Rumour - SHunt off

[BR2]

So... Harding in (SLL) and Tabb can also play left... I think the sale of Hunt is close. Thankfully.

My only grouse would be that we keep on buying players for the Championship rather than for the Premiership.

Isn't that sensible though ?
Seeing as we're in the Championship ?

We've got a core of players quite able to play in the Premiership and as and when the need arises we can add to them.

It would be sensible if we really did have that core of players.
As I see it there is Doyle and................severe doubts about everybody else.
Surely there should be some mix and matching in the sense that some players will get us up and others are integrated for a Premiership campaign.
I like the idea of a few on loan as back-up but it will be very difficult to integrate the 6 or 7 that we would need in the Premiership when we have to go shopping in the summer.

When we went up before we were far ahead of the rest and had so many players on the up,Kitson,Doyle,Harper,Sidwell,Shorey,Sonko but I fear this time we haven't done much in building for the future or rather a future in The Premiership.The likes of Bryn,Ivar,Duberry and Marcus will probably not feature.
I know it's not easy and unlike Wolves and Birmingham we seem to be about to lose one or two regulars but then life is not always easy.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Personally I don't think Hunt is going anywhere during this window.

Cue move to Spurs on Monday then

[Hampshire Royal]

I think most people on here were saying similar things to what BR is saying about our team after 2005/06 - good in CCC but not enough quality or experience for the Prem. What gave us such a good first Prem season wasn't necessarily the individual 'stars' that some people want us to sign, but the strong team ethic that Coppell seems able to instil in his teams.

I happen to believe that much the same thing will happen next season in the Prem (not 8th, but a reasonably successful mid-table season), although, as he quite rightly points out, this will be more difficult to achieve if we lose someone like Hunt who epitomises the way we are playing this season and, to a lesser extent, Harper.

[Alan Partridge]

I think most people on here were saying similar things to what BR is saying about our team after 2005/06 - good in CCC but not enough quality or experience for the Prem. What gave us such a good first Prem season wasn't necessarily the individual 'stars' that some people want us to sign, but the strong team ethic that Coppell seems able to instil in his teams.

I happen to believe that much the same thing will happen next season in the Prem (not 8th, but a reasonably successful mid-table season), although, as he quite rightly points out, this will be more difficult to achieve if we lose someone like Hunt who epitomises the way we are playing this season and, to a lesser extent, Harper.

The ultimate difference HR was that the Reading team that went up, lost 2 matches in 46, they scored 99 goals and got 106 points, they were absolutely head and shoulders above anything in the division.Player sin their prime flourished and again improved in the Prem.

The problem now is the current side isn't anywhere near that level, the players who were in their prime (Hahnemann, Murty, Ingimarsson, Harper, Little, Shorey, Kitson, Gunnarsson) Are all that much older or have departed. Also Sonko's decline after injury was another telling factor in last seasons relegation.

The team on this occassion would need major, expensive surgery right throughout for it to be competitive in the millionaires playground. If you look at the defense and midfield it was all here last season, and it failed. Another year on the legs isn't going to improve them so there would need to be change in the spine of the team. Doyle would also need a high quality partner as Noel Hunt I don't believe would find the Premiership easy.

Of course we need to get there first, our team/squad is more than good enough to be competitive at the right end of this division but put this team in the Premiership and how easily we give the ball away we'd get hammered in all honesty.

[Hampshire Royal]

You may be right, we'll have to wait and see. The things you're saying about the players who played well in our first Prem season are being said very much with hindsight. We just don't know how the current crop will fare. In any case, it's my belief that the team, rather than individual players, will determine next seasons Prem position.

[Alan Partridge]

You may be right, we'll have to wait and see. The things you're saying about the players who played well in our first Prem season are being said very much with hindsight. We just don't know how the current crop will fare. In any case, it's my belief that the team, rather than individual players, will determine next seasons Prem position.

I agree with you, the fact is Reading won't sign individuals, they never have, it's always been about team and rightly so. Of the current crop Rosenior and Armstrong would be fine, Cisse I think would be better this time, Matejovsky again the enigma might step up, Kebe too would have some sort of role, Doyle is easily good enough and I think Noel Hunt could play a part but not be as effective as he is now. After that there would be huge q marks to everyone else.

I just don't think it's like last time where we got 106, that's so good and so much better than everyone else it was more likely that team would do ok in the Premiership. 8th was above anyone's dreams but in hindsight maybe it shouldn't have been such a surprise?

The thing that worries me with Reading is how easily they've been beaten by teams that like to pass the ball. The huff and puff teams in this league have been dispatched easily, Reading out run and out battle most. But teams like Swansea, Southampton, Ipswich all beat Reading easily with the passing game. Even Doncaster gave them a hell of a scare. Wehen you consider the difference in quality of Premiership teams forward players we just would have to be better in posession. These teams will hurt you if you keep giving it away. That's what I mean by big improvements down the middle of the side.

[BR2]

You may be right, we'll have to wait and see. The things you're saying about the players who played well in our first Prem season are being said very much with hindsight. We just don't know how the current crop will fare. In any case, it's my belief that the team, rather than individual players, will determine next seasons Prem position.

I take your point HR and you know that I will think that Harper is more important than Hunt.
The problem as I see it is that it won't be the same team-Ivar and Duberry in particular will surely be too old and slow and our team of 2005-6 was not only streets ahead of the opposition (which this one isn't) but the starting eleven in The Premiership was little changed .
If Harper AND Hunt leave now that also means a change in how we play which may even be for the better but if we get promoted it will not be a team as settled in everything they do as the team of 2005-6 were.
I think we haven't seen the end of incoming transfers in this window.

