Rumour - Gary Hooper

[FridaysGhost]

I think RFC is a much more attractive proposition than some of our fans seem to think. We have been at the top of the Championship or in the Premiership for the last ten years, we have a Manager of proven ability and an Owner who has aspirations and Finance. We also have a reputation as a really nice club, parachute payments and we are in a great part of the country. Can someone tell me why we are not a great destination for a good player?

[St. Brynjar]

I think RFC is a much more attractive proposition than some of our fans seem to think. We have been at the top of the Championship or in the Premiership for the last ten years, we have a Manager of proven ability and an Owner who has aspirations and Finance. We also have a reputation as a really nice club, parachute payments and we are in a great part of the country. Can someone tell me why we are not a great destination for a good player?

Because he's playing in the Champions League next year and has just won the league, and is pretty much guaranteed to next year. And better clubs are interested. It would be a massive statement of intent if this came off and a definite shift in the direction of the club.

[Arnie_Pie]

I think RFC is a much more attractive proposition than some of our fans seem to think. We have been at the top of the Championship or in the Premiership for the last ten years, we have a Manager of proven ability and an Owner who has aspirations and Finance. We also have a reputation as a really nice club, parachute payments and we are in a great part of the country. Can someone tell me why we are not a great destination for a good player?

Because he's playing in the Champions League next year and has just won the league, and is pretty much guaranteed to next year. And better clubs are interested. It would be a massive statement of intent if this came off and a definite shift in the direction of the club.

It would show a massive statement of intent. Let's be fair though, apart from the Champions League, the Championship is better than the SPL generally anyway.

[SydenhamRoyal]

I think RFC is a much more attractive proposition than some of our fans seem to think. We have been at the top of the Championship or in the Premiership for the last ten years, we have a Manager of proven ability and an Owner who has aspirations and Finance. We also have a reputation as a really nice club, parachute payments and we are in a great part of the country. Can someone tell me why we are not a great destination for a good player?

Because he's playing in the Champions League next year and has just won the league, and is pretty much guaranteed to next year. And better clubs are interested. It would be a massive statement of intent if this came off and a definite shift in the direction of the club.

It would show a massive statement of intent. Let's be fair though, apart from the Champions League, the Championship is better than the SPL generally anyway.

True. But the Premiership is better than the Championship, and there is interest in him from there. Would love it to come off though, cos though its a tight call I think he edges Simon Church

[USA_Loyal_Royal]

I think RFC is a much more attractive proposition than some of our fans seem to think. We have been at the top of the Championship or in the Premiership for the last ten years, we have a Manager of proven ability and an Owner who has aspirations and Finance. We also have a reputation as a really nice club, parachute payments and we are in a great part of the country. Can someone tell me why we are not a great destination for a good player?

Because he's playing in the Champions League next year and has just won the league, and is pretty much guaranteed to next year. And better clubs are interested. It would be a massive statement of intent if this came off and a definite shift in the direction of the club.

It would show a massive statement of intent. Let's be fair though, apart from the Champions League, the Championship is better than the SPL generally anyway.

cos though its a tight call I think he edges Simon Church[/quote]

[maffff]

Seeing Bridge in I'm feeling more enthusiastic about something like this

Looks like AZ/Adkins are trying to back up their intent....

[Mr.T10]

Seeing Bridge in I'm feeling more enthusiastic about something like this

Looks like AZ/Adkins are trying to back up their intent....

I think getting Hooper might be a little bit harder to get then Bridge. Wayne who dropped off the radar of Premier league clubs by playing for Brighton making it easier for us to swoop in. Hooper is on a bigger stage and would interest many premier league clubs.

[genome]

Some of these rumours are very exciting.

It's gonna be an interesting summer.

[maffff]

Not Hooper by any means, but I mean a big step up from what we have.

Hooper would be a helluva coup, but with PL interest you'd have to wonder why he would consider us, even if ££ally and prospects of going up were good.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Well Hooper is likely to cost 7/8 million I reckon, but in our favour Adkins was the one who took him to Scunthorpe. Additionally we'd probably be able to guarantee him regular football and also a challenge on the football field which he just wouldn't get at Celtic. Of course any serious PL interest will probably kill this before it starts.

