NO LONGER A RUMOUR - Alan Bennett

[papereyes]

from that article it looks like 300, 000 euros is a new record for the eircom league anyway? if we're breaking the ceiling then it's a fair fee?

We're getting 'stung' because of the success of Doyle and to a lesser extent Long.

If Doyle wasn't as good, they wouldn't be holding out more for this player, would they?

[Dawn]

Latest from todays EP

Bennett set for medical today
Reading will complete the signing of Cork City’s Alan Bennett tomorrow despite a fall-out over the move.

I understand the player flew over to England yesterday and was due to undergo a medical today.

Royals had two bids of under £200,000 rejected for Bennett, but now look to have settled on an initial fee of around £250,000. A further £50,000 is due after he makes 10 first-team appearances.

The total cost of the deal will make it an Eircom League record.

Royals manager Steve Coppell said: “We are still in discussions with Cork.â€

[RoyalBlue]

Great shame if we have managed to p*ss off the good people of Cork, particularly when such a (comparitively) small amount of money is involved.

Next time they have a hidden gem for sale we'll probably be given the very last appointment in the diary.

[Far from the royal crowds]

Phantom fm in Dublin have said that there'll be a press conference later this afternoon to confirm we got bennett. Any truth in this?

[Far from the royal crowds]

sorry, double post

[Barry the bird boggler]

Any Cork fans about who can give us the low down on Mr Bennett (and also explain why their chairman has the hump with us over the release clauses they put in Doyle's contract)!

[Dirk Gently]

Possible debut at Old Trafford for him, then?

[Coppelled Streets]

25 years old, untested at a particularly hard level of football, not many years of improvement left in him...... I hope he is a gem.

[Barry the bird boggler]

25 years old, untested at a particularly hard level of football, not many years of improvement left in him...... I hope he is a gem.

Given SC's record in the transfer market I think we can be reasonably confident he'll be amazing once he's settled in.

[Stranded]

25 years old, untested at a particularly hard level of football, not many years of improvement left in him...... I hope he is a gem.

Typical Reading fan response really, bloke hasn't even signed yet and you're doubting his ability? Have you even seen him play?

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

At the price he's at you can't go wrong, even if he plays a couple of games and we sell him for double the price come the summer. It's clear we're trying to get someone else in, time is running out though.....

[Top Flight]

25 years old, untested at a particularly hard level of football, not many years of improvement left in him...... I hope he is a gem.

Typical Reading fan response really, bloke hasn't even signed yet and you're doubting his ability? Have you even seen him play?

Bennet might be an absolutely cracking player or he might not be good enough for the Premiership.............. Time will answer this one.

Not every single one of Coppells signings have been good enough. But the reason Coppell is such a good manager is that when a player proves himself not to be good enough, Coppell won't hold onto that player for very long. He moves them on and tries again with other recruits.

Lets not write Bennett off, but at the same time, lets not assume that he will automatically be a good player for us! He might not be. Its up to Bennett to prove himself.

I love Coppell because, if Bennett is not good enough, then Coppell will be looking for the next Centre Back with high potential. That is all Bennett has at the moment (potential). He is completely unproven at Premier League level and therefore shouldn't command a high transfer fee.

[Top Flight]

25 years old, untested at a particularly hard level of football, not many years of improvement left in him...... I hope he is a gem.

Typical Reading fan response really, bloke hasn't even signed yet and you're doubting his ability? Have you even seen him play?

Until Bennett proves himself, Coppelled streets has every right to doubt his ability. Bennett has never played in the EPL.

[Stranded]

25 years old, untested at a particularly hard level of football, not many years of improvement left in him...... I hope he is a gem.

Typical Reading fan response really, bloke hasn't even signed yet and you're doubting his ability? Have you even seen him play?

Bennet might be an absolutely cracking player or he might not be good enough for the Premiership.............. Time will answer this one.

Not every single one of Coppells signings have been good enough. But the reason Coppell is such a good manager is that when a player proves himself not to be good enough, Coppell won't hold onto that player for very long. He moves them on and tries again with other recruits.

