NO LONGER A RUMOUR - Karl Sheppard

[melonhead]

Agree with Testi

I actually think we don't really want it this year and are trying to develop a team/squad that is really quite young



Not sure if Mills in in the plans but age-wise now we have at least these.

I suspect we are aiming for a very young squad with 2-3-4 oldies to hold them together
and really going for it it 2013-24 maybe?

20-22 McCarthy/Andersen
20-22 Cummings-Mills
20-22 Pearce-Morison
20-23 Karacan ("23"), HRK (22), Antonio (21), Taylor (20), D'Ath (19), OBita (18)
20-24 Sheppard, Alf, Church, Manset

id take going up with a team of yoof teamers and development projects over anything that came of fthe back of spending loads anyway

[soggy biscuit]

Dere's more to Karl Sheppard dan dis

[Snowball]

"One day they will be saying, 'We thought Shane Long was good' "

[Ian Royal]

Agree with Testi

I actually think we don't really want it this year and are trying to develop a team/squad that is really quite young



Not sure if Mills in in the plans but age-wise now we have at least these.

I suspect we are aiming for a very young squad with 2-3-4 oldies to hold them together
and really going for it it 2013-24 maybe?

20-22 McCarthy/Andersen
20-22 Cummings-Mills
20-22 Pearce-Morison
20-23 Karacan ("23"), HRK (22), Antonio (21), Taylor (20), D'Ath (19), OBita (18)
20-24 Sheppard, Alf, Church, Manset

id take going up with a team of yoof teamers and development projects over anything that came of fthe back of spending loads anyway

Unless they're offering him less or the same as we are paying with a view to a big pay rise on promotion this season. Unlikely, but you never know. Or it could just be total guesswork and not accurate at all.

[rhroyal]

1 of 3 types of player.

Best case, a Doyle. Hits the ground running, makes an immediate impact.

2nd best, a Long. Takes time to develop but plenty of ability.

Worst, a Mooney. Enough said.

A simple, cheap gamble if we're being honest. I hope the club aren't relying upon him as a number 1), as that would be foolish.

[Woodcote Royal]

I actually think we don't really want it this year and are trying to develop a team/squad that is really quite young



Not sure if Mills in in the plans but age-wise now we have at least these.

I suspect we are aiming for a very young squad with 2-3-4 oldies to hold them together
and really going for it it 2013-24 maybe?

20-22 McCarthy/Andersen
20-22 Cummings-Mills
20-22 Pearce-Morison
20-23 Karacan ("23"), HRK (22), Antonio (21), Taylor (20), D'Ath (19), OBita (18)
20-24 Sheppard, Alf, Church, Manset

Whilst I agree that this would be a good strategy for squad development, nowadays we can't afford to pass up the huge financial rewards promotion would bring, regardless of the effect it might have on a young squad.

Four years guaranteed parachute payments is massive for any Championship club and, given our current league position, either Sheppard is seen as good enough to make an impact this season (and from what some Shamrock fans have said I wouldn't be too surprised if this proves to be the case) or, I would expect at least one established addition to the squad before the end of the month.

We need an effective striker and/or someone who can provide Le Fondre with the service that's almost non existent right now......................a decent loan might be favourite.

[RoyalBlue]

Agree with Testi

I actually think we don't really want it this year and are trying to develop a team/squad that is really quite young



Not sure if Mills in in the plans but age-wise now we have at least these.

I suspect we are aiming for a very young squad with 2-3-4 oldies to hold them together
and really going for it it 2013-24 maybe?

Yeh, the latter date is probably more realistic, given that every time the manager assembles a half decent squad along those lines, he is then forced to flog off a couple of integral members of that squad and start again!

[rfc2001]

Got a good feeling about Shepp!! He sounds level headed and I think he will be an instant first team player! Like he said playing in Europe has given him a lot of exposure!!


Shepp>ALF>Hunt>Manset>Bignall>williams>Samuel>ugwu!!

[FiNeRaIn]

I suspect we are aiming for a very young squad with 2-3-4 oldies to hold them together
and really going for it it 2013-24 maybe?

Yeh, the latter date is probably more realistic, given that every time the manager assembles a half decent squad along those lines, he is then forced to flog off a couple of integral members of that squad and start again!

Yeah, agreed. That is where their logic fails unfortunately. If it was confirmed we would keep all homegrown players for the next 4/5 years and none would be sold then i'd convert to their theory, however as soon as they start to look good i.e /sig long they'll be on their way. So infact it wouldn't be " going up with a load of youngsters", it'll be us flogging them off and continually rebuilding as a vicious cycle.

[Ian Royal]

Can't see us losing anyone particularly crucial this year.

Likely candidates are:
Federici - we aready have McCarthy and Andersen
McCarthy - we already have Federici and Andersen
Andersen - we already have Federici and McCarthy
Kebe - he's quite hit and miss and we at least have HRK knocking around the edges of the first team, and there'd still be McAnuff - probably the biggest likely loss we could have.
Hunt - injury risk and we have several other strikers. TBH we could use a new striker of better quality anyway
Church - he's had limited impact anyway, otherwise see Hunt.

I can't see us selling Ledge, Cummings, Gorkss, Pearce, McAnuff or ALF and we certainly won't sell more than a couple of those listed above. No one else I can think of is a big loss really.

[FiNeRaIn]

As always with Reading if someone else wants them ( usually if they are good enough) then they'll be off. You have to say though looking at our squad there aren't very many good players in it so we might be safe for this season.

[melonhead]

Shepp>ALF>Hunt>Manset>Bignall>williams>Samuel>ugwu!!

probably as bad a writing him off- but id prefer you to be right than them tbf

[melonhead]

looking at our squad there aren't very many good players in it

[Ian Royal]

looking at our squad there aren't very many good players in it

He's wrong. But there aren't many particularly desirable players in it that are likely to be bought for the sort of money we'd want. So there is the hint of a point in there somewhere.

[1871 Royal]

Maybe there aren't many good players in the team, I happen to think there are.

But isn't this one of the times where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts

[melonhead]

looking at our squad there aren't very many good players in it

He's wrong. But there aren't many particularly desirable players in it that are likely to be bought for the sort of money we'd want. So there is the hint of a point in there somewhere.

if someone will buy mills for 5.5
we really have no idea what someone may offer for one of our players


i will be glad in a way when kebe and fed go, then we can settle down and watch a side full of nobodies that nobody wants win the league!

[Ian Royal]

Mills had a big reputation as an up and coming young player. He wasn't worth it, but I'm not particularly surprised someone spent big on him.

There aren't any of the right sort of players left in the squad, with the vaguely possible exceptions of Federici (not quite good enough), Kebe (hot and cold), and McCarthy (bit inexperienced).

[Hiram K Hackenbacker]

I agree

[Friday's Legacy]

sheppard's first game for the club tomorrow. comes across as a really nice lad. i'm hoping he proves to be a good punt. it doesn't look so positive for brett williams.

[grey_squirrel]

sheppard's first game for the club tomorrow. comes across as a really nice lad. i'm hoping he proves to be a good punt. it doesn't look so positive for brett williams.

The Irish economy and thus players wages must be so low that it is more cost effective to sign them, rather than Ryan Air (continuously scout) them in the hope that one of them (again) comes good. We've had more failures than good 'uns since Doyle and Long. Still good luck to the lad.