Summer Rebuild

[Nameless]

I know some have scoffed at the comparison to Blackpool, as we have something like 30 odd senior* players on our books. But when you look at that list it's hard not to.

*senior as they have a squad number but let's be honest most are youth players

You seem to think it's a bad thing to have players in the first team squad who have come through the Academy. I'm confused by that.
I'm also confused that you think the likes of Tnner, tshbola, Kuhl etc etc are Youth players. They aren't. They are all full pros.

[Hoop Blah]

I know some have scoffed at the comparison to Blackpool, as we have something like 30 odd senior* players on our books. But when you look at that list it's hard not to.

*senior as they have a squad number but let's be honest most are youth players

You seem to think it's a bad thing to have players in the first team squad who have come through the Academy. I'm confused by that.
I'm also confused that you think the likes of Tnner, tshbola, Kuhl etc etc are Youth players. They aren't. They are all full pros.

They might be full pros but they aren't seasoned professionals you can throw into a Championship side and know roughly what your going to get. You'd worry about having one of those needing to play 20 games in a season, let alone all together at once.

It's a bit churlish to look at having the likes of Cox, Karacan*, Obita and Robson-Kanu as just Academy graduates though. They're proven players at this level (perhaps established or known might be a better phrase for one of them rather than proven!) so make that list look a little better.

There's still a lot of work to be done to shape a comfortable Championship squad though.

[Ian Royal]

Some experienced centre halves who might be available:

Jonathan Woodgate - past it
Richard Dunne - past it
Maynor Figueroa - dunno
Kevin McNaughton - yeah
Aaron Hughes - dunno
Danny Shittu - shit
Roger Johnson - shit
Paul McShane -meh
Matt Mills - twat
Greg Halford - history rules him out
What marvelous options

[urz13]

Figuerora or McShane would be just about bearable.

IMO if Andersen and Pog go we'll need at least 8 signings, and another if Karacan goes too.

Despite that, I expect us to sign 4 players at most. (1GK, 1CB, 2 Forwards)

[Hendo]

Are we actually going to sign anyone?

Its been a month since the season ended yet we have not been close to signing anybody.

Yep about about another 23 days until the window actually opens.

#foldtheclub

[Sutekh]

Are we actually going to sign anyone?

Its been a month since the season ended yet we have not been close to signing anybody.

Yep about about another 23 days until the window actually opens.

#foldtheclub

Still waiting for budget talks to happen aren't we

And when the window technically opens is completely irrelevant.

[sandman]

Are we actually going to sign anyone?

Its been a month since the season ended yet we have not been close to signing anybody.

Yep about about another 23 days until the window actually opens.

#foldtheclub

Still waiting for budget talks to happen aren't we

And when the window technically opens is completely irrelevant.

Not really though is it? It's a rather big part of the summer where 90% of the business is done.

But then this is the toaster generation and if it doesn't happen immediately then it's never going to happen and

[Nameless]

And we have no idea what 'waiting for budget talks to happen' means.
Clearly business is being done.
There is enough understanding of budgets to make contract offers to players, or not.
For all we know these budget talks involve Clarke saying ' ok, you told me to go and line up the players I said I needed, here are the deals so sign off the spend', rather than 'can you spare some change for a goalkeeper please'.

Panic based on Chinese (Thai ?) whispers is always the best option though....

[John Smith]

Danny Shittu

I'd be absolutely delighted if we got him: solid and a great pro off the pitch. Pretty much everything that Alex Pearce isn't. Sign him up and give him the armband

[Hoop Blah]

And when the window technically opens is completely irrelevant.

Not really though is it? It's a rather big part of the summer where 90% of the business is done.

But then this is the toaster generation and if it doesn't happen immediately then it's never going to happen

It isn't really relevant as the window is just the timeframe you can officially register a player to play competitive fixtures for you.

As we've seen, it's easy enough to sign players outside of that window and plenty of clubs (including us I'm sure) as doing or attempting to do lots of business outside of the window.

I'm not panicking about the lack of activity yet as there is a long way to go and lots of moves will depend on what happens elsewhere and the players bigger clubs free up for loan or transfers as a result of other moves even further up the food train.

We do need to get some business done early though.

[urz13]

Danny Shittu

I'd be absolutely delighted if we got him: solid and a great pro off the pitch. Pretty much everything that Alex Pearce isn't. Sign him up and give him the armband

He's 34 and playing for Millwall. Don't you remember the last two past it centre backs we signed? One of them is still here....

