RUMOUR - Andrew Surman

[strap]

Deal called off,says in the sun due to Harper not going to boro.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 578092.stm

Really hope this is yet more lazy jouralism. If not, it TOTALLY blows Mr Ego's lie out of the water. Money is available for transfers my oxf*rd arse! Mr Ego instructed Sir Steve to sell if he wanted to buy. Well Sir Steve kept to his side of the bargain, netting £7.5M profit from Kitson and SHorey, after allowing for Orient's cut. £600k for Noel Hunt, £200k for David Mooney should leave a goodly chunk left for a left back you would have thought?

Linking any Harper deal to any further purchases SHOULD be a load of nonsense! Given it's The SUn reporting it, reckon we should give Mr Ego a benefit of doubt - just!

[readingbedding]

Deal called off,says in the sun due to Harper not going to boro.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 578092.stm

Really hope this is yet more lazy jouralism. If not, it TOTALLY blows Mr Ego's lie out of the water. Money is available for transfers my oxf*rd arse! Mr Ego instructed Sir Steve to sell if he wanted to buy. Well Sir Steve kept to his side of the bargain, netting £7.5M profit from Kitson and SHorey, after allowing for Orient's cut. £600k for Noel Hunt, £200k for David Mooney should leave a goodly chunk left for a left back you would have thought?

Linking any Harper deal to any further purchases SHOULD be a load of nonsense! Given it's The SUn reporting it, reckon we should give Mr Ego a benefit of doubt - just!

Keep playing with those spreadsheets jockstrap.

[Streets]

Deal called off,says in the sun due to Harper not going to boro.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 578092.stm

Really hope this is yet more lazy jouralism. If not, it TOTALLY blows Mr Ego's lie out of the water. Money is available for transfers my oxf*rd arse! Mr Ego instructed Sir Steve to sell if he wanted to buy. Well Sir Steve kept to his side of the bargain, netting £7.5M profit from Kitson and SHorey, after allowing for Orient's cut. £600k for Noel Hunt, £200k for David Mooney should leave a goodly chunk left for a left back you would have thought?

Linking any Harper deal to any further purchases SHOULD be a load of nonsense! Given it's The SUn reporting it, reckon we should give Mr Ego a benefit of doubt - just!

Keep playing with those spreadsheets jockstrap.

He's right in the sense that we shouldn't STILL be relying on sales to buy.

Personally I don't think we would have paid the sort of £2m figure Saints reportedly wanted anyway. It was just a mix of paper talk and RFC wanting to look like they're ambitious.

Armstrong is the more likely if we're buying anyone because he IS within our means. That or a loan deal for this Gibbs lad.

[John Peel]

I wouldn't worry, knowing the Sun it is just lazy journalism. John M's recent comments make me worried that it's true though.

[Streets]

The Sun only ripped the story off from http://www.thisishampshire.net yesterday anyway.

[Arch]

I suspect what we need in that spot is a real defender, so Surman is probably not our guy. That's more likely to be the reason we've gone off him if we were ever on him. I'm warming up to the idea of Armstrong.

[Wycombe Royal]

I'm warming up to the idea of Armstrong.

Who according to Blades fans is more of a winger than a left back. Sound familiar?

[UpNorth]

Would Armstrong want to come to Reading?

We don't look like strong contenders at this stage. He may decide to stay here in Sheffield.

[Ian Royal]

Deal called off,says in the sun due to Harper not going to boro.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 578092.stm

Really hope this is yet more lazy jouralism. If not, it TOTALLY blows Mr Ego's lie out of the water. Money is available for transfers my oxf*rd arse! Mr Ego instructed Sir Steve to sell if he wanted to buy. Well Sir Steve kept to his side of the bargain, netting £7.5M profit from Kitson and SHorey, after allowing for Orient's cut. £600k for Noel Hunt, £200k for David Mooney should leave a goodly chunk left for a left back you would have thought?

Linking any Harper deal to any further purchases SHOULD be a load of nonsense! Given it's The SUn reporting it, reckon we should give Mr Ego a benefit of doubt - just!

Unless Surman was only ever intended as a replacement for Harper, in which case there is no need to bring him in if Harper is staying. If he was intended as a left back Harper coming or going should make no difference.

[juanpablo]

Deal called off,says in the sun due to Harper not going to boro.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 578092.stm

Really hope this is yet more lazy jouralism. If not, it TOTALLY blows Mr Ego's lie out of the water. Money is available for transfers my oxf*rd arse! Mr Ego instructed Sir Steve to sell if he wanted to buy. Well Sir Steve kept to his side of the bargain, netting £7.5M profit from Kitson and SHorey, after allowing for Orient's cut. £600k for Noel Hunt, £200k for David Mooney should leave a goodly chunk left for a left back you would have thought?

Linking any Harper deal to any further purchases SHOULD be a load of nonsense! Given it's The SUn reporting it, reckon we should give Mr Ego a benefit of doubt - just!

Unless Surman was only ever intended as a replacement for Harper, in which case there is no need to bring him in if Harper is staying. If he was intended as a left back Harper coming or going should make no difference.

surely it effects the amount of money we have to spend

[Ian Royal]

We've already pulled in ~£6m in fees and spent about £500k. Add to that Madejski generally making money available if the player is right and we have the cash if we find the right player.

The problem is Coppell appears to have gone into terminal cautious mode. I'm presuming we had a left back target we were going for but something has ballsed up somewhere and now we're buggered trying to find a new one.

[Barry the bird boggler]

800k spent so far; Hunt for 600k and Mooney for 200k leaving 6.2 million of the 7 million gained up front for Shorey and Kitson, even allowing 20% for Orient that still leaves over 5.5 million to spend plus the monies gained through the fact that Mooney and Hunt combined aren't going to be earning the same as Kitson and Shorey combined.

