Royals duo facing summer exit

[JS28ZoD]

I'd like us to keep Cisse if we can't get another quality CB in. He played consistent as a CB in Portugal before we brought him to England, and I think he has all of the right attributes to be a top CB at championship level.

Marek on the other hand has flattered to decive throughout his time with us. If a decent offer comes in I don't think we should hesitate, but unfortunately I can't see where any sort of offer over £500k is going to come from.

[Allyh84]

Meh get rid of both. I used to love Matejovsky but he never produces week in week out and looks like he can't be arsed when the chips are down. Cisse is decent but we have decent dm's coming out of our ears.

We don't really need either player tbh. I say grab as much cash for both of them and run.

[papereyes]

Both are more than good enough to be playing every week in the Championship, but have never put together a consistent run of games and forced the manager to keep them in the team.

Sorry but if they've not put together a run of games, then perhaps they're not good enough to be playing every week ...

[Sun Tzu]

Both are more than good enough to be playing every week in the Championship, but have never put together a consistent run of games and forced the manager to keep them in the team.

Sorry but if they've not put together a run of games, then perhaps they're not good enough to be playing every week ...

No, perhaps they don't have the right attitude, or enough confidence, or fill the right 'gap' in the team.

Both have shown they have the ability (ie are 'good' enough....)

[papereyes]

I'd strongly suggest the first line would also mean that they're not good enough to play at the level we need them to.

[Sun Tzu]

I'd strongly suggest the first line would also mean that they're not good enough to play at the level we need them to.

I'd suggest we're making the same point. if you want to rearrange the words then I have no problem with that !!

[papereyes]

I just get a bit annoyed by fans who defend players that really aren't worth defending, tbh.

[Sun Tzu]

I just get a bit annoyed by fans who defend players that really aren't worth defending, tbh.

I wonder how my saying that we should move them on because they haven;t delivered and we cna use their wages better counts as 'defending' them ?

Also pointing out that they have, sometimes, done worthwhile things is no more than the truth.

[Wax Jacket]

Good point, but you have to look at the reasons. Long for example was just terribly unfit, due to Rodgers' lack of a fitness regime

LOL. Yeah it was all Rodgers' fault, nothing to do with Long at all.

I've said before that no professional athlete can blame anyone but themselves if they are not fit enough.

too busy hanging round with 14 year old girls eating ASDA pick n mix I reckon

[Hoop Blah]

I just get a bit annoyed by fans who defend players that really aren't worth defending, tbh.

I wonder how my saying that we should move them on because they haven;t delivered and we cna use their wages better counts as 'defending' them ?

Also pointing out that they have, sometimes, done worthwhile things is no more than the truth.

I'm a bit on same track as papereyes here.

There are thousands of players who are capable of the odd game at Championship level, or even capable of putting in a performance good enough to beat the big boys from the Premiership, but if their average game isn't at that level then they're plain and simple not good enough.

Of course players need to be used in the right way and with the right players around them to get the most out of them, but in Cisse and Mateovsky's case I'd say both have had more than enough chances to prove they capable of playing in the Championship and both have come up short.

[Wimb]

'greed with the fitness of the players being their own responsibility message. If Long felt he wasn't fit enough he could have spoken to the manager/physio etc and put in some extra work. He would have known if he was in the right condition to start the season.

Anyway OTOP...

Don't have a bad word to say about either of these guys. Both were brought to the club as Premier League players and both stuck with the side through relegation. In Marek's case it's worth remembering he was being highly touted and set to star in Euro 2008 before he got injured twice in a short space of time that summer.

That doesn't mean to say they should stay but I think both have had good moments in a Reading shirt and that should be remembered.

However as others have pointed out they haven't been able to put in consistant performances throughout their 2 1/2 - 3 seasons here and given the fact they will be on decent wages/can command a fee they should be shopped around.

Of the two I'd be happier for Cisse to stay given his potential to play CB but I won't be outraged if one or both are still here next season and allowed to see out their contracts.

[Hoop Blah]

Wasn't there a train of thought that Long had actually done too much of the wrong training over the summer and the reason he looked unift (fat) was because he'd been hitting the weights and the boxing training too much and he'd bulked up in muscle.

Conditioning is part of the managers job, but no player should really be unfit, and I don't think any of them are unless they're injured.

Being fit and being in the perfect condition for football is slightly different though, and perhaps Long had just got it wrong because he'd gone outside of what the club had asked him to do?

[papereyes]

Wasn't there a train of thought that Long had actually done too much of the wrong training over the summer and the reason he looked unift (fat) was because he'd been hitting the weights and the boxing training too much and he'd bulked up in muscle.

Yes.

I think with some justification.

[facaldaqui]

Wasn't there a train of thought that Long had actually done too much of the wrong training over the summer and the reason he looked unift (fat) was because he'd been hitting the weights and the boxing training too much and he'd bulked up in muscle.

It emerged later on in the season that Long had been carrying an injury earlier. This may have had some thing to do with his apparently poor condition and remarkably inept performances (which can't all be blamed on Rodgers, surely).

[Wimb]

It emerged later on in the season that Long had been carrying an injury earlier. This may have had some thing to do with his apparently poor condition and remarkably inept performances (which can't all be blamed on Rodgers, surely).

Woah there!, are you daring tosuggest on this board that Rodgers WASN'T at fault for something