Who should we get? The generic 2012/13 speculation thread.

[1871 Royal]

I guess. As we know HRK > Ronaldo

[winchester_royal]

+1

[melonhead]

Ronaldo ----- Sig ------- Kebe

No?

kebe>>>>>>god>>>>>>>messi

[SCIAG]

How about that asian fellow that plays for Bolton, he seems very technical.

Are you thinking of the one on loan from Arsenal? Or do they have a couple of Asian players?

They have Lee who is probably their best player, but he's been injured all season.

I think it is more fun imagining who we'd sell. Curtains for Sheppard, Williams, Bignall, Antonio, Howard, Gage, Baseya, Cameron Edwards, Mills * 2, MacDonald, Walcott. Retirement for Gunnarsson. Chances of selling Tabb, Griffin and Church, the latter would probably be loaned out regardless. Championship loans for Taylor, D'Ath, Obita, Morrison, Andersen and/or McCarthy.

[Pepe the Horseman]

I was thinking about that midfielder, Miyaichi. And you're right, it appears he is on loan from Arsenal. Maybe if he's surplus at Arsenal, we can have a go at signing him?

He's rated very highly at Arsenal, not much chance of them letting him go.

[SCIAG]

I think it is more fun imagining who we'd sell. Curtains for Sheppard, Williams, Bignall, Antonio, Howard, Gage, Baseya, Cameron Edwards, Mills * 2, MacDonald, Walcott.

I don't agree with your view on Antonio, Mills and Walcott. Antonio was player of the month just now in L1, clearly he has potential. I watched the last match on tv, and he was easily the best player on the pitch. I think you are wrong. Also, the youtube highlights of Walcotts loan in Holland or wherever it was, seemed to show him off as a great prospect. He scored some good goals there. Mills I think also has potential, and we've all seen that. He just needs more experience.

Antonio is a very good League 1 player but has struggled at Championship level. I think we'd look to bring in a new winger of some sort if we went up and Antonio wouldn't be good enough anyway. He's 22, time for him to go and build a career of his own.

I quite rate Joe Mills, and I'd definitely keep him if we don't go up and probably start him, but we'll probably sign a new left back if we go up. Again, he needs a career of his own- maybe worth sticking out on loan in case we go down. Jack Mills isn't very good and should go regardless.

Walcott was playing in the Dutch second division which is a really low standard, I think judging him based on those games is ridiculous. He's behind Obita (who is two years younger) in the pecking order and has never threatened to break into the first team. Bell-Baggie was twice the player he is and has already left. Walcott simply won't be a Premier League player and I'd be surprised if he ever makes the Championship, so I'd let him go if we go up.

[winchester_royal]

Sorry SCIAG but you lost all credibility for me when you said MacDonald, a guy who in his first season professionally has already impressed for Torquay, should be sold.

[Royalz96]

Dont understand why u would say selland an mcdonald who we havnt even seen play in for Reading, also Sheppard hasnt played for Reading, and Antonio still has more to give, same with wallcot

[Dennis the Butler]

I like the look of the guy who scored 3 for Forest last weekend ..

[andrew1957]

If it were me and we are promoted I would do the following.

Offer extended contracts for Cywka (one year), Cummings, Hunt, Karacan, Pearce, Taylor, Obita and Feds. All other players of importance have 2 or more years already.

Release Baseya, Williams, Gunnar (sadly), Howard and Bignall

Look to sell Church and Manset

Difficult ones would be Griffin, Harte and Tabb. My gut feeling is a one year extension for Harte and Tabb and to release Griffin. He has played only a small part this season and the step back up to the PL might be too great for him.

Young players - extend Hector, MacDonald, Arnold, Ugwu

Don't know - C. Edwards, Gage, Locke, Walcott, Jack Mills (injured I think), Raymond, McHugh, Murphy, Goddard and Losasso. Suspect a good few of these will be deemed surplus if we get promoted and will be released as unlikely to make the step up.

To consider buying - Connolly and Mullins - plus maybe (depending on next 6 games) a season loan for Afobe?

Buy Siggy (if at all possible), cover at FB, a new CB, at least one more CM and another attacker.

[Hoop Blah]

Dont understand why u would say selland an mcdonald who we havnt even seen play in for Reading, also Sheppard hasnt played for Reading, and Antonio still has more to give, same with wallcot

Because the reason they've not played for Reading is because they're not [yet] good enough. He obviously feels they've not got the potential to compete for a place in the side in the next few years (an opinion I'd pretty much agree with), especially if we go up and will need a squad fit for the Premier League.

There's only so much time you can keep players on for their potential.

[melonhead]

sheppards been injured, laods of the others are kids- i think its ok to keep them on our books, regardless of where we are

[Hoop Blah]

Even if they're not good enough?

What's the point?

[andrew1957]

Even if they're not good enough?

What's the point?

Even if say Sheppard is not good enough - he has a further 2 more years left on his contract to prove himself - so he will be here for another 2 years unless we either sell him or agree a release (and why would he agree to that). You cannot just get rid of players who are under contract.

[andrew1957]

Dont understand why u would say selland an mcdonald who we havnt even seen play in for Reading, also Sheppard hasnt played for Reading, and Antonio still has more to give, same with wallcot

Because the reason they've not played for Reading is because they're not [yet] good enough. He obviously feels they've not got the potential to compete for a place in the side in the next few years (an opinion I'd pretty much agree with), especially if we go up and will need a squad fit for the Premier League.

There's only so much time you can keep players on for their potential.

Based on that ridiculous logic we should have dumped Siggy and Long years ago just in case they did not turn out to be good enough!

You have to give young players the time to develop and we have been very good at picking those that will and releasing those that will not get higher than League 1 level.

[Hoop Blah]

So why have you suggested releasing some then Andrew?

