Summer Rebuild

[3points]

Feds, Pearce, HRK, Pog (and Williams/Karacan/McCleary/Gunter) are where the money is bleeding out, so losing Feds and Pearce, despite a first instinct of "loss" is really a good thing.

We can replace most of these with lower wages IMO (without a massive loss in quality).

Agree totally on the wages point; if Feds was on 20k or even 25k a week as has been rumoured, I would bet we wouldn't pay more than 10k for a decent Championship level keeper like Randall and probably even less for Foderingham. I'm sure the reason Andersen hasn't moved on is because he's been earning top dollar for a bench warmer.

It's hard for our existing players to accept the reality of the club's financial position and this means taking big pay cuts or face the prospect of finding somewhere else to play. There's a massive rightsizing of the wage bill going on as we lose a big amount of parachute payments this year. However, there will be lots of players at other Championship clubs playing on significantly lower wages who will be happy to move to Reading

[Sutekh]

RG7Fan wrote:

Pearce - has gone missing in many games, so Cooper wouldn't be a bad replacement.

Disagree that he's "gone missing" particularly often. Cooper has a lot of potential, but he can't tackle. If other clubs find that out before we sort it out then we'll be in trouble.

The same Pearce who has the turning circle of a tanker, doesn't know which way the ball will go off his feet or his head, concedes about 5 penalties a year for pulling people back and looks so uncomfortable on the ball that it is painful to watch. OK - let's move on. (BTW - I don't think Cooper is the answer either). Perhaps Richard Dunne could do one more decent season in the Chump and keep Hector improving alongside him?

Please god no.....

[John Smith]

I'm an admirer of Jason Pearce, who inexplicably left Leeds in January to join the sinking Wigan ship. An improvement on Alex, I would imagine he could be available. He was captain at Leeds too

[RG7Fan]

I'm an admirer of Jason Pearce, who inexplicably left Leeds in January to join the sinking Wigan ship. An improvement on Alex, I would imagine he could be available. He was captain at Leeds too

As a by product that would help all the people who have Pearce shirts, especially if they give him the same number!

[RG7Fan]

RG7Fan wrote:

Pearce - has gone missing in many games, so Cooper wouldn't be a bad replacement.

Disagree that he's "gone missing" particularly often. Cooper has a lot of potential, but he can't tackle. If other clubs find that out before we sort it out then we'll be in trouble.

The same Pearce who has the turning circle of a tanker, doesn't know which way the ball will go off his feet or his head, concedes about 5 penalties a year for pulling people back and looks so uncomfortable on the ball that it is painful to watch. OK - let's move on. (BTW - I don't think Cooper is the answer either). Perhaps Richard Dunne could do one more decent season in the Chump and keep Hector improving alongside him?

It would be an issue losing his experience thats for sure, something that clearly Cooper and Hector dont yet have. Ferdinand looked ok for the 45 mins he played - problem will be keeping him off the physio's bench (which given the regularity of injured players making re-vists may explain why the physio has been fired). I can see Pearce being mercenary and taking the £ - and who could blame him.

[John Smith]

I'm an admirer of Jason Pearce, who inexplicably left Leeds in January to join the sinking Wigan ship. An improvement on Alex, I would imagine he could be available. He was captain at Leeds too

As a by product that would help all the people who have Pearce shirts, especially if they give him the same number!

To be honest with you, if you're going to do something as stupid as that in the first place, you deserve to suffer some form of punishment.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Hector signs a new three year deal. That should cheer everyone up.

[blueroyals]

And another strange press release to go along with it. An aged SJM in somebodies kitchen signing the contract, no quotes from him, no quotes from NH (is he still alive?)

[Pepe the Horseman]

Would've been weirder if they'd managed to get a young John Madejski to do it.

[leon]

Would've been weirder if they'd managed to get a young John Madejski to do it.

or an aged John Madejski in a big nappy

[tidus_mi2]

Would've been weirder if they'd managed to get a young John Madejski to do it.

or an aged John Madejski in a big nappy

We're going to get something similar to that with Blatter at FIFA.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Would've been weirder if they'd managed to get a young John Madejski to do it.

or an aged John Madejski in a big nappy

Think they've missed a trick there.

[Sutekh]

So far then, sad to lose Federici but there's plenty of keepers out there that are equally as good, no-cares whether Pearce stays or goes and Hector is the one all of us would have said to clinch if we could only have had one of the three.

Let's hope they follow it up with bit more intent.

[SCIAG]

Karacan - has been injured for 2 years. So what if he is club captain, means jack if you're not on the pitch / bench. Loan / replacement easy.

Eh... whilst we've coped without Karacan, we've also lost several of the players who helped cover for him. Most notably Guthrie, our best midfielder the season before last, but also Chalobah and Baird, and Clarke doesn't seem to rate Norwood or (thankfully) Akpan. We could use another option here even if Karacan stays.

Karacan had one, maybe 1.5 decent seasons - both alongside Leigertwood. I think he will re-sign as I can't see any other Championship club offering him a big pay deal as he hasn't really shown much quality (though a lot of character and commitment); let's not forget we tend to see things a bit more favourably when a player comes through our own Academy

I think you've forgotten some of the details of Karacan's career at Reading.

Firstly, it was very definitely 2 "decent" seasons alongside Leigertwood.

He was one of three players, along with McAnuff and Gylfi, whom the consensus said could hold their heads up after the Rodgers debacle. He was one of our better players when McDermott took over, including MOTM at Anfield, before he got injured.

He was also excellent when he played under Adkins, and didn't disgrace himself under Coppell.

A major part in two playoff+ campaigns? Plus a minor role in another playoff campaign? That's quality, and that gets you noticed.

Millwall would definitely be interested after his successful loan spell there, and it's possible even Bournemouth would be too. Plenty of other clubs could potentially think the free transfer makes up for his injury record.

I'm an admirer of Jason Pearce, who inexplicably left Leeds in January to join the sinking Wigan ship. An improvement on Alex, I would imagine he could be available. He was captain at Leeds too

Alex is a much better player than Jason. That's why Alex was POTS in a team which won the league, why Alex played in the Premier League, why Alex is going to join Derby rather than Wigan. Jason is, at best, a mid-table Championship player.

[Extended-Phenotype]

We are currently at best a mid table championship team

[SCIAG]

We are currently at best a mid table championship team

That's true, but we should be looking to sign players who will help us improve on that position, not running to stand still.

[Ian Royal]

So far then, sad to lose Federici but there's plenty of keepers out there that are equally as good, no-cares whether Pearce stays or goes and Hector is the one all of us would have said to clinch if we could only have had one of the three.

Let's hope they follow it up with bit more intent.

Lots of people maybe fine with Pearce going, but it's about 50/50 with those who think losing him would be a very big deal.

We haven't clinched Hector, he was contracted to us anyway. We've just ensured the risk of losing him for a pittance is more distant.

We have enough problems without losing either of Pearce or Federici - less so Karacan who's barely played for ages and where we have more depth in the squad.

[Norfolk Royal]

Has the soft tissue specialist been replaced yet?

[Maidenhead Royal]

Foderingham has just been released.

[strap]

Foderingham has just been released.

Blimey that was quick. Hadn't even realised we'd signed him