NO LONGER A RUMOUR - Karl Sheppard

[Extended-Phenotype]

So in order to find a player to make an immediate impact, we need to sign 50 players in January.

[Pepe the Horseman]

So in order to find a player to make an immediate impact, we need to sign 50 players in January.

It's what Tommy Burns (RIP in peace) would have wanted.

[Svlad Cjelli]

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.

Is he being bought as an "immediate impact" player, though? Perhaps there are other irons in the fire there.

[Svlad Cjelli]

So in order to find a player to make an immediate impact, we need to sign 50 players in January.

Utterly convoluted "logic" there....

[M-U-R-T-Y]

It's completely logical to relate a young Irish signing to Doyle and Long - let's just hope he's not a Mooney.

[Hoop Blah]

Is he being bought as an "immediate impact" player, though? Perhaps there are other irons in the fire there.

I don't know, hence why I said so in my post.

You're the one who seems to be arguing against what I posted being realistic.

[Svlad Cjelli]

Is he being bought as an "immediate impact" player, though? Perhaps there are other irons in the fire there.

I don't know, hence why I said so in my post.

You're the one who seems to be arguing against what I posted being realistic.

I was responding to the "people writing him off" which you quoted in your post,

[M-U-R-T-Y]

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.

Is he being bought as an "immediate impact" player, though? Perhaps there are other irons in the fire there.

Possibly -

http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/footb ... s_sheppard

He said: “He has been watched by us and other clubs as well. I haven’t heard anything confirmed as of yet, though.

“He is one of several players we could possibly move for.”

[Tilehurst End]

“He is one of several players we could possibly move for.”

Read as "depending on who leaves"

[Hoop Blah]

Is he being bought as an "immediate impact" player, though? Perhaps there are other irons in the fire there.

I don't know, hence why I said so in my post.

You're the one who seems to be arguing against what I posted being realistic.

I was responding to the "people writing him off" which you quoted in your post,

Eh? Really? Doesn't read that way at all but fair enough.

[winchester_royal]

Highly rated by Rovers fans, spent 3 years in the Everton academy, scored goals in Europe, 9 goals in 23 games last season, key player in a championship winning team, and still only 20.

Yet some still decide to write him off without having seen him play.

[A1ndy]

If I remember right, we had similar negative comments about Long and Doyle when we signed them from Cork City. Its amazing how quickly royals fans forget!! They turned out to be bargain buys, whos to say Sheppard won't have a positive affect even at the age of 20?

[Hoop Blah]

If I remember right, we had similar negative comments about Long and Doyle when we signed them from Cork City. Its amazing how quickly royals fans forget!! They turned out to be bargain buys, whos to say Sheppard won't have a positive affect even at the age of 20?

I'm not saying he won't. I am saying it's unlikely though.

Since we signed Doyle who have we bought as a cheapish gamble* who's gone on the have a positive impact on the first team straight away?

* I'm talking about players coming from a different country or a couple of league or two below without a solid pedigree of experience behind them.

I reckon we've signed the best part of 20 such gambles and the only one who's had such a positive effect is Stephen Hunt (he was only really a sub for his first season although did play his part in the promotion that season).

With that record is it really surprising that people aren't full of confidence in such gambles turning out to be an immediate success?

[FiNeRaIn]

Highly rated by Rovers fans, spent 3 years in the Everton academy, scored goals in Europe, 9 goals in 23 games last season, key player in a championship winning team, and still only 20.

Yet some still decide to write him off without having seen him play.

This fails to ignore the standard the goals were scored against. I'd actually be quite happy with the signing tbh but lets not dress the irish league and the woeful teams standard of the europa league up to be something its not.

[M-U-R-T-Y]

I'd have thought you would trust McD's judgement and give him a chance first. He definitely has a promising background, more so than any other gamble we've taken.

[Extended-Phenotype]

We wont keep on getting lucky ala Doyle/Long.

Still laughing at the notion we "keep getting lucky". Like I said, Doyle/Long were signed 7 years ago.

Based on that amazing standard, Svlad would have us buy the entire population of Ireland in the transfer window.

Or, as an alternative, we stop using Doyle as an excuse for buying sh/te, and put the money we spend on 50 turds towards someone with a bit of predigree we can actually use.

[winchester_royal]

Highly rated by Rovers fans, spent 3 years in the Everton academy, scored goals in Europe, 9 goals in 23 games last season, key player in a championship winning team, and still only 20.

Yet some still decide to write him off without having seen him play.

This fails to ignore the standard the goals were scored against. I'd actually be quite happy with the signing tbh but lets not dress the irish league and the woeful teams standard of the europa league up to be something its not.

This is the same standard of Europa teams that Tottenham couldn't get through against?

[Hoop Blah]

I'd have thought you would trust McD's judgement and give him a chance first. He definitely has a promising background, more so than any other gamble we've taken.

I do trust McDermott's judgment but he's not infallible and I'm just realistic enough to realise that these signings are gambles, and gambles that don't often come off.

[TBM]

The two Williams that he signed worked out well, i'll give McD that.....

[melonhead]

at the cost, it hardly matters does it?


hes free for instance, and wages will not be a problem
so he could end up more bennet than doyle, and we'd still probably make a profit on him