Lets not write Bennett off, but at the same time, lets not assume that he will automatically be a good player for us! He might not be. Its up to Bennett to prove himself.

I love Coppell because, if Bennett is not good enough, then Coppell will be looking for the next Centre Back with high potential. That is all Bennett has at the moment (potential). He is completely unproven at Premier League level and therefore shouldn't command a high transfer fee.

That was a more eloquent way of making my point, I'm not saying he will be the greatest thing since sliced bread but the tone of the comment seemed to be writing the bloke off already. The one thing that has been shown at this club time and again is that you don't have to spend shedloads of money to sign good players and until Bennett or anyone has pulled on the shirt then I can't see how anyone can judge them.

[Top Flight]

I interpreted Coppelled Streets tone to be more of a concern with the transfer fee rather than a negative doubting of the lads ability for no reason.

How can Cork continue to escalate the transfer fee for a player that is completely unproven at Premier League level?

The fact is Bennett is 25 years old so his developmental potential is limited compared to a 17/18 year old and in addition to this he has never played at the top of the English game.

Cork should be realistic about the fee that they can expect for a completely unproven and untested prospect.

[Cookie]

From this evening's Echo

Bennett set for Reading
ALAN BENNETT is in Reading to undergo a medical at the club’s Madejski Stadium tomorrow, writes NOEL SPILLLANE.
Bennett will become the
Royals’ latest Irish recruit
and set a new record for an
eircom League player with
Steve Coppell splashing out
over €250,000 for the
25-year-old centre-half before
Wednesday’s transfer
deadline.
Bennett slipped quietly out
of Cork last evening at
Reading’s invitation and will
undergo a routine medical a
the Premiership club
tomorrow and sign on the
dotted line subject to that
e x aminat ion.
Cork are expected to give
approval and accept Reading’s
third and final offer when
manager Damien Richardson
meets with chairman Brian
Lennox tonight.
It is expected that Bennett
will sign a three-year deal
when he meets with Coppell
in Reading tomorrow and
Cork have an add-on clause to
get another €50,000 when
Bennett makes 10 first-team
appear ances.

[floyd__streete]

Great shame if we have managed to p*ss off the good people of Cork, particularly when such a (comparitively) small amount of money is involved.

Why? I couldn't really give a monkeys about Cork to be honest. They should be well happy with 250k for an unproven player and should handle their transfer negotiations with a hell of a lot more dignity than they appear to have shown so far.

[Stranded]

I interpreted Coppelled Streets tone to be more of a concern with the transfer fee rather than a negative doubting of the lads ability for no reason.

How can Cork continue to escalate the transfer fee for a player that is completely unproven at Premier League level?

The fact is Bennett is 25 years old so his developmental potential is limited compared to a 17/18 year old and in addition to this he has never played at the top of the English game.

Cork should be realistic about the fee that they can expect for a completely unproven and untested prospect.

Fair enough, but I think aound £300k is not an unrealistic fee esp as he is considered to be the best defender in the Irish League. We paid £250k for Sodje who was equally untried at this level and is two years older.

[RoyalBlue]

Great shame if we have managed to p*ss off the good people of Cork, particularly when such a (comparitively) small amount of money is involved.

Why? I couldn't really give a monkeys about Cork to be honest. They should be well happy with 250k for an unproven player and should handle their transfer negotiations with a hell of a lot more dignity than they appear to have shown so far.

Like Reading FC did with York City and the deal they struck for Murty's transfer and which they then subsequently tried to wriggle out of?

Like the contract they signed with Salako and then wriggled out of?

I really don't think we are in a position to lecture other clubs about the way they handle transfers and contracts!

Also, we should give a monkeys about the clubs we want to buy from as we may want to deal with them again in the future. All other things being equal, who do you think Cork will want to sell to next time around?

[Top Flight]

Well at least Sodje was proven at a level that we all understand......

Its difficult to Gauge the quality in the Eircom league when you don't watch it regularly.