CONFIMRED - Sam Walker

[John Smith]

no can see that one. Stam clearly didn't rate - I think he was training with us pre-season before the 16/17 season, and I thought he might get another chance.

personally thought he was worth another go, certainly rather than Jaakkola

Definitely. What I don't understand is why WBA have signed him when he clearly wasn't good enough for us?

[Sutekh]

no can see that one. Stam clearly didn't rate - I think he was training with us pre-season before the 16/17 season, and I thought he might get another chance.

personally thought he was worth another go, certainly rather than Jaakkola

Definitely. What I don't understand is why WBA have signed him when he clearly wasn't good enough for us?

Would agree entirely with this. I presume he sees moving onto WBA as a no 2 (I assume WBA's first choice will be the keeper they bought off ManU for about £6m) as a much better option as they're the "bigger" club and more likely to be back in the PL before Reading get another sniff at it.

[RoyalJones]

This potential signing is farcical even if Jaakkola goes, what sort of message does this send out to Legg, Ward, Southwood etc, instead of trying regain our identity of bringing through academy products, we just sign random players like this. It just does not make sense, and I'm not one to moan about new signings (with the exception of John O'Shea).

[Hound]

Experienced and youngish back up/competition. The youngsters can have a season at a decent league club and come back next ear and challenge for the #1 spot (and I reckon Mannone will go back to Italy at some point soon). On a free. Why is that farcical?

[RoyalJones]

Experienced and youngish back up/competition. The youngsters can have a season at a decent league club and come back next ear and challenge for the #1 spot (and I reckon Mannone will go back to Italy at some point soon). On a free. Why is that farcical?

Just doesn't send out the best message to our academy players when we're signing a goalkeeper who hasn't played at a level higher than League One (correct me if i'm wrong) to be above them in the pecking order. If we loaned out two and kept one for the U23s as well as seeing Jaakkola go at the end of next season, I would understand, but even then no academy graduate would be above third choice, if both Mannone and Walker stay, maybe Mannone will go back to Italy and Walker hasn't signed just yet however. Maybe i'm too obsessed with the academy, but I just really want to see players like Southwood, who has been capped at youth international level, given a good chance. Would rather see one of Southwood/Legg/Ward as understudy this season, where they could benefit from it even more than a loan spell in a lower division. We have so many good academy goalkeepers, would love to see that utilised. Seeing us giving Richards a chance last season, and Kelly the year before, personally made me quite happy, but again, maybe i'm too obsessed with the academy.

[Hound]

Agree I’d like to see the Academy keepers come through - and wouldn’t be upset to see Ward as second keeper this year at all

But I think they would benefit from another season playing regularly elsewhere more. I’m not convinced by Mannone and am convinced Anssi isn’t much good. So don’t see an issue with Walker coming in personally

[From Despair To Where?]

Experienced and youngish back up/competition. The youngsters can have a season at a decent league club and come back next ear and challenge for the #1 spot (and I reckon Mannone will go back to Italy at some point soon). On a free. Why is that farcical?

That's exactly how I would see it. Am I right in saying none of the academy keepers have any Football League experience?

[RoyalJones]

Experienced and youngish back up/competition. The youngsters can have a season at a decent league club and come back next ear and challenge for the #1 spot (and I reckon Mannone will go back to Italy at some point soon). On a free. Why is that farcical?

That's exactly how I would see it. Am I right in saying none of the academy keepers have any Football League experience?

Think only Legg has experience at Barnet but didn't play often which does go against my point tbf. Would like to see at least two of them go out on loan to a third or fourth tier club if Walker comes in, but even if Jaakkola leaves, none of the academy keepers are likely to be above third in the pecking order next season, with Walker likely to be understudy to Mannone if Jaakkola does go. Would like to see one of the three academy keepers be second choice next season at least.

[Victor Meldrew]

"Walker" is a good name for Reading players in the past.
Firstly Welsh international keeper and ex-Oxford Road juniors Mike who went on to manage Everton and Norwich.
I used to work with his then girl friend Jackie (who tragically died far too young) in Reading and their son is Ian Walker the ex-Spurs and England keeper-I was hoping that this lad Sam might be the next in line from that family but that's not the case.

The next Walker was the legend, Johnnie.
Scottish Reading club captain for many years after signing from Southampton.
A classy ball playing midfielder who eventually moved back to right back when the 30 or so fags per day were catching up with him.
I once saw him on a Friday night at a club in Brock Barracks and barely able to walk at throwing-out time.
The next day he played a blinder when he must have been mega hung over.

I don't rate Jakkola or Mannone so if this lad is any good then I hope we get him in.
The fact that he was on Chelsea's books as a youngster shows there had to be ability there and I don't buy into this idea that a keeper needs to have played at a decent level-surely it is the only position where the level doesn't matter, a keeper is a keeper and playing 40 games for Colchester's first team in consecutive seasons says more to me than Jakkola spending the past two seasons with just minimal first team outings for us.

It is a shame that the manager might not want to rely on our Academy keepers but this is professional sport, not a charity or a Sunday side for your mates to play in-presumably the manager feels the need to look elsewhere and it will probably be a case of the Academy keepers going elsewhere to prove how good they can be.
Didn't Jordan Pickford go out on loan 3 or 4 times?

[Hound]

Confimred

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2018/j ... he-royals/

No mention of Anssi

[From Despair To Where?]

My thinking about playing at a decent level is less about ability and more about the pressure of playing in front of larger crowds. With no disrespect to Basingstoke or Hungerford Town, it's not the same.

[windermereROYAL]

The kids are having a tantrum on twitter again.

[Hound]

The kids are having a tantrum on twitter again.

Always a good sign

They are a seriously clueless bunch.

[Simon's Church]

Makes sense to me, someone Clement knows and clearly rates so should be able to push Mannone more than last season.

If mannone gets injured I'm not sure anyone would be confident in jaakola or any of the young keepers that have played a handful of football league appearances between them, being first choice.

[Snowflake Royal]

This potential signing is farcical even if Jaakkola goes, what sort of message does this send out to Legg, Ward, Southwood etc, instead of trying regain our identity of bringing through academy products, we just sign random players like this. It just does not make sense, and I'm not one to moan about new signings (with the exception of John O'Shea).

I suspect it says Mannone will leave at the end of the season or soonet, Walker will step up and one of them will be second choice while the others get loan spells.

[Hound]

This potential signing is farcical even if Jaakkola goes, what sort of message does this send out to Legg, Ward, Southwood etc, instead of trying regain our identity of bringing through academy products, we just sign random players like this. It just does not make sense, and I'm not one to moan about new signings (with the exception of John O'Shea).

I suspect it says Mannone will leave at the end of the season or soonet, Walker will step up and one of them will be second choice while the others get loan spells.

Yep this is what I expect

[strap]

So we can't score in a brothel and Clement signs another reserve keeper?? An ex-mate from his Chelsea days to boot.

Weird one. Any news on a striker RFC?? You know, one that can score goals in the LCh??

[windermereROYAL]

Last time I looked McNulty was a striker.

[sandman]

Free transfer, football league experience, likely to be back up but still has potential so could still step up and be first choice.

He's not taking up any of our transfer budget and doubt he's eating up the wage budget too much.

Good luck to him.

[Ascotexgunner]

So we can't score in a brothel and Clement signs another reserve keeper?? An ex-mate from his Chelsea days to boot.

Weird one. Any news on a striker RFC?? You know, one that can score goals in the LCh??

Bit of creativity would be nice as well.