Drop Sidwell Now

[biscuitsrus]

No, Halford is a utility player who has played in midfield and upfront but was playing right back for Colchester this season.

In other words, Halford is no more a right back than Gunnarsson who, as our 3rd choice in this position, would make spending £2m on on yet more cover a complete waste of money.

Halford is a right back/ Right midfielder who has played as a centre forward. In relation to being a possible central midielder , the management are trying to see if he suits this position by playing him there in the reserves.

Surely this is a far better solution than throwing him into the first team as a young player in a position which nobody knows he's suitable for.

Oh and can we cut all this nonsense about people being Sidwell arse lickers and wanting his babies just because they happen to think we're a better side with him than without him. It's really getting a bit childish and pathetic.

The situation is exactly te same as it was from day 1 of this fantastic season. Sidwell will weigh up his options at the end of the season. In the meantime he is continuing to pay a vital role and while he does so , in my opinion he should remain in the side. Everything else is just bullshit really.

End of

[Woodcote Royal]

Err, no. This is an opinion........................one I respect but totally disagree with on certain points.

This club would not put up with the Sidwell situation if it applied to most other players. Whilst it may have been acceptable at the start of the season, in my view, the January transfer window should have been the cut off point.

As for @rse lickers, some of our fans are very selective in this respect.

I wonder how many would feel if Hunt or Oster had been refusing to sign a new deal all season as they waited for the highest bidder to come calling

Just like most fans thought we would struggle to survive this season, many are struggling to imagine life without Sidwell and are, therefore, prepared to make allowances whilst their over rated idol accuses the club of suffering from lack of ambition....................who would take that lieing down from Oster and Hunt

I don't believe we bought Halford to languish in the reserves. I would have expected him to make the bench most weeks, especailly considering the number of positions he can play.

However, I suspect Coppell may have struck a deal with Sidwell whereby he stays in the team as long as he gives it 100%.

Whilst I was happy with this up to a point, I think that point has long since passed and next season should be our priority now............................ Sidwell has no part in that until he signs a new contract.

[Charles Dapper]

I can see this going on till the end of th season...

It makes no sense to drop Sidwell. IMO he is still putting in 100% week in week out. Still one of our most valued players. I can see more goals to come this season, he wants it. And everyone is only guessing about his decision.

I think him calling his horse Bosman shows a sense of humour.

Surely if Coppell drops him now he'll go. If not then if we finish in top 6 with none of the big 4 after him maybe he'll stay.

Also I really don't think you should compare him with Oster or Hunt.

[Vision]

Except that Sidwell has said from Day 1 that he will wait until the end of the season before making a decision on his future. He has also not accused the club of "lacking ambition" he has said he wants to see what our ambitions are, which is a completely different thing. Even then i would take any supposed mutterings from the Sidwell camp as nothing more than the usual regurgitated nonsense which comes from all players when they are about to become free agents.

It's very easy to talk about planning for next season but although its more likely he will leave it is still not 100% certain, in which case you are advocating weakening the current side ( although obviously it's a matter of opinion as to whether you think dropping Sidwell is weakening the team ) for something that "might" happen. If i'm being facetious it could equally be argued that our manager has yet to commit to next season either and "might" not be here for 2007/08. Would you advocate releiving him of his duties in the same way as you are with Mr Sidwell. If not, perhaps you're the one being "very selective"

As for Halford not being bought to "languish in the reserves" i'm sure you're right but the simple fact is that he is cover for a variety of positions not just Central midfield . Even without Sidwell to make the bench at this time realistically it would have to be at the expense of one of Oster,Gunnarsson or DLC and I'm sure with your spirit of not being selective you'd agree none of these 3 deserve to lose their squad places.

As i said earlier , in my opinion it's far better to bed Halford in slowly and to see how he copes with an unfamiliar position(central midfield) away from the immediate pressures of Premiership football and thus giving us that possible option for next season.

[readingbedding]

Err, no. This is an opinion........................one I respect but totally disagree with on certain points.

This club would not put up with the Sidwell situation if it applied to most other players. Whilst it may have been acceptable at the start of the season, in my view, the January transfer window should have been the cut off point.

As for @rse lickers, some of our fans are very selective in this respect.

I wonder how many would feel if Hunt or Oster had been refusing to sign a new deal all season as they waited for the highest bidder to come calling :?

Just like most fans thought we would struggle to survive this season, many are struggling to imagine life without Sidwell and are, therefore, prepared to make allowances whilst their over rated idol accuses the club of suffering from lack of ambition....................who would take that lieing down from Oster and Hunt :?

I don't believe we bought Halford to languish in the reserves. I would have expected him to make the bench most weeks, especailly considering the number of positions he can play.

However, I suspect Coppell may have struck a deal with Sidwell whereby he stays in the team as long as he gives it 100%.

Whilst I was happy with this up to a point, I think that point has long since passed and next season should be our priority now............................ Sidwell has no part in that until he signs a new contract.

Completely ridiculous, and you need to get real mate.

