Would you have settled for this?

[RobRoyal]

So the summer is nearly over. I know there's a danger of tempting fate, but it seems unlikely to me that we'll see any more major departures, at least before January. Apart from Sidwell, we went into the summer with all of the title-winning side intact - and a great chance of winning promotion again. Since then we've lost three of the 1st team: Little, Kitson, and Shorey. How does this compare with your pre-summer expectations? I think I expected to lose more faces from the first team - wouldn't have been surprised to see at least one of Lita and Doyle, Stephen Hunt and Matejovsky leaving. The sale of Shorey always seemed like an inevitability, what with that bid in January. On the other hand, I didn't expect to lose Kitson and Little, two of our most crucial players.

Overall, then, I'm fairly satisfied with the summer, at least in terms of departures. It looks like we've got good prices for Kitson and Shorey, and there hasn't been the exodus that I'd feared. Three important players have gone, but plenty of players remain that licked this division 3 years ago. One of the players we lost was unhappy and completely out of form, and another had returned from a long-term injury which might stop him reaching previous heights.

It's somewhat of a worry that we haven't adequately replaced these losses. Not even the most optimistic of us can expect Noel Hunt and Kebe to replicate the impact of Kitson and Little in our championship winning season. But supposing we do get a fit-for-purpose left-back into the club in the next week or so (I'm confident), the squad looks capable overall. There are advantages over the 05/06 squad: Bikey, Matejovsky, and the greater experience of Lita and Doyle.

Thoughts? Would you have settled for a summer low-on-recruits but with only three losses?

[Streets]

We knew we were going to lose 2-3 goog good players, so that's not an issue.

What is an issue is the lack of replacements, lack of investment once again!

[Schards#2]

Given the avalanche of money we have had and not spent over the last two seasons, the suggestion "we have to sell before we buy" was, to my mind, outrageous.

The fact that we have sold but, only bought at less than 10% of the selling is scandellous and indicative of the club's priorities.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Totally agree with Schards.

There is some time to go but we should've been a little more proactive in the market and not been having to worry about this two days before our first game. Furthermore I'm sure we'll see more players leaving before now and the end of the month too.

The squad needed freshening up. We needed to do that for ourselves and not wait so much for the trickle down on interest and money from above, as much as that is envitable to a certain extent.

Would I buy my season ticket now if I hadn't already done so? No, probably not.

[The 17 Bus]

Have to agree there Schards, the had to sell statement was wrong, it was negative and sent out all the wrong signals, not only to the fans but to the players, we all knew that some would go, but the team needed improving after last season, if we had lost the dead wood that we released and brought in 3/3 new players the players already here might have seen hope of an immediate return, meaning a good promotion bonus, lowering the feeling that they had to move on.

Is it the budget though, we are always told money is available, or is it SC not wanting more players, we seem to still have good depth most of the team. Don't think we will ever really know.

[Streets]

Given the avalanche of money we have had and not spent over the last two seasons, the suggestion "we have to sell before we buy" was, to my mind, outrageous.

The fact that we have sold but, only bought at less than 10% of the selling is scandellous and indicative of the club's priorities.

Hear hear!

[No Hoops]

I can't help but wonder what effect SC's statement about selling players after the start of the season (at a massively inflated price) will have on any players we want to bring in.

Ok, it could force the Prem clubs to make their move but also could inflate players who we might be targeting. I'm sure there are targets but I hope that if we keep the squad as it is today then we still have a chance of bouncing straight back.

But hey what the hell do I know

[cmonurz]

I'd say this poll is reasonably conclusive.

[Big Ern]

Given the avalanche of money we have had and not spent over the last two seasons, the suggestion "we have to sell before we buy" was, to my mind, outrageous.

The fact that we have sold but, only bought at less than 10% of the selling is scandellous and indicative of the club's priorities.

About sums it up

[Maguire]

Yeah, what Schards said. Fair enough you're going to lose players but you've got two season's worth of Premiership revenue, incoming transfers fees, and parachute payments (presumably) from which to strengthen your side and what have we got?

