The Gylfi thread.

[Royal Rother]

Still seems like great value to me.

I posted several times a few weeks ago why I felt it was far from certain he would prefer Liverpool to Reading, they still stand, but there are even more reasons why he might not fancy Spurs.

Realistic odds would be (imho):

Liverpool 6/4
Reading 7/4
Spurs 5/2
Others 12/1

[winchester_royal]

Would love to be a fly on the wall in the Sigurdsson household right now.

It's an interesting one, personally I think he's better off being a big fish in a small pond, with the set-up of the team fitting around him, rather being a small fish in a bigger pond.

At this stage of his career he needs to be playing regular football under a manager who he trusts, with players that respect and value him. Personally I think he'd be better off coming here. Yes Liverpool have the history, but at the end of the day that means f*ck all when it comes to the progression and development of a supremely talented footballer.

Maybe I'm just trying to convince myself, but I agree with RR, it's not a clear-cut as the arrogant scouse tw@ts on twitter seem to think.

[Stranded]

If he's gone home to think it over and talk it out with the family then I think you can add in the fact that BMc is good friends with Gylfi's Dad and this may well have an impact on his final decision.

[andrew1957]

Would love to be a fly on the wall in the Sigurdsson household right now.

It's an interesting one, personally I think he's better off being a big fish in a small pond, with the set-up of the team fitting around him, rather being a small fish in a bigger pond.

At this stage of his career he needs to be playing regular football under a manager who he trusts, with players that respect and value him. Personally I think he'd be better off coming here. Yes Liverpool have the history, but at the end of the day that means f*ck all when it comes to the progression and development of a supremely talented footballer.

Maybe I'm just trying to convince myself, but I agree with RR, it's not a clear-cut as the arrogant scouse tw@ts on twitter seem to think.

Agreed and have posted much the same myself earlier in the thread.

I really think it would be beneficial to his career to be at a smaller club for at least another season. At Liverpool Gerrard will be preferred unless injured and it is hard to see where else he could play. He could end out back on the wing - as Rodgers played him most of the time at RFC. It was McD who got the best out of Gylfi not Rodgers.

If he scores 15-20 goals for us and possibly fires us into the top 10 he will become incredibly sought after and can go to either a top PL or top European club as a key player in due course.

So if you are reading Gylfi do the right thing. Come to RFC and feel the love............

[Hoop Blah]

If he doesn't know who his boss would be at Spurs that will be a major disadvantage to them in this process.

Not how 'major' it would be. A factor yes, but possibly not one that another few grand a week and some good selling wouldn't mitigate.

Spurs would be telling him how the club, not just Redknapp, built a squad to play good football with good players. They'll probably have an idea of who the next boss will be and certainly have an idea of how they want any boss to set the team up (eg they won't be looking for a Charlie Hughes disciple).

In football they all know manages or playing opportunities can change quickly and Chelsea managed to sign Marin without a manager in place.

I'd still make Liverpool favourites, and us having an outside chance. I've long bemoaned young players moving too soon and chasing the short term money instead of long term development and actually playing, so fingers crossed this is one example of when the player looks at what's best for him on the pitch and comes to us!

[blueroyals]

Come home Gylfi. The Liverpool fans could never love you like we do.

Did anybody manage to get a bet on at 40-1 or 33-1? Great odds those were.

[Dick Habbin's hairdo]

Now that would be nice - I do like a happy ending. We could all take it in turns to invite him round for Sunday lunch - he wouldn't get that on Merseyside or norf London!

Don't be daft - there's all those Sunday games in the Primmadonnaship.... and the Monday ones when the team will be "away" together on the Sunday.

[M Brook]

40/1.... Holy crap. In a 2 horse race? Wish I'd seen that.

Down to 10/1 now on SkyBet with Spurs 5/6, Liverpool 5/6, Swansea 25/1, QPR 25/1 and Man Utd 33/1.

What - no West Ham?
Surely some mistake.

[maffff]

Come home Gylfi. The Liverpool fans could never love you like we do.

Did anybody manage to get a bet on at 40-1 or 33-1? Great odds those were.

Tenner on at 33/1

[Pepe the Horseman]

Come home Gylfi. The Liverpool fans could never love you like we do.

Did anybody manage to get a bet on at 40-1 or 33-1? Great odds those were.

Tenner on at 33/1

Nicely done. I'm weighing up whether to go in at 10s.