[RG7Fan]

Far too much talk about INDIVIDUALS here. A good TEAM is what wins football matches.

For much of the season BBRB (and probably many on here) were saying when you look at the individuals in the squad we should be in a MUCH better position than bottom 3rd...

That's as maybe but quite plainly the TEAM was not good enough.

Now it appears there's huge pessimism about not being able to replace the players leaving with those of similar / better quality - but, regardless of the fact there's months left before the transfer window closes, it's hardly rocket science to point out that we don't necessarily need new players who are individually as good as the ones we are losing to create a better TEAM.

Let's wait and see what Clarke can put together.

What's more concerning is we are trusting one of the most important summer transfer windows in some time to someone who was sacked from his previous role and had an awful transfer record with them.

I doubt there is any money to spend anyway so he can't do too much damage I suppose.

Our club is in such a mess

RFC has changed so dramatically in recent years. It's almost like they have switched the lights off and gone home. I know it's only early in the window but the silence is deafening.

Most managers out there have been sacked from their previous roles (Adkins was). Would you be saying the same if it was Mark Warburton - afterall he was sacked as well.

[RG7Fan]

Danny Shittu

I'd be absolutely delighted if we got him: solid and a great pro off the pitch. Pretty much everything that Alex Pearce isn't. Sign him up and give him the armband

And he has a great name that will provide all sorts of comic relief during the season.

[RG7Fan]

Not really though is it? It's a rather big part of the summer where 90% of the business is done.

But then this is the toaster generation and if it doesn't happen immediately then it's never going to happen and

If we dont sign someone soon then this forum will be very quiet - people will be completely exhausted from running around like headless idiots thinking the world is going to collapse.

[maffff]

If we are caught up in this Thailand story in any way then I don't expect any movement whatsoever in......

Doesn't look good, does it?

[Forbury Lion]

IMO if Andersen and Pog go we'll need at least 8 signings

If Pog goes we could probably afford them as well.

[PeterReadingborn59]

If we are caught up in this Thailand story in any way then I don't expect any movement whatsoever in......

Doesn't look good, does it?

Probably a fiction Story like Pog going to the Ukraine. Jonny Fordham seems to set these stories running.

[maffff]

Go to companies house, look at our shareholders

RFC UK INVESTMENT CO LTD (director Mrs Khunying Sasima Srivikorn - before she was involved it was Mr Taweesuk Jack Srisumrid (01/07/15 - 10/07/15)
GPT UK INVESTMENT CO LTD (director Narin Niruttinanon)
GPT FOOTBALL INVESTMENT LTD (director Narin Niruttinanon - before she was involved it was Mr Anthony Trevor Bates (01/07/15 - 10/09/15)
UNIVERSAL FICO LTD

No sign of Samrit there, but;

GPT FOOTBALL INVESTMENT LTD - Previous Names
Big UK Investment Co. Ltd Changed on 11 September 2014

The Bangkok post article http://www.bangkokpost.com/lite/news/58 ... -fund-scam suggests that in the suspected fraud one item offered as collateral was equity shares of the Reading Football Club worth £50 million (2.6 billion baht) with other articles suggesting there were falsified bank guarantees, which may or may not have included the equities for Reading.

Mentions earlier in the year he was detained and threatened over it http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nationa ... 61635.html

And it looks like Samrit himself has had assets frozen along with shares in Promise Insurance, worth about Bt71 million. Plus bank accounts of Promise Insurance and Police United FC have been suspended suspended for 10 days too. Both accounts have cash of about Bt43 million.

So if Samrit is being chased for money..... http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nationa ... 61885.html

“Moreover, we will try to track down the rest of the money that came from OTEP”, Seehanat said. He said the suspects may have hidden a huge sum of assets acquired through ill-gotten gain." <--

Whilst it's just media sources, it doesn't sound great..............

[PeterReadingborn59]

RFC is owned by three people according to http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/thai-consortium-buys-reading-football-club-1466760

The consortium, led by businesswoman Khunying Sasima Srivikorn, 25% holding, was first announced an interest in buying the Royals in July.

Srivikorn will become co-chairman with Madejski. The rest of the club was purchased by Khun Narin Niruttinanon who acquired 50% and Khun Sumrith Thanakarnjanasuth, who bought the remaining 25%.

No sign of Samrit.

[maffff]

This might be better for Club Policies.

Niruttinanon took over his 25% as he withdrew at the stage where he'd get questioned for the fit and proper persons test, still appears his grubby little mits are over it mate.