Sigurdsson was ways seen as a very good prospect and one likely to make it. Long was involved with the first team from the moment he signed. They're totally different than the like of the other players the original poster referred to.

It's obviously about backing our judgement of who will be good enough to make it and therefore is worth keeping on. SCIAG has put his opinion forward (which I believe is reasonably informed as it happens) and I was just explaining why we'd let selected players go. I wasn't actually suggesting which ones were the right ones to move on, although I think he's probably not far off what I'd do as it happens.

[Hoop Blah]

Even if they're not good enough?

What's the point?

Even if say Sheppard is not good enough - he has a further 2 more years left on his contract to prove himself - so he will be here for another 2 years unless we either sell him or agree a release (and why would he agree to that). You cannot just get rid of players who are under contract.

Re Shepperd, that's probably why he said sell.

Like Mooney (and plenty of others), he might just be one that we got wrong and so want to rid of. Mooney was loaned out for most of his Reading contract and the poster might be thinking he'll end up going the same way.

With the new money and hopefully promotion our requirements and potential market has changed significantly. That will impact who stays and who goes.

[andrew1957]

So why have you suggested releasing some then Andrew?

Sigurdsson was ways seen as a very good prospect and one likely to make it. Long was involved with the first team from the moment he signed. They're totally different than the like of the other players the original poster referred to.

It's obviously about backing our judgement of who will be good enough to make it and therefore is worth keeping on. SCIAG has put his opinion forward (which I believe is reasonably informed as it happens) and I was just explaining why we'd let selected players go. I wasn't actually suggesting which ones were the right ones to move on, although I think he's probably not far off what I'd do as it happens.

There are a few points here.

1/ You can only release players at the end of their contract term - the likes of Sheppard have 2 more years to run.

2/ We have a lot of young players and we will have another 10 or so added from this current year’s excellent Academy crop. Much as I like to give young players every chance to prove themselves, our squad is getting huge and it is inevitable that some will have to be released at the end of their contract terms in the summer. The focus will be even greater if we go up to the PL as only players the club think have the potential to play at that level are likely to be retained.

3/ We have no idea how good Sheppard is. He might be fantastic, but he has been inured since he got here by all accounts - so let’s wait and see.

4/ I don’t understand the negativity by some about Antonio. He could go on to be an excellent player. Looks too good for League 1 already and if we go up probably needs a year on loan in the Championship. Might yet be a Championship or even PL player. In contrast there are players like Bignall that have had several loans and yet never set the world alight so sadly you have to wonder if they will ever make it at the level we play at. Best for them to go down to a level they are comfortable with and hopefully make a career for themselves – such as Ujah, Rendell, Hayes and Osano have done.

5/ It is a difficult balance between giving a chance and holding on to a young player too long, but on the whole this is something that RFC do very well. We don’t seem to make too many mistakes in terms of letting very good players go and if anything we have been too patient with some – but that is a good thing IMO.

And SCIAG also suggested getting rid of MacDonald - who is very young and very highly rated by the club. Why?

[Hoop Blah]

Firstly, my post was a response to someone asking why SCIAG would want certain players to leave. Presumably it's because he doesn't feel they're going to be up to the level we're going to be requiring players to perform at.

I'm a big fan of bringing players through, however, there isn't any point keeping players that our staff don't think are good enough.

To answer your specific points.

1) As above, I think that's probably why SCIAG said sell. As I said to brendy, IF Sheppard isn't good enough then there isn't any point keeping him. Get some money for him if possible or, like Mooney and Bennet etc, loan him out and don't have him cluttering up the place. Is he going to be good enough? Maybe, I don't know as I've never seen anything of him.

2) Exactly the point I'm making. There isn't any point keeping players we don't think will be good enough for where we're going, especially if we have money from TSI to be a bit more aggressive in the transfer market.

3) As above, I'm not saying he's good enough or not. He may be excellent, but I'm talking hyperthetical situations of getting rid of players.

4) Antonio is what, 22? He's been here for 3 seasons now? He hasn't pushed himself into the squad for a middling to top Championship side. Is he going to progress much more to surpass the players we've got or are likely to be signing in the future. I don't think so as it happens.

5) It is difficult and we do get it pretty much spot on. I've no worries if the club keep or let go the likes of Hector or McDonald because I think they know what they're doing.

Why has he suggested releasing him? Presumably because he doesn't think he's going to be good enough. I've never seen him play so can't really comment. Is he highly rated? Maybe, not rated enough to be in the first team squad, which, like Hector I think these 19/20 year olds might need to be in order to be of high enough potential to play for us in the future. I hope he's got what it takes. A couple of appearances on loan for Torquay isn't going to sway opinion too much to be honest. I note he's not forced his way into their side. Is he injured? Would a Dawson, Lescott, Shawcross, Pearce have failed to win a place in that side?

[andrew1957]

Why has he suggested releasing him? Presumably because he doesn't think he's going to be good enough. I've never seen him play so can't really comment. Is he highly rated? Maybe, not rated enough to be in the first team squad, which, like Hector I think these 19/20 year olds might need to be in order to be of high enough potential to play for us in the future. I hope he's got what it takes. A couple of appearances on loan for Torquay isn't going to sway opinion too much to be honest. I note he's not forced his way into their side. Is he injured? Would a Dawson, Lescott, Shawcross, Pearce have failed to win a place in that side?

Rightly or wrongly RFC seldom play youngsters regularly at a very early age. There is a lot of evidence that by giving a young player too much early exposure can be a bad thing and with other clubs many promising young players simply disappear. Some like Rooney do go on to flourish but not most.

If you look at Alex Pearce's career it is typical of the way RFC do things. He had 4 loans away before becoming a regular and is now likely to be our POTS. See below.

http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/Profile ... 46,00.html