arch · by **Arch** » 31 Dec 2006 17:50

The main thing is he's a Reading player and plays with passion week in week out. He should get our full support until such time as he chooses to leave. Only then can people judge his motives.

Irvinchangeyaname · by **Irvinchangeyaname** » 31 Dec 2006 18:19

Agreed. Even as a player contemplating his next move, he's giving it his all. Very happy to have him as one of ours until he makes his mind up.

Mr Angry · by **Mr Angry** » 31 Dec 2006 18:35

Uke
Mr Angry I think Sidwell will sign a new contract in january.

Who with?

Reading FC

tilehurstender · by **tilehurstender** » 31 Dec 2006 18:52

from what i heard, sidwell was going to sign back in october but his agent has promised him he can get a better deal elsewhere. surprise surprise.

chairman John won't budge any further. hopefully Sidwell will see through the agents greed and take the very good offer that's on the table

Victor Meldrew · by **Victor Meldrew** » 31 Dec 2006 19:15

tilehurstender from what i heard, sidwell was going to sign back in october but his agent has promised him he can get a better deal elsewhere. surprise surprise.

chairman John won't budge any further. hopefully Sidwell will see through the agents greed and take the very good offer that's on the table

I heard the same about more being offered elsewhere.
If Steve does leave,even if it is in January,I would wish him well (unless it's Charlton of course

) and acknowledge that he has played a significant part in our club's recent history-a job done for which he has been paid.
What I like is that from his efforts this season you would not know that he has half an eye to be moving on and he is to be congratulated for acting as a true professional with no signs of the sulks that often go with a discontented player.
We fans often forget that it's only a job.

biscuitsrus · by **biscuitsrus** » 31 Dec 2006 19:18

What worried me (for someone who obviously wants Sidders to stay) was the time he spent on his own in the centre circle before the game.

He was seemingly saying something.

davis69 · by **davis69** » 31 Dec 2006 20:45

what do boro have that we don't have? we have better support are higher in the league why would sidwell want to go there?

Platypuss · by **Platypuss** » 01 Jan 2007 09:57

davis69 what do boro have that we don't have? we have better support are higher in the league why would sidwell want to go there?

Yep, it's a real toughie and no mistake.

RoyalBlue · by **RoyalBlue** » 01 Jan 2007 10:45

Really hope he stays. For all this contract talk he still shows 100% commitment to the club at this moment in time. Also he's a really nice guy. Bumped into him at the hotel last night and he and his wife were very friendly and chatty. Saw him again this am and he went out of his way to ask how our evening had been.

higher · by **higher** » 03 Jan 2007 12:10

From Chronicle online:

Steve Sidwell has given Reading a further boost by announcing he is ready to sit down and discuss a new contract.

The midfield enforcer has rejected two offers already which has alerted a number of rival Premiership clubs, including Aston Villa, Manchester City and Middlesbrough.

"The ball's in Reading's court,"said the 23-year-old star. "We'll have a discussion this month to try and sort something out.

"It's not like I'm itching to get away. It's a case of sitting tight and weighing up all the options."

Give him a gold baby Bentley and be done with it!! Everyone else can have a chocolate brown Allegro or something.That`ll settle things nicely.
Sids an excellent player in an excellent team with an excellent manager.If the whole team did a Sid we would end up like bleedin West Ham.Sort it.

Turns8 · by **Turns8** » 03 Jan 2007 12:58

Don't forget that he feels he needs the Â£25k a week as he now has a baby to think about etc...!!!

I hope we keep him as he is an integral part of Coppell's well oiled machine, yes he's good, but he's only one cog in the machine..however to lose him and have to find an equally fitting cog could take sometime.

The way the squad is at the moment, everyone works for each other, even Sidwell and Lita (although some may argue) we have got this far because of the way Coppell manages players...as he has said before finding players to fit the requirements of RFC is a hard task...

To be able to consolidate and progress keeping Sidwell is a must, otherwise we have to spend time looking for a replacement, when it could be spent looking at other areas of the squad to strengthen for Season 2 in the Prem.

However, you don't want Sidwell signing a new deal and then going all 'west ham' on us next year and playing like a drunk park player (Benayoun's verdict of the performance on Monday!!)

