NO LONGER A RUMOUR - Karl Sheppard

[melonhead]

Winchesterroyal:

How does someone being expensive and unproven or cheap and proven help your cause? The point, in case you mised it, was to demonstrate cheap transfers on unknowns was a worthwhile strategy.

Hail to signing proven players! What sort of strategy is signing expensive nobodies?!

Fail.

Fact is, some of our best players have come at a price, including those in the current line-up.

And some of our best players have cost nothing. Our 3 best players in the last 5 years:


Doyle: Unknown from Ireland
Long: Unknown from Ireland
Sig: Unknown from Iceland.

I don't get your point at all tbh.

tbf kitson and hunt were hardly massive players whod proven anything at this level either

[Wimb]

Think SSC said himself that any signing is a gamble, but the more you spend the less of a gamble it is.

Shane Long's got more Premier League goals than Torres this season despite being £46m cheaper. Le Fondre has more goals than Hunt despite Hunt being experienced at this level and costing £500k more.

Spending money helps but we've gotten more on the pitch and in the balance sheet on these young hungry players than we have done from those we've signed for big fees.

[melonhead]

Experience and quality? Upfront, or even attacking from any part of the pitch?

At this level I'd say McAnuff and Kebe just about fit the profile (although I'd argue that Kebe doesn't and I don't expect him to be here for too much longer anyway, and I think plenty of others would raise question marks over McAnuff). Of our forwards the only one that gets near to being experienced and of sufficient quality is Noel Hunt, and we can't get him out on the pitch for more than 1 in 3 games so I'd personally rule him out.

so all the players that do fit are ruled out due to your own criteria

fine- but forgive me if i dont bother responding


ive already said I AGREE_ I WOUL LOVE A PROVEN BIG NAME PLAER TO COME IN AT BOTH AM, AND CF IN JAN

its just that unlike you, if it doesnt happen, i can see and understand why it hasnt happened, and wont really whinge about it

[Gordons Cumming]

Players are generally cheap for a reason.

[Hoop Blah]

No, I'm saying that we have 1 forward who you'd possibly call experienced and quality at this level. He doesn't play enough so I think we need another because for most of the season we're missing him.

Outwide I think we have 1 and a half and that half isn't likely to be here much longer.

If you don't agree feel free to point out why.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Winchesterroyal:

How does someone being expensive and unproven or cheap and proven help your cause? The point, in case you mised it, was to demonstrate cheap transfers on unknowns was a worthwhile strategy.

Hail to signing proven players! What sort of strategy is signing expensive nobodies?!

Fail.

Fact is, some of our best players have come at a price, including those in the current line-up.

And some of our best players have cost nothing. Our 3 best players in the last 5 years:

Doyle: Unknown from Ireland
Long: Unknown from Ireland
Sig: Unknown from Iceland.

I don't get your point at all tbh.

My point was there in the post you took exception to - that our track record buying cheap unknowns and turning them into stars, is hyperbole. I'm not keen on seeing it excuse our transfer activity.

Btw, Doyle and Long were over 7 years ago, and Sig was from the academy.

If there is a point which is confusing, it’s yours!

[melonhead]

my general point is that we need balance throughout the team, and we have alot of experience and quality already thoughout the team
also proven big name strikers are hard to come by at our level/financial ability
so it seems reasonable tothink we may have to go with cheap and/or unproven up top

i also think nhunt is probably our best striker- and though he hasnt played alot this season, its not really been due to injury so much as McD trying to shift the strikers around

and i also agreed id love to see a big name proven goalscorer and quality proven AM in in jan

[Hoop Blah]

Think SSC said himself that any signing is a gamble, but the more you spend the less of a gamble it is.

I think that's actually my mantra, he may have borrowed it mind.

Shane Long's got more Premier League goals than Torres this season despite being £46m cheaper. Le Fondre has more goals than Hunt despite Hunt being experienced at this level and costing £500k more.

Spending money helps but we've gotten more on the pitch and in the balance sheet on these young hungry players than we have done from those we've signed for big fees.

How did Hunt cost £500k more than Le Fondre? It was something like £250-300k difference surely?

By the same token Le Fondre has at least 100 goals more than Baseya and hence cost more.

[floyd__streete]

Who said anything about becoming big spenders? Just a modest investment in an impact player (hopefully up front or an attacking midfielder) at a critical junction of a potentially promising season is all most of us would like to see.

id say all of us would like to see it
most of us can see why it often doesnt happen
and a small but loud minority carry on constantly moaning

Is it unreasonable to hope that it might happen once a transfer window? Like with most other clubs we're competing against? Millwall - struggling Millwall - have today signed Danny Haynes, a lad who has caused us trouble in the past. He's hardly Pele, but he has a bit of pace and strength about him. I bet he'll have more impact on the rest of Millwall's season than Sheppard will have on the remainder of ours. Perhaps we might even be able to make a Gorkss-esque signing once every 6 months, some proven quality.

If not, I suggest we perhaps sell the stadium for housing and move into Palmer Park Stadium and apply to join the Ryman League. Huge leap of logic? Just as huge a leap of logic as saying that modest investment in an impact player (hopefully up front or an attacking midfielder) at a critical junction of a potentially promising season is far, far too much to expect from the club.

Melonhead - the most apt moniker on HNA.

[winchester_royal]

Winchesterroyal:

How does someone being expensive and unproven or cheap and proven help your cause? The point, in case you mised it, was to demonstrate cheap transfers on unknowns was a worthwhile strategy.

Hail to signing proven players! What sort of strategy is signing expensive nobodies?!

