New Signings ?

[Gordons Cumming]

I liked his post until he lost all credibility with me.

Plus I want to see "Long Cox" on the team sheet.

[Plymouth_Royal]

Posted on another forum:

If I were Rodgers, clearly with the desire and skill to develop players, I would:

Get Cox back from Swindon, given that Rodgers could continue the good work that he started and take him to being a Premiership player - not only that, but we would get a decent deal as we could wipe out the 20-40% (whoever you believe) clause in place.

I would then get Rodgers on the phone to his best mates, Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan and the Chelsea management team - get in some players on loan and take their judgements on the market-wide buys suitable for this level. There's the scouting network. So Jack Cork, Michael Machienne, Scott Sinclair et al, then one or two Italian prodigies. Who knows.

Then an experienced centre-forward with leadership qualities, whether or not we keep Doyle (I expect not). If we lose Doyle then a young and hungry player would do well enough alongside Long and N Hunt. Cox would probably do this job fully. Plus I want to see "Long Cox" on the team sheet.

We have been linked with Lee Bowyer who has even spoken out on a move to Reading - for all his hatable attributes - would be a fantastic addition to the midfield and the sort of player that would thrive in our centre as finally a replacement for Sidwell after 2 years.

Oh, and Tommy Smith, given that it seems likely and has plenty of quality to add. Other than I would focus our energies on trimming down the squad and bringing through the youth players who all look capable of making the step up, if not to Premiership level then as fine performers at this level. We don't need a big squad of players, as evidenced by the 106 season, Chelsea's philosophy under Mourinho, and Burnley's promotion this year.

great post.

but i dont agree with all of this. You talk about trimming down the squad and integrating the youth players into the first team. but earlier you mention bringing in bowyer, cork and possibly someone else in the middle. We already have a lot of cm's in marek, harper, cisse, karacan, tabb, davies, sigurdsson and possibly gunnarsson. I can see the latter going somewhere else and harper moving on but that still leaves a good amount of centre midfielders. Davies has just signed a new 2 year deal at 21 so he's clearly been told he's close to the first team, karacan has played and sigurdsson must be ready for the first team by now so why would we need a cm when he can integrate these young guys into the first 16.
But i definitely would like to see a left winger, centreback, left back and a striker as doyle and mooney maybe pushed on. Mancienne would be quality but I think he's too close to the first team at chelsea. Would love to see coxy back here but as you'll see from my extremely, laughable post in the speculation (according to most of you), he wont come back. Tommy smith would be a great buy to play on the wing or up front.

[fester_royal]

with the noises coming from those up strairs, i really dont see many if any coming in. We have a large squad of players for this division, and if anything I can see the 'powers' wanting to trim it down. If we manage to trim it down then maybe, just maybe will 'Buck' be given money to strengthen. hopefully with some quality rather than cover, for ages I've looked at our bench and never felt confident that theres someone there who can change a game. Our opposition always seem to have that super sub..we have Long! (not that thats a bad reflection on him, hes just not the worlds greatest)

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

Id like to see Rodgers build the team around Marek - he has undoubted quality, but I dont think that Coppell got the best out of him and we never saw the best of him - he would be like a new signing, with impact, if Rodgers makes him a mainstay in the team

[brendywendy]

i think brynn needs keeping, mainly as a bit of experience amongst the kids in there
especially if harps goes.
all these kids are good, karacan has proved it for us, gylfi at a lower level etcm but its too much to expect them going into a season with little or no old heads in and around them

plus i dont see brynn having ever let us down, when he plays we do well, and when he doesnt we tend to start to struggle
he is injury prone at his age, but that fits with giving the kids a go too.

[Harry Carry]

LOL @ Reading

Everytime I look on the BBC sport pages it's always "Rodgers confirmed as Reading manager".

No news is good news as they say. Although all the decent players will have been snapped up by the time Reading get their finger out.

[Alan Partridge]

LOL @ Reading

Everytime I look on the BBC sport pages it's always "Rodgers confirmed as Reading manager".

No news is good news as they say. Although all the decent players will have been snapped up by the time Reading get their finger out.

Terms of signings IN I doubt much will happen before early July for Reading, gives Rodgers a week or two of training with them to work out where needs strengthening and with whom.

[Harry Carry]

LOL @ Reading

Everytime I look on the BBC sport pages it's always "Rodgers confirmed as Reading manager".

No news is good news as they say. Although all the decent players will have been snapped up by the time Reading get their finger out.

Terms of signings IN I doubt much will happen before early July for Reading, gives Rodgers a week or two of training with them to work out where needs strengthening and with whom.

But having probably seen Reading numerous times last season and knowing who's left, he should already know that, giving him a head start.

[Stranded]

Not really, there could well be a number of younger players he doesn't know about who he'll deem ready to step up.

[Archie's penalty]

This is possibly the most boring part of the offseason. Are all the players on their hols at the mo?

I still miss Coppell.

4,000 posts. YAY!

[brendywendy]

preseason starts the 1st or 2nd week in july i believe

[Barry the bird boggler]

preseason starts the 1st or 2nd week in july i believe

6th July for Reading. BR is also expected to take a brief holiday towards the end of this month. But as Squeaky deals with player contracts anyway that shouldn't hold up buying or selling anyone.

[Harry Carry]

I can see hammond luring in decent players. Afterall, he was a World Class player and highly respected in the game.

[brendywendy]

I can see hammond luring in decent players. Afterall, he was a World Class player and highly respected in the game.

florentino perez was neither either , and he seems to manage it ok!

[Franchise FC]

I can see hammond luring in decent players. Afterall, he was a World Class player and highly respected in the game.

florentino perez was neither either , and he seems to manage it ok!

Is the budget the same ?

[brendywendy]

I can see hammond luring in decent players. Afterall, he was a World Class player and highly respected in the game.

florentino perez was neither either , and he seems to manage it ok!

Is the budget the same ?

no, but then budget had nothing to do with the post i was replying to, as harry was making the point that squeaky wouldnt be able to attract players because he wasnt a world class player, or highly respected in the game


and it was kind of a joke too.

[Franchise FC]

florentino perez was neither either , and he seems to manage it ok!

Is the budget the same ?

no, but then budget had nothing to do with the post i was replying to, as harry was making the point that squeaky wouldnt be able to attract players because he wasnt a world class player, or highly respected in the game


and it was kind of a joke too.

so was mine

[brendywendy]

oh

[Snowball]

But if we get Tommy Smith and he reproduces this season's
form we have a winger who can score 18 goals

That's a lot of ifs.

When did one "if" equal "a lot of ifs"?

At push there is one more implied "if" but every player, every new season, has that "if" against his name

[Snowball]

That's a lot of uncertainty. Better?

If, implied if and can.

If we sign Brayson and he can improve 7000%, we have a striker who can score 30 goals.

You off on one AGAIN, Ian?

The "if" around signing is not huge. Smith's contract is running down, the Watford owners are broke, they've said they are prepared to sell, our manager was theirs so knows the player, the player knows our manager.

And as I said, reproducing form, well that's an if that applies to every player