New Signings ?

[brendywendy]

The, errr, strong team spirit we showed in the 07/08 season where players refused to play reserve team matches and we had to ship one player out on loan because of the trouble he was causing?

Yeah. That strong team spirit.

with hindsight, we lost it anyway

[Royalee]

i can do nothing but agree with that statement thats for sure!

you think its a good idea,& id be more cautious in thowing him in as a young teen at the top level.
perhaps he would have shone in the prem, perhaps the step up may have brought even more quality out of the lad,
who knows who is right,
i hope he is still here next time we make it up and captains us to chamions league glory

Lol, fair enough. Made me chuckle because he actually has on my Reading FM save. Back to reality though, I think the rave reviews Rodgers is getting from our younger players is a sign of how much they look up to him and the confidence he fills them with, which may not have been there under the previous stewardship, which can only be a good thing.

[brendywendy]

despite the cunningly disgused dig at coppell and co,

i agree

cant wait for the new season

[SteveRoyal]

despite the cunningly disgused dig at coppell and co,

i agree

cant wait for the new season

Agreed.

[Platypuss]

I think the rave reviews Rodgers is getting from our younger players is a sign of how much they look up to him and the confidence he fills them with, which may not have been there under the previous stewardship, which can only be a good thing.

Fringe players in bigging up new manager shocker...

[Ian Royal]

I think the rave reviews Rodgers is getting from our younger players is a sign of how much they look up to him and the confidence he fills them with, which may not have been there under the previous stewardship, which can only be a good thing.

Fringe players in bigging up new manager shocker...

Who've also worked with him before and hope their experiences with him will stand them in good stead for getting into the team

[No Hoops]

Well it seems we are just selling the best players now, and not getting any new ones in.
Instead we sign new contracts with the positively geriatric Gunnarsson.

Am I the only one a bit concerned about this development?

Probably

[Royalee]

Well it seems we are just selling the best players now, and not getting any new ones in.
Instead we sign new contracts with the positively geriatric Gunnarsson.

Am I the only one a bit concerned about this development?

It's June.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Well it seems we are just selling the best players now, and not getting any new ones in.
Instead we sign new contracts with the positively geriatric Gunnarsson.

Am I the only one a bit concerned about this development?

Probably

Not any other teams picking people up.

Still plenty of time.

[Gordons Cumming]

Don't worry boys, everyone is till on their hols.

Plenty of time.

We'll have a good solid challenging team for next season.

I have no doubt about it.

Rodgers will push Coppell for legendship, mark my words.

[SteveRoyal]

Don't worry boys, everyone is till on their hols.

Plenty of time.

We'll have a good solid challenging team for next season.

I have no doubt about it.

Rodgers will push Coppell for legendship, mark my words.

Positivity and optimism on HNA? Get out.

Agreed, however.

[Old Biscuitman]

I suspect that the principal way in which Rodgers will match Coppell will be in the frugality of new player signings, both cost and quantity. But I hope that he goes further than a combination of "promising ones for the future" and experienced has-beens. The extent to which he does so will tell us about the grip of the Madjeski shackles, now and in the past.

[rhroyal]

I'd happily have traded Oster, Halls, Sodje, Bennett, S Hunt and Duberry for a top class player who'd actually improve the squad. I think the wages squandered on those would have amounted to a decent wage at the very least.

SHunt was great up to January in 07/08 and we'd have been very light without Duberry. I agree with the other 4 players though, you make a valid point. Just took it too far beyond reason, into the downright ridiculous.

[Ian Royal]

I'd happily have traded Oster, Halls, Sodje, Bennett, S Hunt and Duberry for a top class player who'd actually improve the squad. I think the wages squandered on those would have amounted to a decent wage at the very least.

SHunt was great up to January in 07/08 and we'd have been very light without Duberry. I agree with the other 4 players though, you make a valid point. Just took it too far beyond reason, into the downright ridiculous.

Yeah, that would have left us with precisely zero fit first team wingers. Or one who was even further off the quality we needed than Oster if you count Kebe.

It probably would have left us with the odd game only having one fit and available centreback. Assuming we are talking Premier League time.

[Jeffers217]

I'd happily have traded Oster, Halls, Sodje, Bennett, S Hunt and Duberry for a top class player who'd actually improve the squad. I think the wages squandered on those would have amounted to a decent wage at the very least.

SHunt was great up to January in 07/08 and we'd have been very light without Duberry. I agree with the other 4 players though, you make a valid point. Just took it too far beyond reason, into the downright ridiculous.

I can quite frankly say we'd be a premiership team if we didn't have Duberry last season as Pearce would've played with Bikey and mistakes wouldn't have been made. And no S Hunt was never great mate- he stood out in a terrible team

[Royalwaster]

I'd happily have traded Oster, Halls, Sodje, Bennett, S Hunt and Duberry for a top class player who'd actually improve the squad. I think the wages squandered on those would have amounted to a decent wage at the very least.

SHunt was great up to January in 07/08 and we'd have been very light without Duberry. I agree with the other 4 players though, you make a valid point. Just took it too far beyond reason, into the downright ridiculous.

I can quite frankly say we'd be a premiership team if we didn't have Duberry last season as Pearce would've played with Bikey and mistakes wouldn't have been made. And no S Hunt was never great mate- he stood out in a terrible team

I can remember Pearce making a terrible mistake early on this season against no other than Watford - at the time really struggling to win anything, let alone a Prem side - when he was caught out ball watching. Believe me that kind of thing would have been punished more regularly in the Prem. And does that mean you would have dropped Ingi?

[Focher]

Dont get me started on Duberry, just look at the stats with him in the team last season compared to him out. They paint a pretty poor picture for him.

[rhroyal]

Pearce was not ready to play in the Premiership in 07/08 and would have been no better than Duberry. Doobs had a considerably better season in 07/08 than he did in 08/09 and people on here make him a scapegoat far too often. People point to the defensive record. They forget that the backline included an over the hill Murty, Nicky "I don't want to play for Reading any more I'm God" Shorey, who really was poor. Then we had the Sonko, giving away a penalty every other game before refusing to play for the reserves. We'd lost Sidwell's battling in midfield and subsequent protection of the back 4 he provided.

Who's fault was it that we conceded so many goals? Duberry's.

[Alan Partridge]

I'd happily have traded Oster, Halls, Sodje, Bennett, S Hunt and Duberry for a top class player who'd actually improve the squad. I think the wages squandered on those would have amounted to a decent wage at the very least.

SHunt was great up to January in 07/08 and we'd have been very light without Duberry. I agree with the other 4 players though, you make a valid point. Just took it too far beyond reason, into the downright ridiculous.

I can quite frankly say we'd be a premiership team if we didn't have Duberry last season as Pearce would've played with Bikey and mistakes wouldn't have been made. And no S Hunt was never great mate- he stood out in a terrible team

absolute load of crap, it was Duberry's fault that Reading didn't score a goal at home for about 3 months then.

[winchester_royal]

Absolutely right AP.

And those who honestly believe that Pearce wouldn't have been murdered in the Prem clearly have oxf*rd all footballing knowledge.