Summer Rebuild

[Snowball]

I really hope Pearce goes, he's a shambles of a footballer and a liability as a defender. Not too bothered about Feds and Jem, they'll be on pretty decent money but I think we can get players as good for less.

For them to scoff a "paultry" offers of upwards of £200k pa just shows what an inflated opinion they have of their abilities, and Feds aside, they've not shown it for a couple of seasons.

£4,000 a week is pretty low for the Championship I'd've thought



BUT


Average Championship earnings are £4,059 a week (£211,068 a year), less than a fifth of players one division above.

[Hoop Blah]

Maybe strikers are difficult to find in January but were the piles of shyte that were Yakubu and Appiah really the best we could find? If so, why the f8ck waste any money on them (I don't believe Yakubu played for peanuts, despite the fact that was all his performances were worth)? ! We would have been better off trying the likes of Stacey earlier.

Appiah was presumably a try before you buy type arrangement. We needed some pace and a forward who likes to run in behind to complement our other forwards and he fits the bill. He's just a bit crap in front of goal unfortunately. I'm presuming his little loan spell means we won't follow up any interest we had in him.

Signing Yakubu also gave us a bit of an option when we desperately needed one. He's obviously not ripped up any trees but having him here meant we could send Samuel out on loan which was the right thing for him by the looks of it and, if he stays, the right thing for the club in the long term.

Neither have been productive signings but cheap and with some logic behind them.

[Hoop Blah]

£4,000 a week is pretty low for the Championship I'd've thought

BUT

Average Championship earnings are £4,059 a week (£211,068 a year), less than a fifth of players one division above.

It'll be relatively low for an established first teamer with Premier League experience at a Championship club like Reading though.

We'll be one of the top payers in the league and that average includes all pro's in the division, so includes all the £500/1,000 a week kids etc.

[CrowthorneRoyal]

So it starts.... http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/footb ... ns-9133729

[Snowball]

Appiah has got a lot of goals elsewhere and he's hardly had much of a chance here (127 minutes)

But he got 8 goals and 3 assists for Cambridge earlier this season in 1,838 minutes

That's a goal every 240 minutes, a goal/assist every 167 minutes

In total he has played 5,999 minutes for 30 Goals and 14 assists

That's a goal every 200 minutes, a goal/assist every 136 minutes

Watching him on YouTube he has scored some cracking goals.

There may be other issues with him (off-field or how he trains) but his record
doesn't suggest he's BAD in front of goal

In 2013-14 he got 13 goals and 6 assists in 2,300 minutes

That's a goal every 161 minutes, a goal/assist every 120 minutes
admittedly at Conference and L2 level

Maybe with his speed he should be playing wide

[Hoop Blah]

His goals are all at quite a low level aren't they Snowball?

He's had enough chances when he's come on to score a few already and either cocked them all up or snatched at them and I don't think he's even forced a save from a keeper yet.

[melonhead]

whose fault is it we are still lacking a decent goalscorer?!)

The board quite obviously! Or perhaps also Adkins for selling Alfie & bringing in Cox? Who in Jan is going to let a decent striker go for peanuts? It's all very well moaning about not having one but none of us know what real options we had.

The club knew all along Murray was going back in Jan. So why weren't moves being made to replace him? Clarke wouldn't have even been in the job at that point.

I really hope we have some decent scouts in place this summer!

The owners and the board were to blame for us losing ALF.

Maybe strikers are difficult to find in January but were the piles of shyte that were Yakubu and Appiah really the best we could find? If so, why the f8ck waste any money on them (I don't believe Yakubu played for peanuts, despite the fact that was all his performances were worth)? ! We would have been better off trying the likes of Stacey earlier.

we had no money. we had minus ammounts of money. if we didn't get money we were about to go out of business, and had to take whatever we could get for anyone that anyone wanted.
ALF and Morrison

[melonhead]

Interesting comments from Jem on Get Reading

what he say?

[genome]

http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/footb ... an-9125647

Jem Karacan has spoken emotionally about his contract impasse with Reading and has urged the club to make a decision over his future.

Royals’ captain has been at Madejski Stadium for the past decade but only has a couple of months remaining on his current deal.

The 26-year-old has only had ‘brief conversations’ about renewing and admits the prospect of having to leave the club he ‘loves to pieces’ is now becoming a very real one.

“I’ve been here a long time but I’ve got to look after myself,” said Karacan.

“I love this club to pieces but if there’s not an offer there for me then you just don’t know what’s going to happen.

“If they offer me a year and someone else offers me three, what can you do?

“The club need to decide what’s going on.”

He added: “There’s been brief conversations, but there’s obviously still uncertainty.

“Saturday could have possibly been the last time a few of us were at the Madejski and it was quite emotional.

“But there’s nothing we can do about it, decisions still haven’t been made. We’ve just got to focus on the Rotherham game on Tuesday.”

Karacan was an unused substitute on Saturday as Reading were beaten 2-0 by Brentford in their final home game of the season.

Goals from Alan Judge and James Tarkowski gave the Bees all three points as Royals failed to score in front of their own supporters for the 11th time in their last 15 games.

And as Karacan watched it unfold from the dug out, he admits the thought that it could be his last home game as a Reading player was never far from his mind.

“I’m not going to lie,” he said. “Yes it was.

“I’ve been here a long, long time. I’ve sat next to people like Pearcey for the last 10 years of my life.

“I was looking around in that changing room thinking it could be the last time as I’ve been told no different.

“Of course it was emotional. It was disappointing not to get on.”

