CONFRIMED: Takeover collapsed; Back to square one

[Stranded]

Definitely if you consider the hypothetical income we could have gained from the likes of Loader and Richards going for nothing and Olise going for below market value due to major incompetence with the ownership, the academy has been very successful.

Whilst I take your point for the 4,654,564,622nd time - Olise would never, ever, ever have played for Reading FC if we didn't agree to the contract and the relevant clauses. So we made 8m (soon to potentially be about 12m) for a player who would otherwise have been shifted off to another club if we hadn't accepted.

That would have been incompetence on a grand scale.

Damn you're annoying.

Who's to say we wouldn't have been able to negotiate a higher release clause in exchange for higher wages? Certainly seems Palace were able to do something similar.

Yep, cause this argument is fcuking annoying.

He was a player in our Academy who had not played a single minute of football for us when he signed the deal. However, we saw the potential and wanted to tie him down - as has been shown by the case that got the club in trouble, we bent the rules to get him to even sign the thing - else his agent would have moved him on.

We had very little leverage, we may have already offered more than we should wages wise and in case you hadn't noticed, the club has been haemorraging money for some time.

Can you imagine the outrage if we had offered an untried player large wages and then he had got seriously injured first game of the season?

Given his career path, it is of course disappointing we only got what we got for him but I'm sorry there is so much crap to hit the club with a deal that meant we will have had the pleasure of seeing a probable top world class talent play about 70 games for us is not one of them.

[Snowflake Royal]

Whilst Academy cuts are likely, it could be a mistep - we just brought in a 6 figure fee for a 16 year old and there are plenty of deals out there to be had which could see the Academy essentially pay for itself if run properly. If we had cashed in on players like Loader, the Academy would likely be at worst a break even over the years.

Definitely if you consider the hypothetical income we could have gained from the likes of Loader and Richards going for nothing and Olise going for below market value due to major incompetence with the ownership, the academy has been very successful.

Whilst I take your point for the 4,654,564,622nd time - Olise would never, ever, ever have played for Reading FC if we didn't agree to the contract and the relevant clauses. So we made 8m (soon to potentially be about 12m) for a player who would otherwise have been shifted off to another club if we hadn't accepted.

That would have been incompetence on a grand scale.

Agree. £8m for when he joined us was a vast release fee. Richards basically had a great six months just when his contract expired. Barely anyone would have supported giving him a big new contract the summer before he went.

Loader was stupidity of Dai, sure. Its the Stacey, Hyam, Dickie era that was the problem. So many talented players left for nothing having not played.

[Snowflake Royal]

Whilst I take your point for the 4,654,564,622nd time - Olise would never, ever, ever have played for Reading FC if we didn't agree to the contract and the relevant clauses. So we made 8m (soon to potentially be about 12m) for a player who would otherwise have been shifted off to another club if we hadn't accepted.

That would have been incompetence on a grand scale.

Damn you're annoying.

Who's to say we wouldn't have been able to negotiate a higher release clause in exchange for higher wages? Certainly seems Palace were able to do something similar.

Yep, cause this argument is fcuking annoying.

He was a player in our Academy who had not played a single minute of football for us when he signed the deal. However, we saw the potential and wanted to tie him down - as has been shown by the case that got the club in trouble, we bent the rules to get him to even sign the thing - else his agent would have moved him on.

We had very little leverage, we may have already offered more than we should wages wise and in case you hadn't noticed, the club has been haemorraging money for some time.

Can you imagine the outrage if we had offered an untried player large wages and then he had got seriously injured first game of the season?

Given his career path, it is of course disappointing we only got what we got for him but I'm sorry there is so much crap to hit the club with a deal that meant we will have had the pleasure of seeing a probable top world class talent play about 70 games for us is not one of them.

Preach.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Whilst I take your point for the 4,654,564,622nd time - Olise would never, ever, ever have played for Reading FC if we didn't agree to the contract and the relevant clauses. So we made 8m (soon to potentially be about 12m) for a player who would otherwise have been shifted off to another club if we hadn't accepted.

That would have been incompetence on a grand scale.

Damn you're annoying.

Who's to say we wouldn't have been able to negotiate a higher release clause in exchange for higher wages? Certainly seems Palace were able to do something similar.

Yep, cause this argument is fcuking annoying.

He was a player in our Academy who had not played a single minute of football for us when he signed the deal. However, we saw the potential and wanted to tie him down - as has been shown by the case that got the club in trouble, we bent the rules to get him to even sign the thing - else his agent would have moved him on.

We had very little leverage, we may have already offered more than we should wages wise and in case you hadn't noticed, the club has been haemorraging money for some time.

Can you imagine the outrage if we had offered an untried player large wages and then he had got seriously injured first game of the season?

Given his career path, it is of course disappointing we only got what we got for him but I'm sorry there is so much crap to hit the club with a deal that meant we will have had the pleasure of seeing a probable top world class talent play about 70 games for us is not one of them.

Sadness is that we didn't see much of those 70 games due to covid. Would have loved to watch him in person more.

[Hound]

Damn you're annoying.

Who's to say we wouldn't have been able to negotiate a higher release clause in exchange for higher wages? Certainly seems Palace were able to do something similar.

Yep, cause this argument is fcuking annoying.

He was a player in our Academy who had not played a single minute of football for us when he signed the deal. However, we saw the potential and wanted to tie him down - as has been shown by the case that got the club in trouble, we bent the rules to get him to even sign the thing - else his agent would have moved him on.

