RUMOURS - Mifsud - Watson

[Alan Partridge]

Would signing Stelios just be the Easy option ?

That is RUBBISH.

[2.8 lita injection]

Reading boss Steve Coppell has denied he is set to make a £5million bid for Coventry striker Michael Mifsud.

The Malta international has hit 11 goals in 17 games for the Sky Blues this season - including a double against Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Carling Cup - and reports over the weekend suggested Coppell was interested in signing the 26-year-old as a potential replacement for Leroy Lita.

Royals coach Wally Downes was in Greece to watch their 5-0 thrashing of Malta on Saturday but Coppell told the Reading Post: "He (Downes) wasn't there for a short break!

"We were looking at somebody - but it wasn't Michael Mifsud. We were aware of him in the summer when he was a free agent, so why would I pay £5m for him now?

"But we never comment on potential transfer targets."

Reading are sure to be linked with a whole host of players from now unitl January after Director of football Nicky Hammond revealed the club will back Coppell with cash - as much as £10million according to newspaper reports - in the transfer window.

He said: "We certainly need to add to the squad in January to give us some impetus.

"I talk about the potential of this football club and I genuinely believe we will continue to move forward.

"The noises I am getting from upstairs are very positive. We are doing enormous amounts of travelling to look at players and we already have a number of targets.

"If there was the chance to sign four or five top-quality players who would improve us then I would be behind that 100 percent.

"We want to bring in established Premiership players if we can and that would help build the belief here."

However, Hammond stressed it would be difficult to bring in top quality players.

He said: "There are a large number of players who have declined us.

"Players know we have a good track record in bringing players in. But I want to send the message out that Reading is potentially a big Premiership club and this is the place to be.

"The potential here is amazing with the expansion plans of the stadium and facilities. This club has the capacity to grow."

More news from SportingLife.com

Good old coppell.

[Broxroyal]

A few years ago we were apparently interested in the Greek centre back Dellas. A couple of weeks later he starred in the European Championships which Greece surprisingly won and he probably moved out of our range at that time.
Maybe he is a realistic target now. (I don't actually know if he was in the team the other night but it would make sense to have Wally take a look at a defender).

[TheLawnMowerMan]

£10M
Wow!

Even my Monopoly set has more cash than that (nearly).
Where has the ST money gone?
Let me guess ....

[Huntley & Palmer]

Interesting comments coming from Warnock about Watson :

Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock has remained tight-lipped on the future of Ben Watson after the midfielder was linked with a move to Reading.

Watson has been an ever present under Warnock - but his future has be shrouded in doubt over the last few days after Steve Coppell was linked with a £1m raid on his former club to bring the 22-year-old to the Madejski Stadium.

Warnock's lack of transfer funds has been well documented and it is understood he may need to sell before he can make any serious moves in the transfer market.

The Palace chief has already sold Leon Cort to Stoke City, for a fee believed to be in the region of £1m, to increase his transfer kitty and Watson could be the next high-profile Eagles exit.

And Warnock has remained coy on Watson's future.

He said: "I don't want to talk about individuals because I don't think it's right - but you are always going to get speculation surrounding players, particularly good players."

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Speaking exclusively to the Croydon Guardian in August, Watson admitted he would be open to a Premiership switch - but insisted his preference would be to get their with the Eagles.

When asked if he would contemplate a Premiership move, Watson said: "Without a doubt. I am 22 now and it is the place you want to play football.

"I want to play in the Premiership - everyone wants to play in the Premiership - but I am hoping I can do that with Crystal Palace next season.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

I want to play in the Premiership - everyone wants to play in the Premiership - but I am hoping I can do that with Crystal Palace next season.

You have to admire his commitment to the team but ALOL at this comment - you're 2nd bottom in the league, mate

Hopefully CoLOLin will endure successive relegations...

[Behindu]

£10M
Wow!

Even my Monopoly set has more cash than that (nearly).
Where has the ST money gone?
Let me guess ....

Have a stab...

But £10 million would be a fair bit more than the income from ST.

[West Stand Flash]

£10M
Wow!

Even my Monopoly set has more cash than that (nearly).
Where has the ST money gone?
Let me guess ....

Have a stab...

But £10 million would be a fair bit more than the income from ST.

What about the £60 MILLION Madejski pocketed when we got promoted?

[Stranded]

£10M
Wow!