Fail.

Fact is, some of our best players have come at a price, including those in the current line-up.

And some of our best players have cost nothing. Our 3 best players in the last 5 years:

Doyle: Unknown from Ireland
Long: Unknown from Ireland
Sig: Unknown from Iceland.

I don't get your point at all tbh.

My point was there in the post you took exception to - that our track record buying cheap unknowns and turning them into stars, is hyperbole. I'm not keen on seeing it excuse our transfer activity.

Btw, Doyle and Long were over 7 years ago, and Sig was from the academy.

If there is a point which is confusing, it’s yours!

No, Sig was signed when he was 16, the fact that he played in the academy is irrelevant, he was still an investment from outside the club.

And why is it that Sheppard is an unknown? He's played european football this this year, he's an U21 international, in fact most people who know anything about irish football know plenty about him.

Just because the sheltered majority of RFC fans haven't seen him on SSN doesn't make him an 'unknown'.

[Simon's Church]

But if we had signed Haynes it still would have been treated with contempt. Great, a winger/striker who couldn't make it at Ipswich, Bristol City or Barnsley.

[melonhead]

Who said anything about becoming big spenders? Just a modest investment in an impact player (hopefully up front or an attacking midfielder) at a critical junction of a potentially promising season is all most of us would like to see.

id say all of us would like to see it
most of us can see why it often doesnt happen
and a small but loud minority carry on constantly moaning

Is it unreasonable to hope that it might happen once a transfer window? Like with most other clubs we're comepting against? Millwall - struggling Millwall - have today signed Danny Haynes, a lad who has caused us trouble in the past. He's hardly Pele, but he has a bit of pace and strength about him. Perhaps we might even be able to make a Gorkss-esque signing once every 6 months, some proven quality.

If not, I suggest we perhaps sell the stadium for housing and move into Palmer Park Stadium and apply to join the Ryman League. Huge leap of logic? Just a huge a leap of logic as saying that modest investment in an impact player (hopefully up front or an attacking midfielder) at a critical junction of a potentially promising season is far, far too much to expect from the club.

Melonhead - the most apt moniker on HNA.

what a terrible terrible post

we buy what we can afford flloydus- a gorkss type signing happens at least once a season, thats just about enough for me, and to keep us competetive- many managers shy away from doing that kind of business in january for often listed reasons
would danny haynes really have satisfied the desire for big name/proven?!

lol at the first bit justifying the daft second paragraph.
we are 5th, and for every recent season i can remember weve been challenging for the playoffs, & last year got to the final- get a grip son.


plus ive already agreed with you all. it would be really great to get a proven and big name signing for A.M and CF this january.and it could even get us to automatic promotion.

[winchester_royal]

But if we had signed Haynes it still would have been treated with contempt. Great, a winger/striker who couldn't make it at Ipswich, Bristol City or Barnsley.

Exactly, there will always be something wrong with a signing we make.

We're Reading FC, a small club from a grubby town in Berkshire, if a player is young, talented and proven he will most probably be going elsewhere.

Until we get our arab billionaire that it...

[floyd__streete]

we buy what we can afford flloydus- a gorkss type signing happens at least once a season, thats just about enough for me, and to keep us competetive- many managers shy away from doing that kind of business in january for often listed reasons

Coppell refused to strengthen the squad in January 2008 because he felt we had enough. We got relegated

would danny haynes really have satisfied the desire for big name/proven?!

Who is stating a desire for a 'big name'? A player that we know can do a job in this league would give us another option. Haynes sprang to mind only because his transfer happened today and it made me think of his strengths; pace and strength, something both Church and ALF probably don't have in abundance tbh.

plus ive already agreed with you all. it would be really great to get a proven and big name signing for A.M and CF this january.and it could even get us to automatic promotion.

For once we agree - although again, the 'big name' part is irrelevant, you seem to be confused as ever - someone who can most likely make an impact in January to May 2012 will be desirable. Will that be Sheppard? On balance, probably not. I bet even you might agree with that.

xx

[melonhead]

didnt we sign a czech and malian intl in 2008 jan?

i know you will say they didnt "improve" the 1st team and make a difference, but they could/maybe should have


if a player is proven, and requires decent money spent on him which is what people are asking for-id say its a prerequisite that he'll probably be a big name,
in the same way that jordan rhodes etc would be a big name at this level- im not talking about messi


of course someone who could make a real impact here for the rest of the season would be desireable.
ive never ever said i though shephard would walk into the team and score hatfuls. i really have no clue either way.



agreeing with you doesnt make me confused floyd, it makes me physically sick


much love

mwa

xx

[Svlad Cjelli]

Did I miss the FIFA announcment saying that the transfer window shuts today and than no-one could make any more signings?

[melonhead]

its the january silly season. floyd and finerain have been saving up since the season started

[West Stand Man]

no slagging off at all, I am happy with this signing. Low risk, random youngster,etc hasn't eaten so must be hungry,etc

Just wondering who we are bringing in as an immediate proven partner for alfie.

A striker who has played Europa League football this season, maybe?

[Svlad Cjelli]

Today's signing is one which we've beaten several other Championship clubs to - but stll people moan about it.

Pehaps we should have just spent a million pounds on him to get him rather than wow him with the quality of coaching and his prospects here as we did . Then he would have automatically been a much better player, and everyone would have been happy.

[West Stand Man]

Good signing - This should really bolster our youth team. I think we have some tough games against Bracknell College and Lidl-Oxford Road coming up.

Any news about first team transfers?

.. and again you demonstrate your rock bottom intellect. For that reason I am out.