The squad in July

[stealthpapes]

We all love Meite, right. But he's got to go. Sat on the injury table for most of the league one season just doesn't make any sense.

I think you can risk carrying a small amount of injury prone players who, if fit, will bring real quality to the squad, which Meite will do and is probably worth the risk. Our main problem of the last couple seasons is having an entire squad of injury prone players so we notice it more when a player is missing for long periods of time.

A fit Meite or Carroll should do alright in L1 ...

Should.

I must admit I'd only seen Tetek a few years back, so mildly disappointed to see him off. Hadn't clocked he'd barely played a game for 2 years.

[tidus_mi2]

We all love Meite, right. But he's got to go. Sat on the injury table for most of the league one season just doesn't make any sense.

I think you can risk carrying a small amount of injury prone players who, if fit, will bring real quality to the squad, which Meite will do and is probably worth the risk. Our main problem of the last couple seasons is having an entire squad of injury prone players so we notice it more when a player is missing for long periods of time.

A fit Meite or Carroll should do alright in L1 ...

Should.

I must admit I'd only seen Tetek a few years back, so mildly disappointed to see him off. Hadn't clocked he'd barely played a game for 2 years.

Yeah he's had really bad luck with injuries, an absolute shame because I got the impression he was very highly thought of before all that.

[URZZZZ]

After watching Gabbi Osho scoring for Luton and potentially becoming a PL player next season, it made me think that if only the club had more faith in our Academy products and played them, rather than constantly bringing in loan players from bigger clubs and playing them instead, we might not be in the mess we are in now. Frankly a lot of recent inward loans have been poor.

I hope we have learned this lesson and don't take any inward loans at all next season. I would much rather we brought in a few free transfers to plug any gaps and used the Academy more extensively and built for the long term future. At least that way the whole squad are more likely to be committed to the cause.

Do you think if we’d kept Osho and released Holmes and McIntyre, there’s a chance Osho would be a part of one of the worst defensive records in the country for two successive seasons and Holmes/McIntyre would be on a higher level?

Has to work both ways. We can’t lament every single player we’ve let go and have gone on to better things whilst saying the current academy players in the first team “aren’t good enough”

Southwood is the obvious example. Talked about for a few seasons as someone with a lot of potential. Got his break in the first team, performed well for 4 months before a dodgy couple of months. Suddenly his ceiling became “L1” level. As fans, you can’t have it both ways

[Sutekh]

After watching Gabbi Osho scoring for Luton and potentially becoming a PL player next season, it made me think that if only the club had more faith in our Academy products and played them, rather than constantly bringing in loan players from bigger clubs and playing them instead, we might not be in the mess we are in now. Frankly a lot of recent inward loans have been poor.

I hope we have learned this lesson and don't take any inward loans at all next season. I would much rather we brought in a few free transfers to plug any gaps and used the Academy more extensively and built for the long term future. At least that way the whole squad are more likely to be committed to the cause.

Do you think if we’d kept Osho and released Holmes and McIntyre, there’s a chance Osho would be a part of one of the worst defensive records in the country for two successive seasons and Holmes/McIntyre would be on a higher level?

Has to work both ways. We can’t lament every single player we’ve let go and have gone on to better things whilst saying the current academy players in the first team “aren’t good enough”

Southwood is the obvious example. Talked about for a few seasons as someone with a lot of potential. Got his break in the first team, performed well for 4 months before a dodgy couple of months. Suddenly his ceiling became “L1” level. As fans, you can’t have it both ways

Thought it was a mistake to let Osho go and therefore not something I would have done, however I believe the club offered him a new deal but he wanted to try his luck elsewhere so there's not much you can do in those instances. Good luck to him!

[Snowflake Royal]

For me Hoilett is a no brainer at a reasonable wage. He's the ultimate L1 squad player.

Good enough on his day to do some damage and at a pinch can cover right back, left back, right wing back, left wing back, right wing, left wing, attacking midfielder and second striker in the case of an injury crisis.

With him.we can have a smaller squad relying more on academy players because we know we can plug him in and use his experience if we need to.

But he’s not much good at any of them. Would rather spend his wage on an experienced specialist.

We’ve plenty of players (Yiadom, McIntyre, Mbengue hopefully, Azeez, Ince, NGW etc) who can do a job in multiple positions.

I think he can still do a decent job. As said before, was comfortably one of our better players up until about October time. Think he was somewhat burnt out starting Saturday - Tuesday - Saturday every week and his form hit a cliff (also the caveat of having the World Cup to prepare for too probably didn’t help)

The fact he didn’t register a single assist is disappointing and certainly expect better. But personally think out of him, Rahman, Yiadom and NGW, he was easily the best WB we had last season and it wasn’t even his natural position

Not that I think it’s much of a coincidence as our form wasn’t particularly great before his injury but in the two months he was out injured, we registered 0 wins. 42 points in 31 starts is a decent haul, 8 points in 15 where he didn’t start is really poor (and you liked your PPG stats when it suited your Ejaria agenda )

He was reasonably adequate as back up for the Championship. Hit and miss at times. A step down and he's easily good enough as a squad player.