Karacan added: “The only shirt I’ve worn other than a Reading one is the Barcelona one I wear to bed with Xavi on the back.

“I’ve never thought about leaving but the club have got to come to me and tell me they want me. They’ve got to do that to other people as well.

“If they do want us, tell us. If they don’t, it’s been a pleasure.”

One thought as to why Reading are hesitating about handing their skipper a new deal is fears over his long-term fitness.

The midfielder has only recently returned to action after a 18-month spell on the sidelines following a cruciate ligament injury in his right knee.

But he is adamant he has nothing to prove.

“People have doubted me but I’ve come back and I’ve started games,” he said. “I’ve got 90 minutes under my belt. My fitness is coming back with each game and my knee is fine.

“If there were any questions marks over that I think I’ve proved people wrong. That’s all I could do.

“Who knows what’s going on? I just don’t know any more.”

[Sutekh]

Club has said no contract talks until after their future was confirmed. Now that's been achieved I am expecting talks to start breaking out for real within the next 2 weeks.

By the way, does next season start on 8th August for FL clubs?

[TBM]

Club has said no contract talks until after their future was confirmed. Now that's been achieved I am expecting talks to start breaking out for real within the next 2 weeks.

By the way, does next season start on 8th August for FL clubs?

So how come Gunter got his a few weeks back?

[Ian Royal]

We'll agree to disagree on him sorting the defence out!

6-1 @ St Andrews? And that god awful abortion of a game at Brentford. Throwing it away v Wolves, capitulating against Bournemouth just off the top of my head. It was Sunday league stuff.

I don't think you're actually listening to what I've said there.

[RG7Fan]

Club has said no contract talks until after their future was confirmed. Now that's been achieved I am expecting talks to start breaking out for real within the next 2 weeks.

By the way, does next season start on 8th August for FL clubs?

So how come Gunter got his a few weeks back?

With Kelly ooc as well it at least gives the club a chance to recoup some cash if anyone comes asking after Gunter.

[PeterReadingborn59]

Someone make an offer for Gunter? Me thinks the season has had an undesirable affect on someone sanity.

Gunter's successful pass rate on Saturday seem to be below 10%, in the second half in five minute spell he crossed the ball over everyone to the opposite corner flag and then moments late found the other corner flag from a through pass for Cox to run on to if he had Bolt's speed. A very strange signing.

[RG7Fan]

Someone make an offer for Gunter? Me thinks the season has had an undesirable affect on someone sanity.

Gunter's successful pass rate on Saturday seem to be below 10%, in the second half in five minute spell he crossed the ball over everyone to the opposite corner flag and then moments late found the other corner flag from a through pass for Cox to run on to if he had Bolt's speed. A very strange signing.

I know, as mad as it sounds. The club must have sounds reasons, whatever they are, for taking up the option.

[Snowball]

His goals are all at quite a low level aren't they Snowball?

He's had enough chances when he's come on to score a few already and either cocked them all up or snatched at them and I don't think he's even forced a save from a keeper yet.

Sure, but 100 or so minutes tells us zip, really.

What I see is someone VERY fast, someone who has scored a lot of goals,
even if at a lower level (Doyle, Kitson, anyone?)... Apparently they loved
him at Cambridge.

All I'm saying is I'd like to have seen him get half a dozen starts in
a side that wasn't abject. Palace gave him a new contract, so either
they want to keep him, or they figure he's worth money.

He also has appeared for Ghana and scored in the African Cup of Nations

[bcubed]

We'll agree to disagree on him sorting the defence out!

6-1 @ St Andrews? And that god awful abortion of a game at Brentford. Throwing it away v Wolves, capitulating against Bournemouth just off the top of my head. It was Sunday league stuff.

I don't think you're actually listening to what I've said there.

Or he just doesn't agree with you!

[Sutekh]

Club has said no contract talks until after their future was confirmed. Now that's been achieved I am expecting talks to start breaking out for real within the next 2 weeks.

By the way, does next season start on 8th August for FL clubs?

So how come Gunter got his a few weeks back?

Believe Gunter was simply a matter of picking up the additional year option and not negotiating a new contract.

[Forbury Lion]

Both Ferguson and Wenger have said that 3 major signings in a transfer window is enough. Otherwise the chemistry of the team is unbalanced.

If you have good chemistry and a relatively good side that is relevant, As things stand I think we will benefit from a shakeup and as many quality players joining as possible.

[Hoop Blah]

His goals are all at quite a low level aren't they Snowball?

He's had enough chances when he's come on to score a few already and either cocked them all up or snatched at them and I don't think he's even forced a save from a keeper yet.

Sure, but 100 or so minutes tells us zip, really.

What I see is someone VERY fast, someone who has scored a lot of goals,
even if at a lower level (Doyle, Kitson, anyone?)... Apparently they loved
him at Cambridge.

All I'm saying is I'd like to have seen him get half a dozen starts in
a side that wasn't abject. Palace gave him a new contract, so either
they want to keep him, or they figure he's worth money.

He also has appeared for Ghana and scored in the African Cup of Nations

It doesn't tell us zip, it certainly doesn't tell the manager who's seen him in training for a couple of months zip.

We took Kitson up 2 divisions. You're talking about goals Appiah scored in the Conference when we're in the Championship. That's 4 divisions and a massive jump in class and the last time he played there, this season he scored 6 in 19. Not a bad return but not half as good as the 10 in 13 he got first time around.

I really don't think the guy is worth the punt it would be to sign him, not after seeing his pretty abject performances for us so far.