Still, plenty of time to get some new faces in so let's wait and see before casting final judgement.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Yeah, what Schards said. Fair enough you're going to lose players but you've got two season's worth of Premiership revenue, incoming transfers fees, and parachute payments (presumably) from which to strengthen your side and what have we got?

Still, plenty of time to get some new faces in so let's wait and see before casting final judgement.

What about Leeds though?!

[Streets]

Yeah, what Schards said. Fair enough you're going to lose players but you've got two season's worth of Premiership revenue, incoming transfers fees, and parachute payments (presumably) from which to strengthen your side and what have we got?

Still, plenty of time to get some new faces in so let's wait and see before casting final judgement.

Again, 'greed.

But the feeling coming from the club is that there will be very little, if any more activity in the transfer market and that sucks.

I think I also agree this is one of the most boring and uninteresting summers where RFC are concerned. Certainly for me anyway.

We've kept a decent side for this level, and it should, should compete at the top of the table, but I look at Birmingham and see ambition and commitment from the board. I then look at us and I see a chairman milking the cow for all it's worth.

[The whole year inn]

[Royalee]

A job well done on the car park protest judging by those voting figures then...

[Huntley & Palmer]

What the bald one said

[Only one Trevor Morley]

To be fair I've got some sympathy, Reading cant really buy until they sell - not becuase they dont have the money, but because as in the case of Shorey until they had a firm offer there wasnt a need to replace.

So I back what they have done - but if we dont get replacements in for players who depart then I wont be happy.

I also think there is a severe under estimation of the ability of the team as it stands. Lita and Doyle are proven goal scroers in this division, Marek will be a class above. Hunt and Convey will be excellent in this league. I wouldnt want to swap our centre back pairing pairings for others in the dividision, and in pearce and karacan I think we have two young players who are like new signings, they'll definitely make a positive impact this season

So if we replace players with good replacement then I'll be more than happy - Mattock would fall into that category for me.......

[Southbank Old Boy]

To be fair I've got some sympathy, Reading cant really buy until they sell - not becuase they dont have the money, but because as in the case of Shorey until they had a firm offer there wasnt a need to replace.
So I back what they have done - but if we dont get replacements in for players who depart then I wont be happy.

I also think there is a severe under estimation of the ability of the team as it stands. Lita and Doyle are proven goal scroers in this division, Marek will be a class above. Hunt and Convey will be excellent in this league. I wouldnt want to swap our centre back pairing pairings for others in the dividision, and in pearce and karacan I think we have two young players who are like new signings, they'll definitely make a positive impact this season

So if we replace players with good replacement then I'll be more than happy - Mattock would fall into that category for me.......

There was a need to at the very least provide him with some serious competition because he'd be rubbish for 12 months.

He was almost certain to be leaving too, so we knew we had to replace him.

Some would argue, probably rightly, that on his performaces last season we should've been looking to replace him in the side even if he was staying! Obviously finances would've probably prevented us from doing that.

To say we didnt need to get in a left back before we'd completed his exit isn't quite accurate in my eyes.

[Big Ern]

A job well done on the car park protest judging by those voting figures then...

I don't think the problem is Coppell. The porblem is Madejski. We don't know to what extent Coppell's hands have been tied with regards to being competitive in the transfer market, and Coppell is hardly the sort of Manager to come out in public and say "I want to sign players but the chairman won't give me the funds required to do so"

The sooner Madejski sells the club the better IMO

[Southbank Old Boy]

A job well done on the car park protest judging by those voting figures then...

I don't think the problem is Coppell. The porblem is Madejski. We don't know to what extent Coppell's hands have been tied with regards to being competitive in the transfer market, and Coppell is hardly the sort of Manager to come out in public and say "I want to sign players but the chairman won't give me the funds required to do so"

The sooner Madejski sells the club the better IMO

I don't think Coppell is the type to continually come out and say it was his decision to not spend the money he had available either.

At no point has he really said that the Chairman isn't willing to back him. He's made a couple of comments about invest in ment being needed, but he's always said that the money is there if he wanted to spend it.

Obviously that money isn't a bottomless pit of wages and transfer fee's and so Coppell can't go and get anyone, but I don't get the impression from Coppell that JM is in any great way holding him back.