Sidwell has given 100% in all our games as humanly possible.
He is a professional footballer, with a professional attitude.
He is the best Midfielder the club has ever had.

He's playing until the end of his contract with us to the best of his ability.

Good on him, and fair play.

[Stranded]

Err, no. This is an opinion........................one I respect but totally disagree with on certain points.

This club would not put up with the Sidwell situation if it applied to most other players. Whilst it may have been acceptable at the start of the season, in my view, the January transfer window should have been the cut off point.

As for @rse lickers, some of our fans are very selective in this respect.

I wonder how many would feel if Hunt or Oster had been refusing to sign a new deal all season as they waited for the highest bidder to come calling

Just like most fans thought we would struggle to survive this season, many are struggling to imagine life without Sidwell and are, therefore, prepared to make allowances whilst their over rated idol accuses the club of suffering from lack of ambition....................who would take that lieing down from Oster and Hunt

I don't believe we bought Halford to languish in the reserves. I would have expected him to make the bench most weeks, especailly considering the number of positions he can play.

However, I suspect Coppell may have struck a deal with Sidwell whereby he stays in the team as long as he gives it 100%.

Whilst I was happy with this up to a point, I think that point has long since passed and next season should be our priority now............................ Sidwell has no part in that until he signs a new contract.

As it should be with any player surely? I'd be more worried if a deal was struck between the two allowing him to play regardless of his performances.

[RoyalBlue]

Up until comparitively recently, didn't the club have a policy of not talking to players about new contracts until they were more or less in their final year?

Much as I dislike the prospect of Sidwell leaving, he can hardly be blamed for wanting to keep his options open, particulary when in the past the club have done exactly the same. Maybe if Sidwell had been offered a new improved contract earlier on, we wouldn't now be in this situation.

However, one thing I would applaud the club for is the fact that they didn't give into the temptation to cash in and sell Sidwell whilst he was still worth something in the transfer market. He has played superbly this season and I'm pretty sure his absence would have been reflected in our results.

[Woodcote Royal]

Err, no. This is an opinion........................one I respect but totally disagree with on certain points.

This club would not put up with the Sidwell situation if it applied to most other players. Whilst it may have been acceptable at the start of the season, in my view, the January transfer window should have been the cut off point.

As for @rse lickers, some of our fans are very selective in this respect.

I wonder how many would feel if Hunt or Oster had been refusing to sign a new deal all season as they waited for the highest bidder to come calling

Just like most fans thought we would struggle to survive this season, many are struggling to imagine life without Sidwell and are, therefore, prepared to make allowances whilst their over rated idol accuses the club of suffering from lack of ambition....................who would take that lieing down from Oster and Hunt

I don't believe we bought Halford to languish in the reserves. I would have expected him to make the bench most weeks, especailly considering the number of positions he can play.

However, I suspect Coppell may have struck a deal with Sidwell whereby he stays in the team as long as he gives it 100%.

Whilst I was happy with this up to a point, I think that point has long since passed and next season should be our priority now............................ Sidwell has no part in that until he signs a new contract.

Completely ridiculous, and you need to get real mate.

Sidwell has given 100% in all our games as humanly possible.
He is a professional footballer, with a professional attitude.
He is the best Midfielder the club has ever had.

He's playing until the end of his contract with us to the best of his ability.

Good on him, and fair play.

Is Steve Sidwell a bigamist?

He seems to have more wives than is good for one man

[Victor Meldrew]

I would dearly love to know what the thinking was in signing Halford.
Was it to play at right-back or either right or central midfield?
From what I have seen of him (just one full game on TV plus the odd highlights) he doesn't look a natural defender.
Maybe the utility aspect like an O'Shea or a Carragher who can play in a number of positions makes him worth having as well as Gunarrson in a "total football squad".
We really have come a long way though when a £2million signing doesn't even make the bench.
As for Sidwell I was told back in August that he wouldn't be here beyond this season but his attitude really can't be faulted and when we went 3-0 against Man Utd he could be seen geeing everyone else up.
I doubt that he has the class for any of the top 4 clubs but beyond them he could feature in a number of sides as the energetic ball-winner and you can see why Celtic would want him to replace Lennon and Rangers to help out Ferguson in central midfield.
If he goes,he goes but should go with our appreciation for the part that he has played in our progress-shame is that we won't get any money for him but that's life in the TV-money world of Premiership football.

[readingbedding]

Err, no. This is an opinion........................one I respect but totally disagree with on certain points.

This club would not put up with the Sidwell situation if it applied to most other players. Whilst it may have been acceptable at the start of the season, in my view, the January transfer window should have been the cut off point.

As for @rse lickers, some of our fans are very selective in this respect.

I wonder how many would feel if Hunt or Oster had been refusing to sign a new deal all season as they waited for the highest bidder to come calling :?

Just like most fans thought we would struggle to survive this season, many are struggling to imagine life without Sidwell and are, therefore, prepared to make allowances whilst their over rated idol accuses the club of suffering from lack of ambition....................who would take that lieing down from Oster and Hunt :?

