Season 20/21

[AthleticoSpizz]

Gotta agree in part....totally needless and pointless insult of an erudite poster there Ian.




But in all fairness, there’s a lot of it about.

[Snowflake Royal]

Gotta agree in part....totally needless and pointless insult of an erudite poster there Ian.




But in all fairness, there’s a lot of it about.

You might want to take a wee look at who got shirty first.

And at least neither of us were following the other round the board to jump in with a dig at any opportunity without adding anything.

Paul's alright. No problem with him beyond the occasional bellendry we all show at times.

The constant digs about being an expert are gaining common use from the trolling originator though, much like the I never go to games bollocks.

I just post my opinion, same as everyone else.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Well yes, it has been noticed

[Simmops]

Gotta agree in part....totally needless and pointless insult of an erudite poster there Ian.




But in all fairness, there’s a lot of it about.

You might want to take a wee look at who got shirty first.

And at least neither of us were following the other round the board to jump in with a dig at any opportunity without adding anything.

Paul's alright. No problem with him beyond the occasional bellendry we all show at times.

The constant digs about being an expert are gaining common use from the trolling originator though, much like the I never go to games bollocks.

I just post my opinion, same as everyone else.

To be fair though, and don't take this as a dig, you literally did say 4 weeks ago you were never ever following the team and supporting them.

[Nameless]

Gotta agree in part....totally needless and pointless insult of an erudite poster there Ian.




But in all fairness, there’s a lot of it about.

You might want to take a wee look at who got shirty first.

And at least neither of us were following the other round the board to jump in with a dig at any opportunity without adding anything.

Paul's alright. No problem with him beyond the occasional bellendry we all show at times.

The constant digs about being an expert are gaining common use from the trolling originator though, much like the I never go to games bollocks.

I just post my opinion, same as everyone else.

To be fair though, and don't take this as a dig, you literally did say 4 weeks ago you were never ever following the team and supporting them.

This is a football discussion board, not the House of Commons.
None of us mean most of what we say and none of us should be held to account for remarks we make whilst posting....
I took SR’s comment to be an extravagant piece of nonsense that he would regret in the morning rather than a legally binding oath.

[Simmops]

You might want to take a wee look at who got shirty first.

And at least neither of us were following the other round the board to jump in with a dig at any opportunity without adding anything.

Paul's alright. No problem with him beyond the occasional bellendry we all show at times.

The constant digs about being an expert are gaining common use from the trolling originator though, much like the I never go to games bollocks.

I just post my opinion, same as everyone else.

To be fair though, and don't take this as a dig, you literally did say 4 weeks ago you were never ever following the team and supporting them.

This is a football discussion board, not the House of Commons.
None of us mean most of what we say and none of us should be held to account for remarks we make whilst posting....
I took SR’s comment to be an extravagant piece of nonsense that he would regret in the morning rather than a legally binding oath.

LOL

[Snowflake Royal]

Gotta agree in part....totally needless and pointless insult of an erudite poster there Ian.




But in all fairness, there’s a lot of it about.

You might want to take a wee look at who got shirty first.

And at least neither of us were following the other round the board to jump in with a dig at any opportunity without adding anything.

Paul's alright. No problem with him beyond the occasional bellendry we all show at times.

The constant digs about being an expert are gaining common use from the trolling originator though, much like the I never go to games bollocks.

I just post my opinion, same as everyone else.

To be fair though, and don't take this as a dig, you literally did say 4 weeks ago you were never ever following the team and supporting them.

No. I didn't.

OMA said I said that. And you keeping parrotting it for him doesn't make it any more true now than it was then. As I've told you twice before.

[morganb]

From the list of famous names on the back room staff

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/teams/staff-profiles/

You would hope that someone like Quinton Fortune or John O'Shea would have enough connections at Man United to pick up some promising youngsters on loan. When was the last time we had a loan from Man United?

[Old Man Andrews]

From the list of famous names on the back room staff

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/teams/staff-profiles/

You would hope that someone like Quinton Fortune or John O'Shea would have enough connections at Man United to pick up some promising youngsters on loan. When was the last time we had a loan from Man United?

Here is a transcript of that conversation:


"Hi Ole, it is John O'Shea. Please can you send us 3 under 23 players for free please?"

"No"

"Ok bye"

[Hendo]

From the list of famous names on the back room staff

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/teams/staff-profiles/

You would hope that someone like Quinton Fortune or John O'Shea would have enough connections at Man United to pick up some promising youngsters on loan. When was the last time we had a loan from Man United?

Chadwick is the most obvious one which springs to mind, he might also be the most recent as well!

[paultheroyal]

*deleted*

[paultheroyal]

I think Paul is alluding to being 'unashamedly itk' about Academy gossip that's been alleged on here before that Teddy got special treatment because of his relation with Nigel.

