Summer Rebuild

[Ian Royal]

Sa, McShane, Quinn, Bond, Al Habsi, Semedo, Liburd (sp?), Taylor, Hurtado - that's nine.

LoLcoste

[Nameless]

He's got a point to some extent, Semedo and Liburd are one's for the future rather than immediate first team material. But they are both signed as full pros rather than academy scholars so I think they count.

[SCIAG]

Barring a centre back, we could field a pretty balanced side if Chalobah and Alex come in.

-----------------------Bond--------------------
Chalobah---McShane--??-------Taylor
Semedo----Alex----Quinn----Hurtado
---------------Liburd---Sa---------------------

[Nameless]

Just about justify including Ferdinand In that 'new boys' side.

[NewCorkSeth]

2xGK - Bond, Al-Habsi
2xRB - Gunter, Keown
2xLB - Obita, Taylor
4xCB - Ferdinand, McShane, Hector, Cooper
5xCM - Williams, Norwood, Quinn, Thsibola, Kuhl
2xMR - McCleary, Stacey
2xML - Hurtado, Fosu
4xST - Sa, Pog, Cox, Samuel
2xLimbo - HRK, Blackman

All in all a successful rebuild! Looking forward to failing miserably.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Barring a centre back, we could field a pretty balanced side if Chalobah and Alex come in.

-----------------------Bond--------------------
Chalobah---McShane--??-------Taylor
Semedo----Alex----Quinn----Hurtado
---------------Liburd---Sa---------------------

Stick Al Habsi in at centre back.

[UpThePrem]

Talk Reading ‏@TalkReading 13m13 minutes ago

Lady Sasima says they are looking "all over the world for a striker" and "price doesn't matter". #readingfc

[Nameless]

With a global search and an unlimited budget you would think they ought to be able to find one !!

[genome]

Talk Reading ‏@TalkReading 13m13 minutes ago

Lady Sasima says they are looking "all over the world for a striker" and "price doesn't matter". #readingfc

Messi then

[Royal Rother]

Of course I will be delighted if this new look squad starts winning games and challenging for auto promotion. And I actually think they might well do just that.

However, I'd have really CARED what happened if our home grown players were being being promoted to the 1st team, given a chance to develop within the club, even if it meant that the upper levels were out of reach for the time being.

With all these new players coming in, just how often are our own very promising youngsters like Stacey, Fosu, Cooper, Kuhl, Tanner, Tshibola etc. going to play? Some are getting game time right now, yes - and maybe the old adage if they're good enough ... applies- but as Hurtado, Fernandez et al get properly match fit the chances for "our lads" will become more and more scarce as Clarke will definitely want to give "his lads" a chance. And those just behind Stacey & Co in the pecking queue are even less likely to get a game now.

It's how the game is, it reflects the owners desire to get successful as quickly as possible, and I don't resent it in the slightest but to be honest, with a bunch of players being brought in, some of which I've never even heard of until our interest in them was registered on here, I don't really care all that much what happens right now and feel myself drifting another notch away from RFC.

I know, big deal - I don't even go to games anymore but no harm making the observation.

[Esteban]

Of course I will be delighted if this new look squad starts winning games and challenging for auto promotion. And I actually think they might well do just that.

However, I'd have really CARED what happened if our home grown players were being being promoted to the 1st team, given a chance to develop within the club, even if it meant that the upper levels were out of reach for the time being.

With all these new players coming in, just how often are our own very promising youngsters like Stacey, Fosu, Cooper, Kuhl, Tanner, Tshibola etc. going to play? Some are getting game time right now, yes - and maybe the old adage if they're good enough ... applies- but as Hurtado, Fernandez et al get properly match fit the chances for "our lads" will become more and more scarce as Clarke will definitely want to give "his lads" a chance. And those just behind Stacey & Co in the pecking queue are even less likely to get a game now.

It's how the game is, it reflects the owners desire to get successful as quickly as possible, and I don't resent it in the slightest but to be honest, with a bunch of players being brought in, some of which I've never even heard of until our interest in them was registered on here, I don't really care all that much what happens right now and feel myself drifting another notch away from RFC.

I know, big deal - I don't even go to games anymore but no harm making the observation.

I think Fosu and Stacey will be heavily involved (especially if HRK goes) and Cooper and Keown will be on the fringes. Tanner is already out on loan and Kuhl needs a loan (we allowed him to meet up with Mallorca), so in reality, it's only Tshibola who will suffer a bit and only if we sign Chalobah.

[Royal Rother]

The keepers apart, surely the players signed will all play a part (or will have done), one way or another, in keeping one or other of the youngsters out of the team?

[Hoop Blah]

The keepers apart, surely the players signed will all play a part (or will have done), one way or another, in keeping one or other of the youngsters out of the team?

I'm sure we'd all love to recreate the feats of Celtic's 1967 side RR, but the reality is that the manager needs to win games.

If the kids aren't good enough (yet) to do that at our level then he needs to bring in players who are.

[Royal Rother]

Oh indeed, no argument there - I'm just saying, albeit from my armchair, that I'm not all that interested right now.

The short / medium term vision of promotion at all costs (as quickly as possible) is of less interest to me than developing a team from within.

A season of struggle with a young team this season could have paid long-term dividends. And helped stabilise the finances as an added bonus.

But I do understand the real world of modern football is too short termism for that vision to be maintained except in exceptional circumstances.

For me though, it's a shame and slowly leads to further disconnect.

But I still think we will do well this season, which is all good.

[melonhead]

Nothing would increase the disconnect more than another season of bland slow disintegration imo.

This needed doing, and I'm glad it's done.

Would have preferred to do it with Karacan and pierce, but I'll live

[Nameless]

Pierce is still here though

[Ian Royal]

Nothing would increase the disconnect more than another season of bland slow disintegration imo.

This needed doing, and I'm glad it's done.

Would have preferred to do it with Karacan and pierce, but I'll live

For me it's the difference between a season of small and slow improvement, leading to a good season the next year with players we have a huge connection to, or a quicker and bigger improvement that's a bit harder to sustain long-term and a greater chance of loss of our own young talent we may regret later.

Saying that we couldn't really control the departures of Pearce, Federici and Karacan and Clarke has done a pretty good job with the signings he has made so far. I think he's got the balance about right so far given where we were.

It's disappointing Kuhl isn't making progress into the first team, but he does seem to have plateaued or backslid a bit. Maybe a consequence of being the bright young star and not appreciating how much he'd have to keep working at it. Who knows. He looked bright in his appearances last season, if a little weak and easily bullied. But in per-season all I saw of him really was treading on the ball in a dangerous area and losing... something he should be way beyond.

Tanner also looked like he took a knock in confidence out on his last loan, so another was needed to see him pick up again. I just hope that we make sure we send these more technical and less conventional players out to the right teams, because going to the wrong team can seriously set them back.

[Lower West]

With all these new players coming in, just how often are our own very promising youngsters like Stacey, Fosu, Cooper, Kuhl, Tanner, Tshibola etc. going to play?

Throwing them straight into the first team isn't the solution. SC needs to develop a style of play throughout the club. So that the transition becomes seamless.

[Nameless]

I think his problem will be that we have a style of play throughout the club. If he wants to play differently then the last 10 years of youth development goes out of the window.

[royal_cornwall]

I think his problem will be that we have a style of play throughout the club. If he wants to play differently then the last 10 years of youth development goes out of the window.

So no club ever changes their manager for one with a different style to his predecessor?