[KC Royal]

I just don't want him to go to Liverpool. Rodgers could be out of a job before end of season if it all goes pear shaped - where would that leave Gylfi? Spurs don't have a manager yet - a manager will want to bring in his own players - so Gylfi's position there might be a bit tenuous. We, on the other hand, have a set up that he knows, an ambitious new owner who wants European football in the next few years and Gylfi KNOWS we all love him. C'mon Gylfi, do the right thing

Spurs already have a load of midfield talent as well. I know Modric is likely to be off, but they've still got Van Der Vaart amongts others! Surely Gylfi is not a priority for them?

Liverpool would be an absolute no brainer for him IF there was some managerial stability there, but that's far from certain and is the only thing that might put us ahead what with his Hoffenheim experience.

It's gotta be an outside chance at best. But feck me, I can't believe we're even in the running with the likes of Liverpool and Spurs being touted as interested.

^^^
This. A couple of years ago before he left I actually imagined him going to Liverpool or Spurs at some point as well!

[maffff]

Don't think it's worth it on tens personally.. 33/1 was just crazy, no major loss.

[Royal Ginger]

Maybe I'm just trying to convince myself, but I agree with RR, it's not a clear-cut as the arrogant scouse tw@ts on twitter seem to think.

I think there's a lot of us trying to convince ourselves, me included. Realistically, objectively, our chances have got to be pretty slim. Play for a big club, more success, more bonuses. That's unfortunately not us. Taken a flutter on 10/1 though.

[Hoop Blah]

I just don't want him to go to Liverpool. Rodgers could be out of a job before end of season if it all goes pear shaped - where would that leave Gylfi? Spurs don't have a manager yet - a manager will want to bring in his own players - so Gylfi's position there might be a bit tenuous. We, on the other hand, have a set up that he knows, an ambitious new owner who wants European football in the next few years and Gylfi KNOWS we all love him. C'mon Gylfi, do the right thing

Spurs already have a load of midfield talent as well. I know Modric is likely to be off, but they've still got Van Der Vaart amongts others! Surely Gylfi is not a priority for them?

Liverpool would be an absolute no brainer for him IF there was some managerial stability there, but that's far from certain and is the only thing that might put us ahead what with his Hoffenheim experience.

It's gotta be an outside chance at best. But feck me, I can't believe we're even in the running with the likes of Liverpool and Spurs being touted as interested.

^^^
This. A couple of years ago before he left I actually imagined him going to Liverpool or Spurs at some point as well!

Liverpool have more midfielders who play in the same position as Sigurdsson than Spurs do. Spurs only really have van dee Vaart, the rest pretty much all play deeper, even Modric. They look like they might be losing both if them, plus Saha and Adebayor and maybe Defoe too. I can certainly see why they'd want him.

[themadstad]

Spurs can buy before selling, they wouldn't have any trouble selling Modric before or even after. Therefore they are in a good position to be able to secure replacement before selling. That said Van Der Vaart is more a similar player but he's been rumoured to possibly be off this summer.

[Royal Rother]

Yes to all the rationale about Spurs being interested, but the fact remains that they don't have a manager right now and that is bound to count against them to some extent.

One can only guess at how the influences of family, agent, history, wages, bonuses etc. etc. all weigh up in the player's mind (I guess each one is different) but if the stability of the management counts highly on Gylfi's own particular list of priorities, then that's an area where Reading would currently outscore Liverpool and Spurs.

[bracksroyal10]

Gylfi could come back and make himself something of a club legend to look back on in years to come if he wanted to. If he comes back here we will build a team around him no doubt about it. Where as a club like Liverpool I wouldn't be so sure!

[Hoop Blah]

Yes to all the rationale about Spurs being interested, but the fact remains that they don't have a manager right now and that is bound to count against them to some extent.

One can only guess at how the influences of family, agent, history, wages, bonuses etc. etc. all weigh up in the player's mind (I guess each one is different) but if the stability of the management counts highly on Gylfi's own particular list of priorities, then that's an area where Reading would currently outscore Liverpool and Spurs.

As I've said, I do agree it could count against them to an extent, I just don't think that extent is too great and certainly not enough to discount Spurs as a very serious contender, which is the implication on this thread.

[robbieroyal]

The delay in any response by Gylfi of course is good news.

He is obviously seriously weighing up his options. He therefore must be seriously considering returning.

The more I think about it, the more I think he will be better suited to coming to us.

We'll see.....

[Franchise FC]

The delay in any response by Gylfi of course is good news.

He is obviously seriously weighing up his options. He therefore must be seriously considering returning.

The more I think about it, the more I think he will be better suited to coming to us.

We'll see.....

Weighing up Liverpool or Spurs ??