A bit tragic really.

The only thing tragic was your original post backed up not only with performances on the pitch but the fact he cant make the 22 at Blackpool, Blackpool ffs.

You can’t be referring to performances on the pitch for us.
The stuff about preferential treatment was always unfair, never heard any of it from players but certainly it was an easy stick to beat NH with in the days when he wasn’t popular with some fans.

You rated him, i dont. The deciding factor surely is where he has ended up, U23's at Blackpool!

[Old Man Andrews]

The only thing tragic was your original post backed up not only with performances on the pitch but the fact he cant make the 22 at Blackpool, Blackpool ffs.

You can’t be referring to performances on the pitch for us.
The stuff about preferential treatment was always unfair, never heard any of it from players but certainly it was an easy stick to beat NH with in the days when he wasn’t popular with some fans.

You rated him, i dont. The deciding factor surely is where he has ended up, U23's at Blackpool!

He is no Jack Stacey is he? Certain posters treating him like he would have been the answer to all our issues when he can't even get League 1 starts really need to have a look at themselves.

[paultheroyal]

You can’t be referring to performances on the pitch for us.
The stuff about preferential treatment was always unfair, never heard any of it from players but certainly it was an easy stick to beat NH with in the days when he wasn’t popular with some fans.

You rated him, i dont. The deciding factor surely is where he has ended up, U23's at Blackpool!

He is no Jack Stacey is he? Certain posters treating him like he would have been the answer to all our issues when he can't even get League 1 starts really need to have a look at themselves.

No coincidence that its the same posters who rated Antonio as an absolute donkey, get rid, never spotted the talent etc etc - and look what has happened to him - but hey ho! (clearly a pattern emerging)

[Snowflake Royal]

Your memory must be fault if you're talking about me Paul.

I don't recall ever saying Antonio was a donkey and I certainly don't think I said we should get rid.

I said he wasn't ready for the PL and we were right not to stand in the way of him getting games when we had three / four wingers ahead of him.


You might want to take a look at where Stacey and Dickie are too. Called them right.

You should probably also read what I've said and try to understand I don't think Howe is top quality. Just that a decent RB would be useful right now.

[URZZZZ]

The only thing tragic was your original post backed up not only with performances on the pitch but the fact he cant make the 22 at Blackpool, Blackpool ffs.

You can’t be referring to performances on the pitch for us.
The stuff about preferential treatment was always unfair, never heard any of it from players but certainly it was an easy stick to beat NH with in the days when he wasn’t popular with some fans.

You rated him, i dont. The deciding factor surely is where he has ended up, U23's at Blackpool!

In defence of him, Fosu ended up at Charlton u23 a couple of seasons ago (League One side at the time, also aged 22 at the time) and is now a squad player for Brentford

[SCIAG]

Footballer’s careers are extremely fragile. Surely Reading fans shouldn’t need to be reminded of that? Think about Nicky Shorey going from playing central midfield for Orient reserves to playing left back for England. There is a very large element of luck in every career.

I was a very early advocate for Michael Hector at a time when this board was excited about Jack Mills. Things lined up right for Hector, but they very nearly didn’t. And then that weird Chelsea move happened and ironically probably set him back. And then you look at Mills’ non-career. And then Carl McHugh’s bumpy ride. And then Angus MacDonald’s...

If Howe had stuck around he would have played the games Osho did last season and probably done better. He then would either have played ahead of Araruna under Paunović or would be ready to play tomorrow.

If Antonio had stuck with us then he’d have almost certainly wasted another year of his career as fifth choice - he still isn’t as good as Kebe and McAnuff and he certainly wasn’t then. Same as Simon Cox. Football is about opportunities, and they’re very hard to predict.

One final example... Mourinho confidently predicted that Dominic Solanke, Izzy Brown and Lewis Baker would be England internationals. Solanke has one (unmerited) cap. Meanwhile five of Baker and Brown’s Chelsea academy contemporaries have received England caps before them.

Tl;dr: people should be less confident in their predictions.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Footballer’s careers are extremely fragile. Surely Reading fans shouldn’t need to be reminded of that? Think about Nicky Shorey going from playing central midfield for Orient reserves to playing left back for England. There is a very large element of luck in every career.

I was a very early advocate for Michael Hector at a time when this board was excited about Jack Mills. Things lined up right for Hector, but they very nearly didn’t. And then that weird Chelsea move happened and ironically probably set him back. And then you look at Mills’ non-career. And then Carl McHugh’s bumpy ride. And then Angus MacDonald’s...

If Howe had stuck around he would have played the games Osho did last season and probably done better. He then would either have played ahead of Araruna under Paunović or would be ready to play tomorrow.