[maffff]

Celtic striker Gary Hooper heads Reading FC wishlist of summer transfer targets
by Jonathan Low

Gary Hooper heads Reading manager Nigel Adkins’ wishlist of summer transfer targets.

The Celtic striker worked with Adkins when he was at Scunthorpe United between 2008 and 2010.

He also tried to sign him at his former club Southampton.

Now, he is reported to be keen on adding Hooper to his attack at Reading, although a club-record fee in the region of £8million would be needed to prise away the forward.

Hooper, 25, has an outstanding record in Scotland, scoring 82 goals in 136 appearances over three seasons.

His keen eye for goal has led to calls for him to be included in the England squad.

In the two seasons playing under Adkins at Scunthorpe, Hooper netted an impressive 43 goals in 80 games.

The striker has a year left on his contract at Parkhead but is believed to be seeking a move south of the border.

Hooper, who has experienced Champions League football with Neil Lennon’s side, has also been linked with Sunderland, Norwich City, Everton and Tottenham.

Adkins, though, has reportedly told the Reading board to stump up the cash in order to secure the striker’s services for the Championship campaign.

The Reading manager is keen to add to his strikeforce, having offloaded Noel Hunt and Simon Church from the club’s books.

Adkins has a history of signing players he has worked with in the past, having used both Billy Sharp and Jack Cork at Scunthorpe and then Southampton.

He also had Jonathan Forte and Joseph Mills – who recently left Reading for Burnley – at both clubs.

Sharp has been linked with a reunion with Adkins at Reading, after failing to nail down a first-team spot in the Premier League with the Saints.

He spent the majority of last season out on loan at Championship side Nottingham Forest, where he scored 11 goals in 40 appearances.

Sharp recently returned from a holiday and is understood to be sitting down with his agent and Southampton to assess his future options.

He is contracted for two more years with Saints, but with boss Mauricio Pochettino on the look-out for a new striker, Sharp is expected to be allowed to move.

Reading are keen to sign at least one striker before the new season gets under way.

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

[winchester_royal]

When does the new guy start

[blueroyals]

This is never going to happen. We've got more chance of signing Gylfi than this guy

[akranes]

This is never going to happen. We've got more chance of signing Gylfi than this guy

I don't quite think so.

[royalp-we]

Had the pleasure of watching Celtic v Raith Rovers in the cup last year when I was in Glasgow for an exhibition. The standard of football was appalling. Hooper scored four. It cost me £10 for my ticket and £1.10 for the train to Parkhead. Cheapest, but most boring game of top level football I've ever seen. An empty Parkhead in front of about 10,000 people made for a drab atmosphere..

Anyway I guess what I'm trying to say is, yes Celtic play CL football. But with regards to league and cup matches, there is just no comparison. Our League 1 clubs would give Celtic a good game.


I reckon we could prise him away if Nicky gets him in an empty room.

[Barry the bird boggler]

There is no doubt that pulling this off would be the biggest coup for any Tier 2 club in quite a while if not ever

[Tommy Youlden's Ears]

This is never going to happen. We've got more chance of signing Gylfi than this guy

You mean we're not signing Gylfi?

[RockheadRumple]

This is never going to happen. We've got more chance of signing Gylfi than this guy

You mean we're not signing Gylfi?

No, but we can damn well pretend we will. To the Gylfi threads!!

[blueroyals]

The fact that he left the championship 3 years ago for the SPL shows which league he thinks is better. Every single x-fer window there seems to be PL clubs interested in him. Norwich had a £7m bid rejected 5 months ago. If he wanted to go to a PL club he would have pushed through that deal. Not a chance he'll play in the Champ. Never going to happen.

[FridaysGhost]

Exactly a year ago I watched as we refused to pay £8 for Rhodes and most of this site said he was rubbish. Now we are down a division, talking about £8m for Hooper, who is not as good and the site is saying he is too good for us. One wonders whether anyone on this site actually watches football and understands it.