I don't believe we bought Halford to languish in the reserves. I would have expected him to make the bench most weeks, especailly considering the number of positions he can play.

However, I suspect Coppell may have struck a deal with Sidwell whereby he stays in the team as long as he gives it 100%.

Whilst I was happy with this up to a point, I think that point has long since passed and next season should be our priority now............................ Sidwell has no part in that until he signs a new contract.

Completely ridiculous, and you need to get real mate.

Sidwell has given 100% in all our games as humanly possible.
He is a professional footballer, with a professional attitude.
He is the best Midfielder the club has ever had.

He's playing until the end of his contract with us to the best of his ability.

Good on him, and fair play.

Is Steve Sidwell a bigamist?

He seems to have more wives than is good for one man :?

You are blinkered.

[fool]

Listening to his interviews you get the impression that his stay at the club has come to a natural end, and its time for a new challenge. I would be very surprised if he is wearing our shirt next season, but I will also be surprised if we missed him too.

A bit of a pointless post but there you go and he's going. Hey that rhymes!

[Denver Royal]

Woodcote, you or I don't really know how much we've offered Sids.
But for sake of discussion, lets suppose you are right, and Sids has been offered 'more than anyone else at the club'. (That would need to be about 30k a week, because someone said in here the other day that according to an Irish newspaper Doyle - who is on his 3rd contract in 18 months here - is currently on 28k a week...which could of course rise again if we give Doyle yet another new deal in a few months time...).

So Woodcote, assuming you are right, help me out here and explain something to me. Can you explain to me just why it is you reckon that Reading Football Club are offering a 'vastly overrated' player...a player who is 'easily replaced'... a player we supposedly 'won't miss at all'...why are we offering this player 'more than anyone else at the club'...why have we offered him 'numerous contracts'...and why have we been in 'constant discussions and negotiations' trying like hell to re-sign him for the last year or two. Thanks.

[Woodcote Royal]

Perhaps you could "help me out here" by pointing to where I've said that Sidwell is "vastly" over-rated and "easily" replaced

I've said, on numerous occasions, that the object of your desire would be "easier" (spot the subtle difference ) to replace than Shorey, Sonko or Doyle and can only think that indignation on Sidders behalf must have got the better of you.

And, yes, given that Sidwell is the player who gets more accolades than all the rest put together for our success in recent seasons, I think he 's been over-rated simply because he came from Arsenal as opposed to York or Orient etc.

In one sentence you say that neither of us knows what Sidwell has been offered and in the next your suggesting that someone from Ireland knows exactly what Doyle is earning

I tend to believe our own club who have indicated on several occasions that Sidwell would be our highest paid player if he accepted the deal on the table.

Doyle is worth more than Sidwell and also has an attitude that should be encouraged.....................saying no to Sidwell once and for all would be a big step in that direction.

[East Stand Ste]

what a prize penis!!!

[Woodcote Royal]

Did you win it in a raffle?

[The 17 Bus]

Did you win it in a raffle?

I never win anything, hence I got a small penis in the raffle.

[JimmytheJim]

Perhaps you could "help me out here" by pointing to where I've said that Sidwell is "vastly" over-rated and "easily" replaced

I've said, on numerous occasions, that the object of your desire would be "easier" (spot the subtle difference ) to replace than Shorey, Sonko or Doyle and can only think that indignation on Sidders behalf must have got the better of you.

And, yes, given that Sidwell is the player who gets more accolades than all the rest put together for our success in recent seasons, I think he 's been over-rated simply because he came from Arsenal as opposed to York or Orient etc.

In one sentence you say that neither of us knows what Sidwell has been offered and in the next your suggesting that someone from Ireland knows exactly what Doyle is earning

I tend to believe our own club who have indicated on several occasions that Sidwell would be our highest paid player if he accepted the deal on the table.

Doyle is worth more than Sidwell and also has an attitude that should be encouraged.....................saying no to Sidwell once and for all would be a big step in that direction.

God dammit, Woodcote. God dammit. You just killed my faith in humanity.

[starbug]

but what if he stays ?

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2002 ... 51,00.html

March 12, 2007

STEVE SIDWELL will snub a host of Premiership clubs if Reading qualify for Europe.

The Royals midfielder, 24, is out of contract this summer and is wanted by Newcastle, Everton and Aston Villa.

Sidwell has refused a £25,000-a-week offer to stay but insisted: “If we qualified for Europe then that would really make me sit up and take notice.â€

[Don Finch]

I've said, on numerous occasions, that the object of your desire would be "easier" (spot the subtle difference ) to replace than Shorey, Sonko or Doyle and can only think that indignation on Sidders behalf must have got the better of you.

I think we'd/we'll struggle to find a midfielder as good as Sidwell for free, on his wages - I personally think he's one of the harder players to replace, hence the hoo ha.

Anyway, we don't know what's happening yet and until such time surely we have to put our best team out every week, and Sidders definitely features in that XI.