Rumour - Rafael van der Vaart

[CountryRoyal]

I am very excited at the prospect of our rivals being envious and Van der Vaart turning in even a few appearances for the mighty hoops.

It's a shame Stam calls out VDV's history of injuries; that's hardly going to sway the bean counters decision.

It is and it isn't. I really like the fact that we seem to have a bit of nous about us now and we aren't going to just sign anyone for the sake of it. Rafel van der Vaart or not.

[Nameless]

For me, if it's sensible wages, then its a no brainer. Regardless of how far he's fallen he still oozes talent and I can only imagine he would be a fantastic person to have in the squad. None of our lot would have really played with someone of his caliber and he could teach so much.

I think we've got a few players who will have played with better players than him.....

[Ian Royal]

For me, if it's sensible wages, then its a no brainer. Regardless of how far he's fallen he still oozes talent and I can only imagine he would be a fantastic person to have in the squad. None of our lot would have really played with someone of his caliber and he could teach so much.

I think we've got a few players who will have played with better players than him.....

I've got as far as Gunter playing with Bale...

[Nameless]

Several have played with Nick Blackman....

[JIM]

give him a no play no pay for injury cover,

[Hendo]

For me, if it's sensible wages, then its a no brainer. Regardless of how far he's fallen he still oozes talent and I can only imagine he would be a fantastic person to have in the squad. None of our lot would have really played with someone of his caliber and he could teach so much.

I think we've got a few players who will have played with better players than him.....

I've got as far as Gunter playing with Bale...

Cooper and/or Obita might have trained with Kebe....

Apart from that, I am also struggling. You could make the argument with Swift coming through Chelsea and Evans through Man City and Norwood coming through Man Utd but it is a very weak argument.

[CountryRoyal]

For me, if it's sensible wages, then its a no brainer. Regardless of how far he's fallen he still oozes talent and I can only imagine he would be a fantastic person to have in the squad. None of our lot would have really played with someone of his caliber and he could teach so much.

I think we've got a few players who will have played with better players than him.....

Really? On a consistent week in week out basis?

[Brosef Stalin]

At 33 he won't surely get a big club so maybe he will turn up looking a bit overweight in the hoops which are never that flattering to anybody carrying that bit extra.
.

hoops make you look thinner...you're thinking of stripes m8

[urz13]

Absolute no brainer for me. Form is temporary, class is permanent - would love to see him in the hoops.

The guy clearly wants to play football two and seems committed to trying to get/stay fit having spent the last 2 months with a personal trainer. Even if he didn't play he'd be a great influence on our young midfielders, just as I expect JS is a great influence on Cooper, Dickie etc.

Assuming he's happy with 15k a week there shouldn't even be a discussion

[Nameless]

Does any one actually know what sort of personality he is ?
Would he be a 'good influence' or would he turn up for training, decide he didn't fancy the cold and go and sit in the treatment room all day ?
Would he spend all his time telling the youngsters about his caps and medals and bugging himself up ?
Would he have endless non football commitments that meant he was a bit of a stranger at the club ?
If we want to sign someone who would be cheap, would be someone who would put bums on seats and has a huge pedigree then Gazza isn't doing much at the moment. OK, HE's a bit past it but class and form etc etc.

VvV may be a model pro and would spend hours doing coaching and community work, I'm just a bit concerned that people are being taken in by his medals and assume he'd bring stuff that we really don't know he will.

[TBM]

Why don't we get him over on a trial for a couple of weeks, soon be obvious if he's the right fit or not

[Sutekh]

Why don't we get him over on a trial for a couple of weeks, soon be obvious if he's the right fit or not

Technically, isn't he still under contract to Betis for another year?

[TBM]

Why don't we get him over on a trial for a couple of weeks, soon be obvious if he's the right fit or not

Technically, isn't he still under contract to Betis for another year?

That doesn't matter - you can still have a trial. Like Schlupp did with Man Utd last season

[SCIAG]

For me, if it's sensible wages, then its a no brainer. Regardless of how far he's fallen he still oozes talent and I can only imagine he would be a fantastic person to have in the squad. None of our lot would have really played with someone of his caliber and he could teach so much.

I think we've got a few players who will have played with better players than him.....

Really? On a consistent week in week out basis?

Wayne Bridge, Royston Drenthe...

Oh wait.

[Hup Holland Hup]

Does any one actually know what sort of personality he is ?
Would he be a 'good influence' or would he turn up for training, decide he didn't fancy the cold and go and sit in the treatment room all day ?
Would he spend all his time telling the youngsters about his caps and medals and bugging himself up ?
Would he have endless non football commitments that meant he was a bit of a stranger at the club ?
If we want to sign someone who would be cheap, would be someone who would put bums on seats and has a huge pedigree then Gazza isn't doing much at the moment. OK, HE's a bit past it but class and form etc etc.

VvV may be a model pro and would spend hours doing coaching and community work, I'm just a bit concerned that people are being taken in by his medals and assume he'd bring stuff that we really don't know he will.

He isn't your classical bad boy and wouldn't have a negative effect on the dressing room but likewise isn't a model pro. I wouldn't expect him to be involved in any form of coaching role but would join purely as a player. The news over here is that his knees are completely shot and subsequently his fitness levels are way down on where they should be. He would probably need to lose close to 15 kilo's to be at his old playing weight.

Lots of very negative comments from the Dutch media but even more worrying from lots from highly respected managers and ex Pro's. I believe Bergkamp actually suggested that the championship was probably a level or two too high for him at this stage of his career.

Part of his downfall at Betis (injuries aside) was his business interests back in the Netherlands.

[Ian Royal]

IIf he was a striker, given our paucity of good options there, I'd say risk it. But it sounds increasingly like we'd get little out of him and we're fine in midfield.

I hope sentiment doesn't play a part in Stam's decision.

[Z175]

I'm normally all for financial prudence but I say snap him up.

It would be our biggest profile ever signing and create some excitement we have not had for years.

And not just with the fans, with the players too who have just been collecting their wages throughout the turbulent last few years. What an inspiring player to have around for the academy kids.. The fact that he wants to play for Reading might give the next Tshibola pause for thought.

I don't think the Champ is as good as people say, a lot of games are very cagey and defensive with teams playing 451 struggling to unlock the other. VDV would be perfect at a world class pass or long range goal that would make all the difference.
Unlike Drenthe, we know he is physically shot and won't play all the time so it wouldn't be disappointing to have him on the bench, it would be inspiring!

In regard to his wages, well we nearly ended up in administration after not spending any money in the PL, yet the Thais have "rescued" us according to SJM but blew £2.5m on a year of Vydra, not to mention Piazon, John etc. If we were still owned by SJM and had never left the "reading way" I'd certainly say steer clear. But we have been in this murky world for some time now so at least lets see a top international player end up in a Reading shirt, rather than go bust paying Pogrebnyak and Guthrie!

[Sutekh]

The only question mark that worries me on this is his fitness. If he could play even an hour a week then it's a no brainer but is he up to it?

[royalp-we]

I have a feeling our Jaap is going to say we decided against pursuing a deal tomorrow - hope I'm proved wrong. With Reach looking increasingly unlikely, Swift & Fosu (& others) would surely learn a lot from VDV's presence; and the commercial benefits (ie VDV shirts & exposure) could do a lot to raise the atmosphere furthermore around everything RFC before the big kick off against Preston.

[Broxroyal]

Leaving aside fitness issues, I really don't see where Rafa vdV would fit in Stam's preferred 4-3-3 formation. If we were playing 4-4-1-1 or 4-2-3-1, then maybe, with Rafa behind the striker, but in a 4-3-3? Nah.