RUMOUR - Harper to Middlesborough

[winchester_royal]

IR

Tabb is a very different player to Marek. He may be small, but he is also strong and tenacious, as well as being technically gifted. Ideally him and Cisse would be an excellent CM partnership IMHO.

[Ian Royal]

Personally I'd say our best players are:

Doyle>SHunt>Harper=Matejovsky=Bikey=Hahnemann>the rest.


To answer you Stranded, no we don't HAVE to accept it, but we would be extremely foolish not to and would accept it at that value, when we have the bodies in place already to cope with his exit.

It would be a blow, but one we could afford to take for £7m and could actually lead to us developing a slightly new formation/tactic, which I think we'll need to do anyway if we go up.

W_R I didn't mean to suggest hat Tabb is a similar player to Marek, just that from what I've heard, he would need an excellent ball winner next to him, as would Marek. Unfortunately Cisse isn't good enough to be described that ay. At least not yet. Tabb would probably cope marginally better than Marek. But I don't think significantly well enough.

[Deathy]

To answer you Stranded, no we don't HAVE to accept it, but we would be extremely foolish not to and would accept it at that value, when we have the bodies in place already to cope with his exit.

Certainly is speculation, but as so often is the case, posted orginally as fact.

[Ian Royal]

To answer you Stranded, no we don't HAVE to accept it, but we would be extremely foolish not to and would accept it at that value, when we have the bodies in place already to cope with his exit.

Certainly is speculation, but as so often is the case, posted orginally as fact.

There is a difference between claiming to know what a player's wages or contract clauses are, or whether a transfer bid has been made or accepted and saying the club would accept a bid of a certain value. Although it's a close one.

[Sun Tzu]

To answer you Stranded, no we don't HAVE to accept it, but we would be extremely foolish not to and would accept it at that value, when we have the bodies in place already to cope with his exit.

Certainly is speculation, but as so often is the case, posted orginally as fact.

There is a difference between claiming to know what a player's wages or contract clauses are, or whether a transfer bid has been made or accepted and saying the club would accept a bid of a certain value. Although it's a close one.

You are more likely to know what a player is paid than you are to be able to second guess the club's reaction to a bid....

[Deathy]

[Ian Royal]

I don't see how that could possibly be the case unless someone makes a public statement.

I'll bow out graciously though, admitting that Deathy has tied me in knots with that one. The git.

[RobRoyal]

I don't see how that could possibly be the case unless someone makes a public statement.

I'll bow out graciously though, admitting that Deathy has tied me in knots with that one. The git.

Stand your ground Ian Royal. There's a difference between claiming your opinion is true and claiming your speculation is fact.

[Deathy]

Up your bum!

Are these rumours seriously talking about £7m for Harper? Does anyone actually scout our players?

Snap their hands off and give Jem and Cisse a go!

[Stranded]

Yes we could turn it down as we do not need to sell.

I do not want to lose any of our better players, of which Harper is one, unless we have a better replacement lined up.

Exactly where does Harper rate in your list of players then? When you say one of our better players, do you rate him top 3/5?? - if Harper went do you really think we would notice the difference in performance of team? He's good off the pitch - not so much on it

You would notice the difference trust me. Murty has said of Harper in the past, "If the Reading team is a car, then Harper is the engine oil - he keeps everything ticking over"

[Stranded]

To answer you Stranded, no we don't HAVE to accept it, but we would be extremely foolish not to and would accept it at that value, when we have the bodies in place already to cope with his exit.

It would be a blow, but one we could afford to take for £7m and could actually lead to us developing a slightly new formation/tactic, which I think we'll need to do anyway if we go up.

W_R I didn't mean to suggest hat Tabb is a similar player to Marek, just that from what I've heard, he would need an excellent ball winner next to him, as would Marek. Unfortunately Cisse isn't good enough to be described that ay. At least not yet. Tabb would probably cope marginally better than Marek. But I don't think significantly well enough.

I completely disagree. The only way we would accept it, IMO, is if Harper said he wants to leave. The club will see the value of the player as part of the side that is looking like getting us promoted, £7m is peanuts compared to that.

[Platypuss]

Exactly where does Harper rate in your list of players then? When you say one of our better players, do you rate him top 3/5?? - if Harper went do you really think we would notice the difference in performance of team? He's good off the pitch - not so much on it

You would notice the difference trust me. Murty has said of Harper in the past, "If the Reading team is a car, then Harper is the engine oil - he keeps everything ticking over"

If the Reading team was a car, it would have had an oil change at some time in the last 8 years.

[Stranded]

Can still be the same brand...

Anyway, £7m in - Arsenal get 40% of that leaves us with approx £4m...

[Focher]

ive just filled up my car with engine oil to make sure i can taxi Harper to Craven Cottage and make sure he signs for £7m. I will even pay for the petrol and not charge.

[CMRoyal]

Coppell's footballing knowledge + Hodgson's footballing knowledge > the combined footballing knowledge of HNA ^ 12

7m seems a lot to me, but if this really is how much these guys value Harps at, maybe we should be taking a look at our understanding of his role.

[Royal Rother]

Sometimes the departure of an ever-present is the making of others as it forces them to step up and assume a greater responsibility.

[Alan Partridge]

Well it's really £4million or so isn't it seeing as though we'll have to give a chunk to Arsenal. This season Karacan seems the absolute ready made imitation of Harper in the way that he plays. Energy, work rate, decent passer, although Karacan likes a tackle a bit more. I see Harper leaving as a blessing in all honesty, he isn't significantly better than the young Karacan anymore, plus there is Matejovsky and also Gunnarsson who could all partner Cisse fairly well. Harper for £4million or so is a no brainer and I would allow him to go personally.

[Snowball]

Sometimes the departure of an ever-present is the making of others as it forces them to step up and assume a greater responsibility.

Vierra replaced by FABREGAS

[Geekins]

I think personally Coppell has been too loyal to Harps. Now i like him, but form isn't there this season. We need to refresh the squad a little and i think Harp's would be one i would let go.

[Archie's penalty]

I want Harps to stay. He has been at Reading for almost all of my adult life and I still think he offers huge amounts to the club.

If he stays after Feb 1st his name will adorn my Replica shirt. I can think of no other honour to bestow on the man.