The State Of The Team In February 2011 & Going Forward

[Wycombe Royal]

When does Leigertwood's contract at QPR expire?

A couple more years I think.....

[andrew1957]

One reading of the situation is that things look positive for the future But I have always believed that if we do not go up this year many of the current starts will want to move on. I think Fed, Long, Kebe and McAnuff will all be off and perhaps others.

That means yet another rebuilding job for Brian with even younger players. Crowds will probably fall when our better players go and then more players will need to be sold to balance the books. We at best end up as a feeder club for the PL or bigger Championship clubs.

That is the reason I have wanted the club to risk things just a little more this season - as I think the future is actually Championship at best if we don't go up this season.

[Ian Royal]

I've come to the conclusion that Mills has Premier League quality talent and physique and League One level footballing intelligence and temperament. Therefore I would not be unhappy to see him leave... though we'd have to replace him very wisely.

Pearce on the other hand has League One technique and physicality, but a Premier League brain. I think he could go on to be a successful coach or manager. And I wouldn't mind seeing him get another bash at captain in the not too distant future.

[SCIAG]

I'd look to keep Tabb if D'Ath and the two recruits aren't ready for first team football, and we keep Kébé and McAnuff. Maybe offer him a six month extension and tell him he can have another two years if either of them leave before the end of the transfer window.

I'd tell Zurab and Ívar that I want to keep one of them, but I don't mind which especially. That may drive down their wage demands. If that doesn't work, I'd go with Zurab, but try and keep Ívar on pay-as-you-play/coaching.

I'd sell Kébé if I received an offer of £3m, McAnuff for £1.5m. If I kept them both, I'd look to loan out Antonio and co., with HRK and Tabb covering. If I sold one, I'd use HRK initially. If he did fine, he'd stay there, and I'd consider loaning out Antonio with the ability to call him back quickly. If HRK did poorly, Tabb would come in on the left, and HRK and Antonio would offer back up. If I lost both, Antonio and HRK would start, with Tabb and Obita providing backup. For Obita, see Antonio previously.

Unfortunately, I'd let Davies and Kelly go, along with some people I don't care so much for, like Mooney and Bignall. I'd initially let Armstrong go, but I'd keep him in mind as a potential signing if he couldn't find a club, I sold Williams, and I couldn't convince Bertrand to join.

Hunt can leave if Manset plays well for the rest of the season.

Taylor would start the season as a starter, in the Gylfi role. He'd have 6 or 7 games to prove himself, then ABB would come in and have 4 or 5. If he couldn't play as well as I'd like either, I'd loan out Taylor, and play 4-4-2, with Manset partnering Long. Church would come on for Long as an impact sub, if he fails to produce, I'd look to sell him and use ABB in that role. Williams could come in for Manset.

[phil in cornwall]

I spent a couple of hours collating stats as I have no life

Thanks for your contribution RoyalJames. We just couldn't read it.

We already know that snowball will melt in the spring.

[Hoop Blah]

It's a decent enough basis of a squad, and I do like the way we're bringing the youngsters through BUT I do believe that we need to add a couple of first teamers to the squad (players better than the ones already there).

Unfortunately I also expect to lose Long, Federici and Kebe over the summer if we don't somehow sneak a way up through the playoffs. None of those 3 are that highly rated in my eyes but they are all key to our squad nonetheless.

As with most of the above posts, I'd be looking to offload a few of the youngsters who don't look quite good enough (eg Bignall), the squad players who aren't being used (eg Howard & Mooney) and those getting two old/fragile for the job (Ingimarsson, Gunnarsson and Armstrong - the latter seems unable to challenge Harte for the left back spot and so I still have major doubts re his fitness whilst I'd be pleased to see the former two kept around in some coaching capacity if it suits).

As our results and league position show, we're not a million miles away from being a decent side. Our evolution will again take another major step this summer and how we look to manage that evolution will determine how much of a challenge we'll be able to make next season.

Currently I'd expect us to have a similar season to this as I think we'll lose some key players but not replace them with sufficient quality...

[Tails]

I would have thought from a business sense that Fed should be sold for maximum revenue but seeing as we haven't really introduced any of the others to first team football at Reading [with any real sense of 'success'] I think the more football orientated decision would be to off load Hamer and let the other two fight for the position of under-study.

I think Khiz will/should leave - he was brought in to sure things up, dispense invaluable wisdom to the likes of Pearce and Mills which I believe both have taken on board an have started to execute in their respective games. This would allow Ingi to stay as the stalwart, club captain figure; stewarding the defence/team for when the likes of Mills properly realises the position of club captain himself.

Midfield has a nice blend of youth and experience, ideally I would leave well alone - but clubs may wish to sniff around for Kebe and Jobi. Only real change would be to move Gunnar into a more coaching role rather than playing staff - but that depends [obviously] on his motivations.

Forwards-wise, I see as Hunt being a dispensable entity, however, it may be that he is a character that is useful for having in the squad, for the benefit of Long etc. If this isn't the case, I think the natural progression would be for the likes of Manset and others to support Long who has realised his position as the dominant striker at the club.

[Wimb]

It all seems to add up to this summer being utterly crucial for the future of the club. If we fail to go up SJM is going to be in the position he'll hate the most, having a chance at promotion balanced against significant potential revenue streams by selling Kebe, Long and McAnuff.

In my heart I hope he gambles, has some sort of spark lit by the progress under Brian and our runs in the cup and gives it a decent push. We only seem 1 or 2 players away from being a real force and with transfer prices usually lower in the summer it's up to the management team to go for it.

[Snowball]

It all seems to add up to this summer being utterly crucial for the future of the club. If we fail to go up SJM is going to be in the position he'll hate the most, having a chance at promotion balanced against significant potential revenue streams by selling Kebe, Long and McAnuff.