Even my Monopoly set has more cash than that (nearly).
Where has the ST money gone?
Let me guess ....

Have a stab...

But £10 million would be a fair bit more than the income from ST.

What about the £60 MILLION Madejski pocketed when we got promoted?

What about it? Do you know it's that much?

What about the vast amount of money he ploughed in to keep the club alive?

[Wycombe Royal]

£10M
Wow!

Even my Monopoly set has more cash than that (nearly).
Where has the ST money gone?
Let me guess ....

Have a stab...

But £10 million would be a fair bit more than the income from ST.

What about the £60 MILLION Madejski pocketed when we got promoted?

Is that a fact or a "dodger" rumour?

[Behindu]

I think he's fallen for the annual media story which claims that the playoff final is the biggest game in the world becasue it is worth £60 million to the winner.

I couldn;t quote the accurate breakdwon but I'm fairly sure that figure -

- is a wild guesstimate
- includes all the possible revenue a club might get over the course of a season in the Prem - it may even include allowances for increased tickets sales / merchandise etc etc
- includes parachte payments if they get relegated
- isn;t paid up front so hasn't been pocketed by anyone
- is payable to the club, not an individual

It's a snappy bit of copy to make the payoff final seem a bit more glamourous but I'm not sure we actually received a cheque for that amount the day we got our Golden Share - or indeed that there is any guarantee we will ever get that amount.

[Huntley & Palmer]

I want to play in the Premiership - everyone wants to play in the Premiership - but I am hoping I can do that with Crystal Palace next season.

You have to admire his commitment to the team but ALOL at this comment - you're 2nd bottom in the league, mate

Hopefully CoLOLin will endure successive relegations...

I'd wager that the comment was probably made a fair while ago by Watson and has been rehashed for the purposes of the story

[Dirk Gently]

You're all missing who would need to agree to sell him to us.

Surely Colin would rather sell him to Stevenage Borough for 12 quid and a sherbet dib-dab than do any business with us?

[Huntley & Palmer]

You're all missing who would need to agree to sell him to us.

Surely Colin would rather sell him to Stevenage Borough for 12 quid and a sherbet dib-dab than do any business with us?

I don't think Warnock would be the problem, it would more than likely be Jordan after his comments about Coppell

[comeonthebiscuitmen]

Some interesting & comical views from the CP side of things here - including a swap deal for Lita

http://forums.cpfc.org/showthread.php?threadid=161862

their forum is quite funny
one of their posters has this quote underneath


"If I see another David Gold interview about the poor East End Jewish boy done good, I'll impale myself on one of his dildos."

Simon Jordan

now you would never get Mr Mad saying that.

[comeonthebiscuitmen]

I wish we had got £7m for sidwell:

The real worry is that it's written by Andrew Fifield. Stevie's been seen at a number of recent Palace games and there is only Ben that would suit Reading's pass & move style. If it is true that £1M has been tabled and accepted, then we are in deep doo doo...

http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/sport...98487-20123632/

The Royals lost their 'Ben' in Sidwell who went for a whopping £7M to the Blue Sh**. By this reckoning we must break our usual tradition of letting emerging talent go for a song and hold out for three or at least half that plus player exchange.

Then again, this is Palace.

__________________

[T.R.O.L.I.]

I wish we had got £7m for sidwell:

The real worry is that it's written by Andrew Fifield. Stevie's been seen at a number of recent Palace games and there is only Ben that would suit Reading's pass & move style. If it is true that £1M has been tabled and accepted, then we are in deep doo doo...

http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/sport...98487-20123632/

The Royals lost their 'Ben' in Sidwell who went for a whopping £7M to the Blue Sh**. By this reckoning we must break our usual tradition of letting emerging talent go for a song and hold out for three or at least half that plus player exchange.

Then again, this is Palace.

£1.5M plus John Halls would be a touch...

[Behindu]

You're all missing who would need to agree to sell him to us.

Surely Colin would rather sell him to Stevenage Borough for 12 quid and a sherbet dib-dab than do any business with us?

I don't think Warnock would be the problem, it would more than likely be Jordan after his comments about Coppell

I thought transfers worked that the big club (us) just tell the little club (Palace) that we are having their player and this is what we'll give them for him.
There isn;t a decision needed by the little club....

[mzungu_royal]

not in our case. we tell them we want the player and they tell us to go away..

[Platypuss]

They are pretty convinced on cpfc.org that Watson is a done deal.