Tough one.....Sidders sign a new deal and keep this dream going...

Woodcote Royal · by **Woodcote Royal** » 03 Jan 2007 13:30

higher From Chronicle online:
Steve Sidwell has given Reading a further boost by announcing he is ready to sit down and discuss a new contract.

The midfield enforcer has rejected two offers already which has alerted a number of rival Premiership clubs, including Aston Villa, Manchester City and Middlesbrough.

"The ball's in Reading's court,"said the 23-year-old star. "We'll have a discussion this month to try and sort something out.

"It's not like I'm itching to get away. It's a case of sitting tight and weighing up all the options."

Give him a gold baby Bentley and be done with it!! Everyone else can have a chocolate brown Allegro or something.That`ll settle things nicely.
Sids an excellent player in an excellent team with an excellent manager.If the whole team did a Sid we would end up like bleedin West Ham.Sort it.

And this goes right to the core of the problem I have with this whole issue.

I would be outraged if we kept Sidwell at any cost, thus sticking 2 fingers up to the rest of our top performers, who have already signed long term contracts on the kind of deals that Sidwell wouldn't even consider.

Whatever we do for he who seems convinced that he's a special case we should assume will also be required for at least 3 others players (Doyle, Sonko and Shorey) and, that's just for starters as the likes of Convey and Kitson could yet prove themselves just as vital to the future of this club.

Sidwell is just ONE of our star performers so, if the club feel that they can afford 6 wages of 25k a week along with the up-market company cars, that's fine by me, but don't take the p*ss out of those who have performed just as well but refused to make stupid comments in the press before signing their current lower paid contracts.

Top Flight · by **Top Flight** » 03 Jan 2007 13:47

Sidwell is a class act and I would be delighted if he decides to stay.

His attitude has been first class and his performances have been brilliant.

I believe Sidwell is an ambitious player and he won't do an West Ham on us once if we were to give him the "Big" Contract. I don't think Sidwell is too big for his boots and thinks he is something special. I think he is honest, grounded, confident and ambitious.

A player is only worth what the market perceives and what a club is willing to pay. If a club is willing to pay Â£25K for his services then he is entitled to receive that. If we want him in those circumstances we have to match that. Personally I think we should match it.

Sidwell is in a strong position because he is in demand and Clubs have shown that they are willing to pay him that kind of dosh.

Just cause Sidders will be on Â£25K doesn't mean that other players can also expect that. If the market decides to perceive Doyle and Shorey at Â£25K a week then regardless of Sidwell being on such a contract they will be able to demand that dosh as well. If the market doesn't perceive that value then Doyle and Shorey won't get it and they won't be able to be upset about it either.

On Match of the Day and all pundits seem to always talk about Sidwell being a great player. That pushes up his value. Shorey's value will have edged up after the West HAm game as well.

Woodcote Royal · by **Woodcote Royal** » 03 Jan 2007 14:01

We have other players who are worth at least as much, if not more, to us than Steve Sidwell and it is naive in the extreme to assume that giving him far more than anyone else would not seriously undermine the great team spirit that has got us to where we are today.

I would rather start next season needing to replace Sidwell than any of Doyle, Sonko or Shorey and, frankly, I'd sooner Sid walked than risk any (God forbid all 3

) of the afforementioned dipping in form through disillusionment with RFC

gazzer, loyal royal · by **gazzer, loyal royal** » 03 Jan 2007 14:11

over the last 6 weeks, with Shorey, sidwell has been the best player

with premiership status virtually guarenteed and the expansion more than likely to happen, the extra revenue can be used to re sign sidders, would save money on a transfee fee

PieEater · by **PieEater** » 03 Jan 2007 14:27

That sort of money buys a lot of player though, and I think Sid's role could easily be fullfilled by Gunnarson, when Sid was injured last season we won most games without him.

I think Coppell would let him go rather than risk upsetting the other players, although that is probably Hammonds call to do the deal within the boundaries he's got. Coppell certainly wouldn't stand in his way if he wanted to get out.

I guess what I'm saying is that I dont think the club will make him a special case and push the boat out to keep him.

Steve Sidwell

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