In my heart I hope he gambles, has some sort of spark lit by the progress under Brian and our runs in the cup and gives it a decent push. We only seem 1 or 2 players away from being a real force and with transfer prices usually lower in the summer it's up to the management team to go for it.

THIS.

But I think if Shane gets another 5 goals this season (he could get more)
it will be very hard to keep him

[Hoop Blah]

I'll be surprised if either of Long and Federici are with us next September let alone both of them.

I still don't think either are good enough to hold down a place at a side better than ours but I'm sure Premier League managers will see them as ideal squad players for a team with survival in mind next season. We can't compete with the money or glamour that being a Premier League reserve offers these guys so I expect them to leave.

[Wimb]

I'll be surprised if either of Long and Federici are with us next September let alone both of them.

I still don't think either are good enough to hold down a place at a side better than ours but I'm sure Premier League managers will see them as ideal squad players for a team with survival in mind next season. We can't compete with the money or glamour that being a Premier League reserve offers these guys so I expect them to leave.

Not sure I agree with that Hoop, simply on the basis that none of our players have really gone for anything less then the promise of a starting spot (Sidwell aside) and at the age our players are it doesn't make much sense. Why would Fedders really want to go somewhere and sit on the bench when he's finally playing regular football? Long might go if it's to a lower side where he can force his way in, but only if he's got a good chance of playing.

[Hoop Blah]

Kitson, Shorey, Sonko, Bikey and Hunt all left to be squad players really. Some played a bit more than others, and also had more realistic chances of playing regular football, but essentially they all went without any 'guarantee' of playing.

Take a look at how many players move just to get into a Premier League squad. Federici and Long are no different, in fact they've pretty much said as much that they'll leave given the chance.

[Snowball]

. Federici and Long are no different, in fact they've pretty much said as much that they'll leave given the chance.

They did? When? Where?

[Snowball]

I'll be surprised if either of Long and Federici are with us next September let alone both of them.

I still don't think either are good enough to hold down a place at a side better than ours but I'm sure Premier League managers will see them as ideal squad players for a team with survival in mind next season. We can't compete with the money or glamour that being a Premier League reserve offers these guys so I expect them to leave.

I disagree. I think Shane would be a revelation alongside a quality striker
who is huge and can take half the battering.

I also think Shane needs games to be any good, and that if he gets bit parts will go backwards.

[Hoop Blah]

. Federici and Long are no different, in fact they've pretty much said as much that they'll leave given the chance.

They did? When? Where?

Both have reiterated their Premier League ambitions on many occasions and I think Federici even said something about it being unfair on the club if they were to lose him for no fee. I'd say it's wildly naive to think either would turn down a move to a Premier League club if RFC were to accept a suitable bid this summer.

I totally agree that Long needs to play I order to progress. I don't think he'd turn down a move to a Wigan, Fulham, Wolves, West Ham etc, with the money and Premier League football that goes with, just on the basis that he'll improve more by staying here and playing more games. Very few players have shown that foresight in recent years, and who can blame then when they can at least double their money most of the time.

[Wimb]

Kitson, Shorey, Sonko, Bikey and Hunt all left to be squad players really. Some played a bit more than others, and also had more realistic chances of playing regular football, but essentially they all went without any 'guarantee' of playing.

Take a look at how many players move just to get into a Premier League squad. Federici and Long are no different, in fact they've pretty much said as much that they'll leave given the chance.

There's never a guarantee of playing of course, even when they were at Reading they were sometimes overlooked. But I think the big difference is that Sonko, Kitson and Hunt were more or less at their peak or just past it and so remaining in the PL would have been a more appealing prospect.

If Federici goes to say Arsenal and is 2nd/3rd choice keeper he's not going to get the experience/playing time to develop as a player or continue his international ambitions. To me, he'd be far wiser as a goalkeeper in his 20's to get at the very least a 3rd full season of Championship football under his belt and then move rather then move now and not have any real chance at being a No1.
Long's slightly different in that he has been there before but again this is his 1st season of having 40+ starts and he's still so young that another season of honing your craft and learning how to manage your body through a full season etc seems far more beneficial then doing a Cox and spending half a season on the bench.
I don't dispute that they have the ambition to play at a higher level I just question whether this summer would be RIGHT for them to move as players. Sadly money often talks and if either they fancy the money/challenge or the club tells them it's a great move for the club then they will go

[Hoop Blah]

Totally agree that it probably wouldn't be the right move in terms of improving as a player etc, but I don't think that would cause either of them a second thought.

[chilipepper91]

Tabb showing positive signs - http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/footb ... reading_fc

“The gaffer has spoken to me and Nicky (Hammond) has spoken to my agent, so I think they do want to do something.
“I’ve got a few games coming up now so hopefully I can do well and get that new contract here.
"I love it at Reading and I don’t want to be anywhere else, so as long as the contract is there I’ll be signing it.”

[Ian Royal]

Good to hear from Tabby that if he gets a contract he'll sign, I think that's rarely you'd hear something as open as that.

My concern is that he's too similar to Karacan and I'm not sure there's really a good reason to have both. Especially when we'll be trying (hopefully) to sign Ledge and we need to get Howard playing better or replaced with another creative passing(preferably goalscoring box to boxer) midfielder.

[Snowball]

Good to hear from Tabby that if he gets a contract he'll sign, I think that's rarely you'd hear something as open as that.

My concern is that he's too similar to Karacan and I'm not sure there's really a good reason to have both. Especially when we'll be trying (hopefully) to sign Ledge and we need to get Howard playing better or replaced with another creative passing(preferably goalscoring box to boxer) midfielder.

Tabby is cover for when someone comes in with a big offer for Karacan (likely)