If Antonio had stuck with us then he’d have almost certainly wasted another year of his career as fifth choice - he still isn’t as good as Kebe and McAnuff and he certainly wasn’t then. Same as Simon Cox. Football is about opportunities, and they’re very hard to predict.

One final example... Mourinho confidently predicted that Dominic Solanke, Izzy Brown and Lewis Baker would be England internationals. Solanke has one (unmerited) cap. Meanwhile five of Baker and Brown’s Chelsea academy contemporaries have received England caps before them.

Tl;dr: people should be less confident in their predictions.

Very good post. Even Sigurdsson, probably our best academy graduate, broke into the team when we were in flux and the opportunity was there to step up. If he'd been 2 - 3 years older and been behind the likes of Harper and Sidwell in a team that played 442, he may well have hard to go down Antonio's route.

[Hound]

Footballer’s careers are extremely fragile. Surely Reading fans shouldn’t need to be reminded of that? Think about Nicky Shorey going from playing central midfield for Orient reserves to playing left back for England. There is a very large element of luck in every career.

I was a very early advocate for Michael Hector at a time when this board was excited about Jack Mills. Things lined up right for Hector, but they very nearly didn’t. And then that weird Chelsea move happened and ironically probably set him back. And then you look at Mills’ non-career. And then Carl McHugh’s bumpy ride. And then Angus MacDonald’s...

If Howe had stuck around he would have played the games Osho did last season and probably done better. He then would either have played ahead of Araruna under Paunović or would be ready to play tomorrow.

If Antonio had stuck with us then he’d have almost certainly wasted another year of his career as fifth choice - he still isn’t as good as Kebe and McAnuff and he certainly wasn’t then. Same as Simon Cox. Football is about opportunities, and they’re very hard to predict.

One final example... Mourinho confidently predicted that Dominic Solanke, Izzy Brown and Lewis Baker would be England internationals. Solanke has one (unmerited) cap. Meanwhile five of Baker and Brown’s Chelsea academy contemporaries have received England caps before them.

Tl;dr: people should be less confident in their predictions.

Very good post. Even Sigurdsson, probably our best academy graduate, broke into the team when we were in flux and the opportunity was there to step up. If he'd been 2 - 3 years older and been behind the likes of Harper and Sidwell in a team that played 442, he may well have hard to go down Antonio's route.

yeah its a fair post. so much about luck, the manager and grasping opportunities when they come

Still for the life of me can't work out while Lewis Baker only ever seems to have played well for a couple of seasons at Vitesse and half a season for us in a weird mish mash of a team fighting relegation with a proper random manager. One of the most talented players I've seen at Reading in the last 5 years or so.

[Snowflake Royal]

Footballer’s careers are extremely fragile. Surely Reading fans shouldn’t need to be reminded of that? Think about Nicky Shorey going from playing central midfield for Orient reserves to playing left back for England. There is a very large element of luck in every career.

I was a very early advocate for Michael Hector at a time when this board was excited about Jack Mills. Things lined up right for Hector, but they very nearly didn’t. And then that weird Chelsea move happened and ironically probably set him back. And then you look at Mills’ non-career. And then Carl McHugh’s bumpy ride. And then Angus MacDonald’s...

If Howe had stuck around he would have played the games Osho did last season and probably done better. He then would either have played ahead of Araruna under Paunović or would be ready to play tomorrow.

If Antonio had stuck with us then he’d have almost certainly wasted another year of his career as fifth choice - he still isn’t as good as Kebe and McAnuff and he certainly wasn’t then. Same as Simon Cox. Football is about opportunities, and they’re very hard to predict.

One final example... Mourinho confidently predicted that Dominic Solanke, Izzy Brown and Lewis Baker would be England internationals. Solanke has one (unmerited) cap. Meanwhile five of Baker and Brown’s Chelsea academy contemporaries have received England caps before them.

Tl;dr: people should be less confident in their predictions.

Very good post. Even Sigurdsson, probably our best academy graduate, broke into the team when we were in flux and the opportunity was there to step up. If he'd been 2 - 3 years older and been behind the likes of Harper and Sidwell in a team that played 442, he may well have hard to go down Antonio's route.

yeah its a fair post. so much about luck, the manager and grasping opportunities when they come

Still for the life of me can't work out while Lewis Baker only ever seems to have played well for a couple of seasons at Vitesse and half a season for us in a weird mish mash of a team fighting relegation with a proper random manager. One of the most talented players I've seen at Reading in the last 5 years or so.

Yep spot on.

One of the reasons I get frustrated when young players are moved on without getting a decent handful of appearances.

So much relies on how they react and step up when given the chance.

Look at Loader vs Rino / Richards. One highly rated, the other two not especially hyped.

One performed disappointingly, one seized the chance from day one and one has been fortunate enough to build on average performances and develop into a quality player over three or four seasons.