Gunter, GMac and 'the Reading way'?

[sandman]

Reading way was something Sir Steve and Brian adhered to and at that time actually meant something.

Now it's just a marketing ploy that someone at the club has gotten hold of.

[Snowball]

Could it be that their pay is heavily based on appearances/squad membership?

[WestRoyal]

Yes.

Watching you get rinsed on Twitter last night was quite entertaining I must say

Now the wannabe's retweeting even more to support his own argument to gain further notoriety, 90% of the account is just retweets though. Would get more respect if there was a name and face on it.

[Maneki Neko]

They've been treated atrociously. Fair enough getting Popa or someone who has never performed for us to train with the kids but treating 2 long term servents of the club who have been nothing but superb both on and off it so poorly is really shit.

And tbh I think they both have something to offer the team.

Superb on the pitch is an overstatement. They’ve been a part of years of failure. Reflecting on their time here, it’s been two relatively good signings but who have outstayed their welcome for too long now which is degrading peoples opinions of them

Off the pitch is an added bonus but it’s not what they’re paid to do

Nonsense. Gmac has been a class signing, coming in on a bosman and making 200 odd appearances for us. For several years he was arguably our best player and certainly was one of few entertaining ones.

for sure

[Nameless]

Not really sure a couple of senior pros training with the U23 squad has anything to do with 'the Reading Way'. It was never some great moral thing, it was more about sniffing out cheap players from lower leagues and making them into something half decent whilst not spending much money.
Asking players who didn't make the cut for the first team squad to join in with the reserves is kind of how it has always been isn't it ?
Having side that I think Gunter and McLeary have been excellent servants to the club and if they do ever reappear for the first team should be welcomed warmly.
I'd be disappointed in both of them if they declined to play in U23 (reserve) games but carried on taking their salary. They are entitled to be paid in full, we are entitled to ask them to perform club duties in return.

[The Enfield Royal71]

Yes.

Watching you get rinsed on Twitter last night was quite entertaining I must say

.what happened

[Hound]

Not really sure a couple of senior pros training with the U23 squad has anything to do with 'the Reading Way'. It was never some great moral thing, it was more about sniffing out cheap players from lower leagues and making them into something half decent whilst not spending much money.
Asking players who didn't make the cut for the first team squad to join in with the reserves is kind of how it has always been isn't it ?
Having side that I think Gunter and McLeary have been excellent servants to the club and if they do ever reappear for the first team should be welcomed warmly.
I'd be disappointed in both of them if they declined to play in U23 (reserve) games but carried on taking their salary. They are entitled to be paid in full, we are entitled to ask them to perform club duties in return.

Yep exactly that

[Snowflake Royal]

love em both to bits

but theres no way we can continue to pay them 20+k per week to not play, so they need to be shifted on by whatever means necessary.
its not a charity, and for the club there can be no real room for sentiment.


that said, any fans dishing out stick to them on twitter are grade A cnuts

If this were really the only concern we wouldn't have reportedly turned down loan approaches. Even if they were derisory and £10 + 5% wages that's a reduced cost on paying them full wack to train and play w. U23s.

If we are going to refuse derisory loan offers and have to pay them, then we may as well use them. The only reason not to is if they are on appearance bonuses... but that doesn't mean they can't still train.

No one can say Gunter isn't a positive influence or is disruptive. An over cautious, negative player who can't close down yes. But not the former.

[Lower West]

Is forcing these two players to train with the U23s really the right option for a reputable club like Reading?

They could decline if they wished. No doubt a compromise as both are good pros.

[WestRoyal]

love em both to bits

but theres no way we can continue to pay them 20+k per week to not play, so they need to be shifted on by whatever means necessary.
its not a charity, and for the club there can be no real room for sentiment.


that said, any fans dishing out stick to them on twitter are grade A cnuts

If this were really the only concern we wouldn't have reportedly turned down loan approaches. Even if they were derisory and £10 + 5% wages that's a reduced cost on paying them full wack to train and play w. U23s.

If we are going to refuse derisory loan offers and have to pay them, then we may as well use them. The only reason not to is if they are on appearance bonuses... but that doesn't mean they can't still train.

No one can say Gunter isn't a positive influence or is disruptive. An over cautious, negative player who can't close down yes. But not the former.