We had very little leverage, we may have already offered more than we should wages wise and in case you hadn't noticed, the club has been haemorraging money for some time.

Can you imagine the outrage if we had offered an untried player large wages and then he had got seriously injured first game of the season?

Given his career path, it is of course disappointing we only got what we got for him but I'm sorry there is so much crap to hit the club with a deal that meant we will have had the pleasure of seeing a probable top world class talent play about 70 games for us is not one of them.

Sadness is that we didn't see much of those 70 games due to covid. Would have loved to watch him in person more.

Yeah 100% this. Never really saw him live at his best which is a great shame

[Elm Park Kid]

I think the appropriate phrase for our situation is "Beggars can't be choosers".

[MIM Royal]

Have a great memory if seeing Olise and Bellingham in the same pitch, in Reading' win at Birmingham just before covid, in what was one of their best performances that year.

If Reading had been run properly probably could have see an additional £20m in the coffers, with extras for Olise and something from the boys who ran their contracts down to zero ( eg Swift, Richards, Loader etc).

......but we weren't ........

[Hound]

Few bits on Twitter that a deal with couhig getting closer. Does seem to be heading in that direction

[Steve_Upper_West]

Few bits on Twitter that a deal with couhig getting closer. Does seem to be heading in that direction

Thanks - thought I was reading the wrong thread for a minute

[Brogue]

Few bits on Twitter that a deal with couhig getting closer. Does seem to be heading in that direction

Huang kad said last week it was getting closer. He’s just said expect an update from the club this week

[Stranded]

All the background music seems postive, but I will not believe a word anyone posts on Twitter unless it is a reputable source or the club.

[Sutekh]

All the background music seems postive, but I will not believe a word anyone posts on Twitter unless it is a reputable source or the club.

The club, of course, not being a reputable source

[Franchise FC]

All the background music seems postive, but I will not believe a word anyone posts on Twitter unless it is a reputable source or the club.

The club, of course, not being a reputable source

That has certainly been the case so far

[Stranded]

All the background music seems postive, but I will not believe a word anyone posts on Twitter unless it is a reputable source or the club.

The club, of course, not being a reputable source

I'm glad someone picked up the nuance there

[RG30]

Reading are moving closer towards a long-awaited takeover, with former Wycombe owner Rob Couhig in the final stages of ending Dai Yongge’s turbulent reign.

Couhig, the 75-year-old American businessman, has agreed a deal with Yongge to buy the League One club and sources are cautiously predicting that a sale could be finalised within the next fortnight.

Reading have been mired in financial difficulties for some time under unpopular owner Yongge, with the club docked a total of 18 points for breaking various Football League rules.

Reading FC Women will also play in the fifth tier next season after the club withdrew from the Championship.

Relegated from the Championship in 2023, Reading have spoken to a number of potential investors and a deal with a North American party collapsed in May.

However, Couhig is now very close to completing a takeover after stepping down from League One rivals Wycombe at the end of last season.

Telegraph Sport understands representatives from Couhig’s party were at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Monday with the transaction now in its final stages.

The EFL declined to comment but it is understood that no issues are expected, with Couhig already passing an Owner and Directors Test in English football.

Couhig attempted to buy Reading’s training ground in March but is now advancing towards an acquisition of the football club.

The deal will end a deeply alarming period for the Berkshire club, who are managed by former Southampton head coach Ruben Selles.

Last year the EFL attempted to have Yongge, the Chinese businessman, disqualified but the commission voted against it.

Reading finished 17th in League One last season, nine points above the relegation zone.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2024/07/09/reading-takeover-news-former-wycombe-owner-rob-couhig/

[Hound]

Yes we just need Bowen to deny it and we know we’re on the home straight

I did hear yesterday (not via X) that Couhig was at the training ground meeting the staff and players. Obvs doesn’t mean it’s a done deal but hopeful signs

[Stranded]

That sounds more like it but were the Telegraph the paper that bought the whole William Storey story?

If it is true, and we all hope it is, question will remain, is it Couhig alone or is he part of a wider Chiron bid, or other group.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Yes we just need Bowen to deny it and we know we’re on the home straight

I did hear yesterday (not via X) that Couhig was at the training ground meeting the staff and players. Obvs doesn’t mean it’s a done deal but hopeful signs

Presumably Selles and the players will stay now, and we'd still have time to get in a few extra bodies. People will speculate what cuts will happen and how ambitious Couhig is, but the fact is there have been many times in the past 18 months where I thought I may no longer have a club to support. Any takeover is to be celebrated.

[Brogue]

Few bits on Twitter that a deal with couhig getting closer. Does seem to be heading in that direction

Huang kad said last week it was getting closer. He’s just said expect an update from the club this week

love him or hate him...

[Stranded]

Yes we just need Bowen to deny it and we know we’re on the home straight

I did hear yesterday (not via X) that Couhig was at the training ground meeting the staff and players. Obvs doesn’t mean it’s a done deal but hopeful signs

Presumably Selles and the players will stay now, and we'd still have time to get in a few extra bodies. People will speculate what cuts will happen and how ambitious Couhig is, but the fact is there have been many times in the past 18 months where I thought I may no longer have a club to support. Any takeover is to be celebrated.

One of the rumours going around yesterday about this is that there are 4 free agents that have already been lined up, have deals agreed and will sign once the ownership changes hands.

Paddy McNair rumoured to be one of them but again, lets see how things move in the coming days.

Things only really got going for us pre-season wise whilst I was on holiday last July - I go away on Tuesday so stuff will likely wait until then.