[Deathy]

You may be right, we'll have to wait and see. The things you're saying about the players who played well in our first Prem season are being said very much with hindsight. We just don't know how the current crop will fare. In any case, it's my belief that the team, rather than individual players, will determine next seasons Prem position.

I take your point HR and you know that I will think that Harper is more important than Hunt.
The problem as I see it is that it won't be the same team-Ivar and Duberry in particular will surely be too old and slow and our team of 2005-6 was not only streets ahead of the opposition (which this one isn't) but the starting eleven in The Premiership was little changed .
If Harper AND Hunt leave now that also means a change in how we play which may even be for the better but if we get promoted it will not be a team as settled in everything they do as the team of 2005-6 were.
I think we haven't seen the end of incoming transfers in this window.

Coppell was quoted as wanting 2 players to boost what we had as he admitted we were vulnerable in areas.

I assume he didn't count Fae in that, as he was basically already gone.

Two have come in already. If 2 leave, then we should be adding 2 more to meet Coppell's comments.

I don't see 2 more coming in, but I can see 2 leaving and us being a weaker outfit for it, and still vulnerable.

[Hampshire Royal]

I take your point regarding Ingi and Dooberry, and yes, I think you're right that they will be too slow and old in the Prem. We do have Bikey and Pearcewho are more than adequate replacements - by all accounts Pearce is developing into quite a player.

As for the others, Federici is good enough for the Prem, as is Rosenior;
Armstrong, don't know but his performances this season haven't been bad;
Cisse will surely be better than last season and maybe Matejovsky will step up to the mark;
Kebe is a bit of an enigma, but cutting through all the usual crud that people are saying about him, he seems to be a player who will be able to create a lot in the Prem;
Doyle is a good striker who can create chances both on his own and, more importantly, with good service from midfield;
Maybe Lita will next season show the sort of form that I'm pretty sure he's capable of;
Who knows how players like Karacan, Henry and Kelly will fare in the Prem? Also Tabb and (maybe) Harding?

If we do keep Harper and Hunt we will have a good chance of doing reasonably well next year.

[Sun Tzu]

I'd also point out that the way we handled our promotion was exceptional - no one has has gone up, kept the same team and succeeded. Almost every promoted team makes substantial changes once they know they are up.

I totally agree that in an ideal world we'd sign top notch players who were happy to take Championship wages as foreward planning against a possible promotion but I'd guess it's not that easy to find such players.

[Alan Partridge]

I'd also point out that the way we handled our promotion was exceptional - no one has has gone up, kept the same team and succeeded. Almost every promoted team makes substantial changes once they know they are up.

I totally agree that in an ideal world we'd sign top notch players who were happy to take Championship wages as foreward planning against a possible promotion but I'd guess it's not that easy to find such players.

To sign them right now is nigh on impossible and not needed. Reading's current squad will make them finish in the top 3, hopefully top 2. It's at the end of the season when some ruthless management will need to take place. Seems harsh and you want to reward those that got you promoted but ultimately this is the same squad (with 1 or 2 exceptions) that got relegated the year before and will then be 2 years older. The likes of Ivar, Doobs, Murty, Marcus maybe, Gunnarsson and maybe a couple of others it could be a case of thank you very very much but it's time to move on.

[winchester_royal]

Apparently Newcastle are poised to sign Ryan Taylor, Wigan's current LM. Could this prompt them into buying Shunt?

[boy1985]

Apparently Newcastle are poised to sign Ryan Taylor, Wigan's current LM. Could this prompt them into buying Shunt?

I'm pretty sure he's been playing out of postion on the left anyway so I would of thought they'd want Hunt regardless

[Focher]

Apparently Newcastle are poised to sign Ryan Taylor, Wigan's current LM. Could this prompt them into buying Shunt?

N'Zogbia going other way so no

[Hoop Blah]

Apparently Newcastle are poised to sign Ryan Taylor, Wigan's current LM. Could this prompt them into buying Shunt?

I'm pretty sure he's been playing out of postion on the left anyway so I would of thought they'd want Hunt regardless

He used to be a right back/wing back. Wigan then moved him further forward on the right and have now switched him over to the left.

[West Stand Flash]

My House make is a regular on Spurs equivalent of this site. Apparently their "ITK" states Hunt is going to Spurs. we will see.

Based on past 2 months performances, who will miss him? Campbell-Ryce to replace him, Kebe moved over to the left. no loss.

[Coppell's Right Footed 11]

No Great Loss?

He has 16 Assists this season, thats 6 behind what Glen Little had the year we hit 106.

A lot maybe set pieces, but you have to be able to deliver a decent ball and that is exactly what he has been doing even playing badly.

If Hunt leaves we will miss his tenacity and set pieces to allow us to win games when we aren't playing well.

We will miss him a lot more than people think

[Sun Tzu]

We will miss him a lot more than people think

Or a lot less depending on who repalces him !

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

We will miss him a lot more than people think

Or a lot less depending on who repalces him !

Are there any good £300k wingers out there??

[Deathy]

We will miss him a lot more than people think

Or a lot less depending on who repalces him !

His replacement has already arrived. Tabb and Harding both very comfy down the left.

If any Reading fan expects another player to come in if Hunt leaves, they're very sadly mistaken.