NO LONGER A RUMOUR - Karl Sheppard

[winchester_royal]

Expect this to be announced tomorrow.

[M-U-R-T-Y]

I'm Karl Sheppard, and this is my favourite club on the Citadel.

(Expects no-one to get the reference)

[tomrfcurz]

Seems all but confirmed judging by the rumours. Will be interesting to see what we do with him in terms of - does he come into the first team or are we waiting a few years before we see him there? Doyle thrived on being chucked straight in at the deep end and personally i think it can be more beneficial than negative by doing it.

At least you can pull them out of the team if they aren't performing and as a striker they shouldn't be making too many mistakes that cost you points by having them there. It's a lot easier to take a struggling player out of a team than try and mould one to fit a team (in my opinion, naturally this isnt always the case at all).

[Svlad Cjelli]

He had a medical yesterday so looks like it's getting closer - may well be announced tomorrow.

[specialjon]

Aren't you guys used to being let down yet?

Expect to see him in a west ham, leeds, cardiff,etc shirt in a few days.

Looks like you've got it wrong. Again.

[fozziebear]

Jonny Fordham (@JonnyFordham)
10/01/2012 22:00
Karl Sheppard had initial medical at #readingfc on Monday. No contract talks yet - full story in @getreading on Weds #shamrockrovers

[floyd__streete]

If he can dislodge Baseya from the reserve team and start notching against Reading University then he'll clearly be one to watch.

[FiNeRaIn]

If he can dislodge Baseya from the reserve team and start notching against Reading University then he'll clearly be one to watch.

[specialjon]

If he can dislodge Baseya from the reserve team and start notching against Reading University then he'll clearly be one to watch.

Have you seen him play or are you just writing him off for no reason?

[Z175]

Obviously the immediate reaction is why another striker who is unproven at this level.

Yet while he will be the 8th senior striker on our books, they are all different ages. At 21 years in February, Sheppard will be the youngest and having 2 goal scoring seasons to his name and Euro experience must make him seem a better prospect than Bignall, Williams and Baseya. The injury ravaged Hunt will be 30 when Sheppard turns 23, so probably we're looking at Noel's replacement, so probably a good signing for the future. Our development squad and academy is teaming with goalies, midfielders and a fair few defenders, but I believe we only have 3 or 4 18-21 year old strikers at the club.

Clearly Baseya and Williams were low-cost gambles, so its easy to assume that this means they didn't work out. But they are quite a bit older in footballing terms, so more damning for them is failure to get anywhere near the first team at present.

Sheppard's imminent arrival probably most threatens Bignall. Also makes you realise Church is still young.

Strikers by age

28 Hunt
25 Le Fondre
24 Baseya
24 Williams
23 Church
22 Manset
21 Bignall
(20 Sheppard)
19 Walcott
18 Ugwu
18 Murphy

[Tilehurst End]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrZgeAi6 ... re=related

Seems to thrive on decent service from wide. Anyone spot a potential problem?

[Ferris]

Can also play wide right according to JF

[YateleyRoyal]

FFS I'm fed up of people writing him off. He may not have experience at this level but has regular experience of Europe, something that no-one else in our squad can claim to have.

[Hoop Blah]

FFS I'm fed up of people writing him off. He may not have experience at this level but has regular experience of Europe, something that no-one else in our squad can claim to have.

I can't see us playing in European competition for a few years yet so I'm not sure what relevance that really has.

Not writing him off at all myself, but having not seen him play I can't really comment on his ability. Experience tells me that buying cheap gambles isn't the most successful policy for the kind of immediate fixes/additions I think we could do with at the moment.

He may or may not be seen as one of those quick fixes to come straight into the team, I've no idea how McDermott sees him fitting in, but if he is then I'd be surprised if he has an immediate positive impact.

[Simon's Church]

I also wouldn't really describe 3 or 4 games as regular experience of Europe. Not that it makes much difference anyway, Church has regular experience of International football...

[Svlad Cjelli]

FFS I'm fed up of people writing him off. He may not have experience at this level but has regular experience of Europe, something that no-one else in our squad can claim to have.

I can't see us playing in European competition for a few years yet so I'm not sure what relevance that really has.

Not writing him off at all myself, but having not seen him play I can't really comment on his ability. Experience tells me that buying cheap gambles isn't the most successful policy for the kind of immediate fixes/additions I think we could do with at the moment.

He may or may not be seen as one of those quick fixes to come straight into the team, I've no idea how McDermott sees him fitting in, but if he is then I'd be surprised if he has an immediate positive impact.

People said the same when we bought two unknowns from Cork City a few years ago.

If just one gamble in 20 works out we're still well ahead of the curve - he'll be relatively cheap and worth taking the risk on.,

[Extended-Phenotype]

Oh God. Are people still dining out on those signings made seven f///ing years ago?

What unknowns have worked out since?

[Svlad Cjelli]

Oh God. Are people still dining out on those signings made seven f///ing years ago?

What unknowns have worked out since?

And what have those failed unknowns actually cost us? One Kevin Doyle pays for about 50 unknowns.

[Hoop Blah]

People said the same when we bought two unknowns from Cork City a few years ago.

If just one gamble in 20 works out we're still well ahead of the curve - he'll be relatively cheap and worth taking the risk on.,

And one had a pretty immediate impact, the other one took 4 years to really find his feet (obviously his age and experience being a contribution).

If you read my post I did specifically mention the need for an immediate impact (and whether this would be the aim of his signing). If you look at all the 'gambles' we'd made and work out which ones have worked (long term not even short term) you'll see exactly why I said experience tells me it's not the most successful policy.

[Hoop Blah]

Oh God. Are people still dining out on those signings made seven f///ing years ago?

What unknowns have worked out since?

And what have those failed unknowns actually cost us? One Kevin Doyle pays for about 50 unknowns.

Financially or in terms of squad places taken to the detriment of both Academy prospects or pushing us to sign players capable of playing in the first team?