[Snowflake Royal]

Hoilett had our 5th best average rating on whoscored, so by Hound's Ejaria rules is an excellent player we should worship

[Sutekh]

Other than Mbengue the best news is Meite talking about a new contract just hope his injury hasn't wrecked him! Let's hope new manager bloke can get him going again.

Rest of the contract news is just

[TiagoIlori]

We’ve missed Meite’s goals, but his injury record and wages make it a tough call. Feel like the next manager should be deciding whether we make an offer for him.

Wonder what’s going to happen with Ejaria. Unless the next manager believes in him, he’s at real risk of ending up in non league in a couple years time.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Slightly unfortunate wording.

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2023/m ... ng-leaves/

LOL

[Clyde1998]

1st Team:
- Retained: NGW
- Offered contracts: Mbengue (2y), Meite, Hoilett
- All 6 loanees return to parent clubs
- Departures: Joao, Moore, Long, Dann, Southwood, Tetek

U21s:
- Offered contracts: Boyce-Clarke (3y), John Clarke (1y), Carson, Dorsett
- Retained: Abdel-Salam, Akande, Collins, Rowley, Stickland
- Departures: Rashawn Scott, Leavy, Osorio, Meilvin-Lambert, Green, Bradbury, Burnett

U18s:
- Offered pro contracts: Tuma, Maudner, Borgnis, Norcott, Vickers, Okine-Peters
- Departures: Nyarko, Campbell, Daniel-Spray, Furlong, Hutchings, Murray, Nditi, Greaver

Happy NGW is retained, as I think he'll do a good job in League One next season; Mbengue would be another I'd love to keep. I'm content with Hoilett staying another year, although I do wonder if he'll go to an MLS club instead of signing a new deal with us; he'll certainly do a job for a season in League One though.

Very surprised we're offering Meite a new deal, as I would've thought his wages would've been higher than what we could afford in League One. That said we offered new deals to Rinomhota, Laurent and Swift at the end of last season, so doesn't mean he'll actually be staying if a better offer comes his way. He would be one of the best players in League One next season if he does stay (and can stay fit).

We knew Joao, Moore and Long were going, with Dann not being a surprise at all. Disappointed Tetek and Southwood are leaving; hadn't realised it had been as long as eighteen months since Tetek last played. I feel Southwood would've been a very good keeper for League One, but with Andresson, Bouzanis and (possibly) CBC as keepers, we probably couldn't justify offering a new deal.

[andrew1957]

Pretty much all the contract decisions were as expected. I was a tad surprised Scott was released because he was talked about positively at times. But we don't know what goes on behind the scenes in terms of attitude etc.

Two young players that were not mentioned were Paul and Holzman and I haven't seen anywhere that they had their contracts extended. Does anyone know if they are still here next season. I was under the impression that Holzman in particular was quite highly rated. Don't know much about Sam Paul.

[Loafer]

Jed steer on a freebie?

[Orion1871]

Ron Benson & Tony Hedges from Plymouth and York on frees?

[blythspartan]

Jed steer on a freebie?

No thank you, as he’s too injury prone.

[Sutekh]

Ron Benson & Tony Hedges from Plymouth and York on frees?

[Loafer]

100% need Osmar next season, captain of Seoul and a class ball player. Controls the midfield as a ball playing holding CDM and takes the most touches per player in every game

[NathStPaul]

[Clyde1998]

Ron Benson & Tony Hedges from Plymouth and York on frees?

They’re Third Division players; one of them’s 46!

[SCIAG]

I like Scott, Osario and Leavy, they all clearly have some quality, but have to trust the club's judgement on their short-term futures. This isn't a Stam situation where the turnover of managers has been detrimental, they won't have had a stronger advocate than Hunt. None of them really had a route into the first team.

Southwood, personally I would have made it clear to him that he was first choice, but hopefully Jokull or CBC can step up. (I don't have huge amounts of faith in Bouzanis)

Good sign that Meite is at least considering the offer, unlike say Joao. I do think he'll get a better one.

[Snowflake Royal]

I like Scott, Osario and Leavy, they all clearly have some quality, but have to trust the club's judgement on their short-term futures. This isn't a Stam situation where the turnover of managers has been detrimental, they won't have had a stronger advocate than Hunt. None of them really had a route into the first team.

Southwood, personally I would have made it clear to him that he was first choice, but hopefully Jokull or CBC can step up. (I don't have huge amounts of faith in Bouzanis)

Good sign that Meite is at least considering the offer, unlike say Joao. I do think he'll get a better one.

For 20 and 21 year old midfielders to have no path to a first team place with precisely 1 senior midfielder in the squad, who is over 30 and as much a centreback as midfielder, spending the last 6 months injured, is a pretty sad state of affairs for them.