Next I expect a whole load of nothing to happen and SC to decide he's happy with what he's got as if there's an emergency he can always go into the loan market during the season anyway.

Meanwhile Birmingham have ambition....

[UpNorth]

Is the deal back on?

The Chronic is speculating we are in negotiations with Soton again...


Hammond also confirmed talks are progressing with two players Coppell is targeting. One is thought to be Southampton youngster Andrew Surman, who can play left-back or in midfield.

“I’m moving discussions forward with a couple of players from outside the club,” added Hammond. ““We like to do our business privately and when we will let people know as soon as something happens.”

Are we just strenghtening the squad or does this mean Hunt/Harper are off?

[UpNorth]

More from thishampshire site

Reading leading chase for Surman
6:00am Wednesday 31st December 2008

Comments (9) Have your say »



READING could be among the front runners to sign Andrew Surman next month, writes ADAM LEITCH.

The Daily Echo understands that Saints’ Championship rivals are interested in the 22-year-old, who missed his first league game of the season against the Royals at St Mary’s last Sunday due to an ankle injury.

Reading were keen on Surman back in the summer, targeting him to play at left-back following the departure of Nicky Shorey to Aston Villa.

But Royals boss Steve Coppell instead signed Sheffield United’s Chris Armstrong to play in that role after a series of transfers that would have funded a potential bid for Surman fell through.

Surman – a locally-raised lad who would not have to move away from his family and friends were he to sign for the Berkshire club – had ended last season playing at left back under Nigel Pearson and earning impressive reviews.

He also started this season in that position under Jan Poortvliet, but was moved to his usual midfield position in September and is currently the club’s second top scorer with five goals.

Birmingham were also monitoring Surman back in the early part of the season, while Stoke have previously been linked with a move for him.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis, though, is believed to be ready to bid over £6m for Cardiff’s left sided Welsh international Joe Ledley this month, and if successful would be unlikely to want to shell out on Surman as well.

Along with Surman, Adam Lallana remains Saints’ most bankable asset Saints successfully fought off an approach from Fulham for the playmaker last summer, and the Daily Echo understands the Cottagers have since cooled their interest.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Are we just strenghtening the squad or does this mean Hunt/Harper are off?

In the EP on Tuesday SC was reported as saying he wants to strengthen in two areas, one of which is up front.

Would be surprised about Surman as SC also said he thinks he is well covered in midfield which only really leaves the left back role and I can't see Surman playing second fiddle there.

[Mr Angry]

But we need cover at left back, and IF SHunt does go this month, buying Surman would give us a left sided midfielder AND someone who could fill in at left back if needed. Surman would also be part of the strengthening of the squad SHOULD we get promoted.

The big negative against that theory is that SSC has stated that he likes specialists and is against "utility" players.

[Ian Royal]

Are we just strenghtening the squad or does this mean Hunt/Harper are off?

In the EP on Tuesday SC was reported as saying he wants to strengthen in two areas, one of which is up front.

Would be surprised about Surman as SC also said he thinks he is well covered in midfield which only really leaves the left back role and I can't see Surman playing second fiddle there.

Does Surman play central midfield or left midfield?

If it's left he could be a replacement for Convey which would probably be strengtherning. Or SHunt, which probably wouldn't.

[Southbank Old Boy]

But we need cover at left back, and IF SHunt does go this month, buying Surman would give us a left sided midfielder AND someone who could fill in at left back if needed. Surman would also be part of the strengthening of the squad SHOULD we get promoted.

The big negative against that theory is that SSC has stated that he likes specialists and is against "utility" players.

Thats what he's always said, but he loved to play Gunnarsson all over the place, used Hughes in many positions, and was happy to play both Bikey and Cisse out of position last season at times. He was also apparently happy to go into the season with Hunt as our left back, signed Rosenoir and played him on the wing and has used both Convey and Hunt on the right wing at times too

Actions speak louder than words

[SCIAG]

But we need cover at left back, and IF SHunt does go this month, buying Surman would give us a left sided midfielder AND someone who could fill in at left back if needed. Surman would also be part of the strengthening of the squad SHOULD we get promoted.

The big negative against that theory is that SSC has stated that he likes specialists and is against "utility" players.

Thats what he's always said, but he loved to play Gunnarsson all over the place, used Hughes in many positions, and was happy to play both Bikey and Cisse out of position last season at times. He was also apparently happy to go into the season with Hunt as our left back, signed Rosenoir and played him on the wing and has used both Convey and Hunt on the right wing at times too

Actions speak louder than words

Doyle on the right too, Fae on the right, half the team on the right, Seol up front, SHunt up front and in midfield, Shorey in midfield...

[Ian Royal]

But we need cover at left back, and IF SHunt does go this month, buying Surman would give us a left sided midfielder AND someone who could fill in at left back if needed. Surman would also be part of the strengthening of the squad SHOULD we get promoted.

The big negative against that theory is that SSC has stated that he likes specialists and is against "utility" players.

Thats what he's always said, but he loved to play Gunnarsson all over the place, used Hughes in many positions, and was happy to play both Bikey and Cisse out of position last season at times. He was also apparently happy to go into the season with Hunt as our left back, signed Rosenoir and played him on the wing and has used both Convey and Hunt on the right wing at times too

Actions speak louder than words

Cisse wasn't played out of position, we moved him to midfield, previously he was a centreback. On the doobery crossbar challenge video this season he even described himself as "Defender"

I interpret Coppell's actions and words as prefering specialist players for first choice, but likes to have players who are adaptable and intelligent enough to do a job elsewhere when called upon.