The squad in July

[Hound]

The smell of BO and virginity at this event will be off the charts.

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2023/j ... -sale-now/

Excellent. Will see you in there

[WestYorksRoyal]

I think we look fairly strong. Obvs need another set of players in but upper mid at the moment

The u23s we have are absolutely fine as back up. They are 20/21 not 17

Selles will have been working with the squad for ages

Not convinced on that last bit. If I was him there's no way I'd have been working for free.

Couldn't be given a contract or paid.

You would want to do everything to maximise your chances of success. But there may have been concerns about the home office if he de facto started working without his work permit. Surely it could land us in trouble? I believe he was more observing things rather than working, probably for that reason.

[Sutekh]

I think we look fairly strong. Obvs need another set of players in but upper mid at the moment

The u23s we have are absolutely fine as back up. They are 20/21 not 17

Selles will have been working with the squad for ages

Not convinced on that last bit. If I was him there's no way I'd have been working for free.

Couldn't be given a contract or paid.

You would want to do everything to maximise your chances of success. But there may have been concerns about the home office if he de facto started working without his work permit. Surely it could land us in trouble? I believe he was more observing things rather than working, probably for that reason.

He was on his hols and just happened to be staying at Bearwood at the time that the Reading squad turned up.

[Pepe the Horseman]

The smell of BO and virginity at this event will be off the charts.

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2023/j ... -sale-now/

600 people apologising and staring at their feet when Dai comes out.

[The Royal Forester]

A solid but unspectacular season awaits given the squad we have right now I think. Fear it’s too late in pre season for Selles to work with a squad properly so I hope unless he’s doing particularly badly that he is given time.

I think we’re still very much relegation fodder as of right now. It’s been a nice couple of days but the squad still has under 12s as backups for some positions. Push on like this for another week or so and we may get to unspectacular and solid but I feel we’re a way off that yet.

Good grief. We really are scraping the bottom of the barrel aren't we? Under 12's as back up. That will be our (as well the league's) youngest player to play in a match!

[Royal Ginger]

Yes. That’s hyperbole for you.

[Hound]

Does Savage also qualify for the U12 if we do end up signing him?

[Sutekh]

Does Savage also qualify for the U12 if we do end up signing him?

Think he might be a bit too old for them.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Whilst we are (obviously) in an arena where sights are set a little lower….we seem to be slowly accumulating capable players at the crossroads of their careers with the time and a lot to prove.

Kind’ve looking forward to the new guard, despite the wallowing league

[Hound]

Yeah I’m looking forward to it. We should be strong in this division and hopefully be able to enjoy games

[blythspartan]

It looks like we will end up with a better squad in League One than we had in the Championship last year. Maybe that’s just wishful thinking on my part.

[CountryRoyal]

It looks like we will end up with a better squad in League One than we had in the Championship last year. Maybe that’s just wishful thinking on my part.

Certainly not in quality. As much as the latter’s attitude was toilet, Meite and Joao represented quality we no longer have and we could yet lose more.

Relative to the division we’re in though? Yeah probably.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

It looks like we will end up with a better squad in League One than we had in the Championship last year. Maybe that’s just wishful thinking on my part.

Certainly not in quality. As much as the latter’s attitude was toilet, Meite and Joao represented quality we no longer have and we could yet lose more.

Relative to the division we’re in though? Yeah probably.

Joao has not played well for us for 2 seasons, admittedly was never really going to work with the way Ince set us up.

Meite likewise, what's he done in 24 months apart from being injured? Aside from against a dreadful Blackpool side in Feb I can't remember much decent out of him for years.

[Ascotexgunner]

It looks like we will end up with a better squad in League One than we had in the Championship last year. Maybe that’s just wishful thinking on my part.

Certainly not in quality. As much as the latter’s attitude was toilet, Meite and Joao represented quality we no longer have and we could yet lose more.

Relative to the division we’re in though? Yeah probably.

Those two have been shite for 2 seasons. They both looked like they were finished. Both poor finishers and both seemed incapable of beating people anymore. Both made of glass.

[Royal_jimmy]

We should be refering to th squad as the crew and this thread should be called HMS Piss The League.

[Hound]

Would say prob not a lot of difference tbh. Meite was a different player after injury. Joao was quality but only ever in spurts and couldn’t be arsed by the end

Ince certainly

Not sure what else we’ve lost that could have been classed as quality? Jeff? Moore? Baba?