Both are positive undisruptive influences who are well respected by the other players

[Nameless]

Stam once banned McLeary from the dressing room at an away game....

[WestRoyal]

And the smear campaign begins.

Do you know why or is that it?

[Oilroyal]

Has Mafff now deleted almost all the tweets on his account?

[muirinho]

Stam once banned McLeary from the dressing room at an away game....

Wasn't that because he got sent off for something stupid, and Stam didn't want to look at him if they'd lost? Seem to remember he hung around the car park apologising to the away fans.

It's not exactly Joey Barton territory.

Anyway - my tuppence on all of this is - there's nothing wrong with wanting players on big contracts who are merely squad backup, to leave, and asking them to find other clubs.

Refusing to let them train with the rest of the squad - ok, it's not particularly nice for either of them and it could be counterproductive in terms of getting deals for them, or of one of them does need to step back in, in an injury crisis. But that's football, and it happens. I think McCleary's hints and digs in pre-season were unnecessary - at least Gunter had the sense to say nothing at all.

Saying that, both of them turned out for the U23's during the week - one of the goals was an assist from Gunter - so they're doing their professional duties, and not having a strop.

However, if as has been rumoured, having asked them to leave, the club then turns down deals for them for financial reasons- that's just wrong. Like an ex who breaks it off, but won't stop messaging, and gets hissy when you go out with someone else.

[WestRoyal]

Stam once banned McLeary from the dressing room at an away game....

Wasn't that because he got sent off for something stupid, and Stam didn't want to look at him if they'd lost? Seem to remember he hung around the car park apologising to the away fans.

It's not exactly Joey Barton territory.

Anyway - my tuppence on all of this is - there's nothing wrong with wanting players on big contracts who are merely squad backup, to leave, and asking them to find other clubs.

Refusing to let them train with the rest of the squad - ok, it's not particularly nice for either of them and it could be counterproductive in terms of getting deals for them, or of one of them does need to step back in, in an injury crisis. But that's football, and it happens. I think McCleary's hints and digs in pre-season were unnecessary - at least Gunter had the sense to say nothing at all.

Saying that, both of them turned out for the U23's during the week - one of the goals was an assist from Gunter - so they're doing their professional duties, and not having a strop.

However, if as has been rumoured, having asked them to leave, the club then turns down deals for them for financial reasons- that's just wrong. Like an ex who breaks it off, but won't stop messaging, and gets hissy when you go out with someone else.

Thanks for clearing that up Muirinho, Easy to take a post like that out of context which was probably what was intended.

[Nameless]

It was after he got sent off for stepping in and defending Danny Williams at Barnsley. He was stoodin the car park and in his own words he said Stam had told him he better not be around after the game.
To be honest it was more a question of it being a very minor ‘non event’ and possibly the worst offence on the crime sheet of someone who generally does little wrong.
At Oakwell he happily chatted to fans, seemed slightly sheepish and I doubt Stam had ‘banned’ himin any serious way. And he’d only got sent off for standing up for a teammate.

[Jagermesiter1871]

Further supports that both of them are top blokes. Do we reckon they're holding out for a joint move to the same club? They're best friends by all accounts and have moved around together for the last 11 years.

[Zip]

Further supports that both of them are top blokes. Do we reckon they're holding out for a joint move to the same club? They're best friends by all accounts and have moved around together for the last 11 years.

Unlikely I would think. They are adults and although best mates must surely realise it’s expecting a lot from a specific club wanting to take them both on.
Just to add that anyone going onto twitter to tweet them direct and slag them off is an idiot.

[Millsy]

Not really sure a couple of senior pros training with the U23 squad has anything to do with 'the Reading Way'. It was never some great moral thing, it was more about sniffing out cheap players from lower leagues and making them into something half decent whilst not spending much money.
Asking players who didn't make the cut for the first team squad to join in with the reserves is kind of how it has always been isn't it ?
Having side that I think Gunter and McLeary have been excellent servants to the club and if they do ever reappear for the first team should be welcomed warmly.
I'd be disappointed in both of them if they declined to play in U23 (reserve) games but carried on taking their salary. They are entitled to be paid in full, we are entitled to ask them to perform club duties in return.

Yep exactly that

+1

[The Enfield Royal71]

Do they not have HR people at football clubs?