[Clyde1998]

Certainly still need at least two CMs (Amos and/or Adeniran would definitely be first team level), other positions really depend on how close the younger players are determined to be from League One football. I think 3-6 more players, not including the players we haven't announced contract extensions for, will be needed for a play-off push.

With Wing confirmed and Savage supposedly very close, that's the two CMs we needed. If at least one of Amos and Adeniran do sign, that would be our central midfield complete and a very strong one at this level at that.

GKs: Andresson; Bouzanis; CBC (tbc)
RBs: Yiadom; Abrefa
LBs: NGW; John Clarke
CBs: Holmes, Mbengue, McIntyre, Dorsett/Abbey
CMs/DMs: Hutchinson; Savage (tbc); Wing; Craig; Senga
AMs/WMs: Azeez; Camara; Ejaria; Knibbs; Hoilett (tbc)
STs: Carroll; Ehib; Smith; Jahmari Clarke (tbc)

[Clyde1998]

Would say prob not a lot of difference tbh. Meite was a different player after injury. Joao was quality but only ever in spurts and couldn’t be arsed by the end

Ince certainly

Not sure what else we’ve lost that could have been classed as quality? Jeff? Moore? Baba?

Tbf, when Moore played briefly last season he did look another level to our other centre-backs. Can't really argue we've lost Moore though, given he didn't play for most of the past few seasons.

That said, even if we've lost players who are technically and physically better than what we've got now/will bring in, the mentality of the players will make a major impact on whether they're actually going to perform well for us: I'd rather have a player of the quality of an average League One player who'll run through a brick wall for us than a world class player who only bothers to show up once every few months, as the former will probably get you more points over a season. Joao and Ince are certainly players I'm not bothered about losing, as their mentality is really not what we need - even if they're top Championship players on their day.

The net effect in the squad, as you point out, is probably not a lot of difference - Meite (if we could get him fully fit) is probably the only player I would actually want of those who've left (aside from Hoilett who might still be with us).

[Crowbar6753]

Certainly still need at least two CMs (Amos and/or Adeniran would definitely be first team level), other positions really depend on how close the younger players are determined to be from League One football. I think 3-6 more players, not including the players we haven't announced contract extensions for, will be needed for a play-off push.

With Wing confirmed and Savage supposedly very close, that's the two CMs we needed. If at least one of Amos and Adeniran do sign, that would be our central midfield complete and a very strong one at this level at that.

GKs: Andresson; Bouzanis; CBC (tbc)
RBs: Yiadom; Abrefa
LBs: NGW; John Clarke
CBs: Holmes, Mbengue, McIntyre, Dorsett/Abbey
CMs/DMs: Hutchinson; Savage (tbc); Wing; Craig; Senga
AMs/WMs: Azeez; Camara; Ejaria; Knibbs; Hoilett (tbc)
STs: Carroll; Ehib; Smith; Jahmari Clarke (tbc)

Coming together nicely and dare i say it, being built "The Reading Way" of old!! No superstars but young hungry players looking to give there all for the club.
Saying that, i would love for Walcott to sign!!!!

[AthleticoSpizz]

Certainly still need at least two CMs (Amos and/or Adeniran would definitely be first team level), other positions really depend on how close the younger players are determined to be from League One football. I think 3-6 more players, not including the players we haven't announced contract extensions for, will be needed for a play-off push.

With Wing confirmed and Savage supposedly very close, that's the two CMs we needed. If at least one of Amos and Adeniran do sign, that would be our central midfield complete and a very strong one at this level at that.

GKs: Andresson; Bouzanis; CBC (tbc)
RBs: Yiadom; Abrefa
LBs: NGW; John Clarke
CBs: Holmes, Mbengue, McIntyre, Dorsett/Abbey
CMs/DMs: Hutchinson; Savage (tbc); Wing; Craig; Senga
AMs/WMs: Azeez; Camara; Ejaria; Knibbs; Hoilett (tbc)
STs: Carroll; Ehib; Smith; Jahmari Clarke (tbc)

Coming together nicely and dare i say it, being built "The Reading Way" of old!! No superstars but young hungry players looking to give there all for the club.
Saying that, i would love for Walcott to sign!!!!

wouldn’t necessarily agree that they will “give their all for the club” but will agree that they are hungry with the platform that they need.

Good times