RUMOUR - Abdoulaye Balde

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

From SSN

11.32 Reading are reported to be showing an interest in Amiens striker Abdoulaye Balde.

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

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Reading are reported to be showing an interest in Amiens striker Abdoulaye Balde.

The 22-year-old is set to become a free agent in the summer, allowing him to discuss potential pre-contract agreements with other clubs.

He is already believed to have received approaches from two of Amiens' Ligue 2 rivals.

However, having spent the last four years in his homeland, he may be open to a new challenge in England.

Reading are well placed to mount a Championship promotion bid this term and would welcome a new addition to their attacking unit.

[Archie's penalty]

Scores the second goal here:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3BgXnWivHts

The equaliser here as well:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ELvhMUk3vUY

He is HUGE!

[Zammo]

Nice finish. He looks ok...!

[TBM]

Spacey will be pleased

[Archie's penalty]

Not exactly a goalscoring king though:

http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Football ... 21256.html

[Row Z Royal]

And when we're losing during our last home game of the season, Brum fans seek retribution by singing "Balde, what's the score?!".

[SteveRoyal]

Not exactly a goalscoring king though:

http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Football ... 21256.html

Look at what Coppell can do to average players. If Coppell see's potential, he'll drag it out.

[winchester_royal]

Looks like a big bugger with one hell of a left foot. If the scouts see something in him i'll trust 'em.

[brendywendy]

could certainly do with a man mountain like him up front

decent finishes in the vids

he'll be cheap at least

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

Looks like a big bugger with one hell of a left foot. If the scouts see something in him i'll trust 'em.

Lets hope he doesnt turn out like this one then.....

Former Reading striker Mass Sarr has hit out at Royals Chairman John Madejski after claims that Madejski said he was a "waste of space".

Sarr signed for Reading in the summer of 1998 for £158,000, yet the Liberian striker could only manage 3 goals in 38 appearances which left the club paying up the remainder of his contract in July 2000.

Speaking to the Reading Evening Post, Sarr said;

“I was not happy with what the chairman said about me. He said I was a waste of space and that is upsetting and not fair. He has tarnished my reputation. I think he said it because I was on more money than some of the other players.

“I wasn’t treated fairly. When I was rehabilitating there were problems behind the scenes. The chairman obviously doesn’t know what goes on at his own club but he should find out because things may come out one day.

“I have so much respect for the fans because they liked me and gave me plenty of support. But the club were never fair with me. I had a knee injury and problems with my cartilage but I still had to play for my country (Liberia). If I hadn’t gone they (Liberia) said they wouldn’t have let me play for Reading.

“I was in a very difficult situation, but Reading were not fair with my rehabilitation as they wanted me to stay later than everyone else for treatment.

“I know I could have helped the club be successful as we had a good side, but there were so many problems behind the scenes.”

Sarr will probably be remembered by the majority of Reading fans as the player who produced the wonder performance in the Madejski Stadium's 1st ever match against Luton Town back on the 22nd August 1998. Sarr was unlucky not to get on the score sheet that day, but it never really got going for him while in Berkshire.

At the moment, Sarr has retired from football and is currently living in America where he is coaching kids in Philadelphia.

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[Ian Royal]

Acknowledging that there is very little to go on from the video's, and that his goalscring record really isn't that great. What I did see was quite encouraging.

a) He is big and strong, something we are missing
b) He showed commitment, strength and determination to win the ball for the first clip and scored with a decent calm finish.
c) He showed reasonable pace to stay ahead of the defender for the second clip and another calm well taken goal.
d) He can clearly belt the ball hard if he wants to.

If Coppell and the scouts want him that's ok with me. But I'm not sure he's really what we need. His scoring record is letting him down IMO.

[Focher]

Eric Obinna

[winchester_royal]

IR

So did Doyle's last year. Sometimes all players need is for chances to go their way, or for chances to be created for them by a higher quality of players.

[RobRoyal]

Looks like a big bugger with one hell of a left foot. If the scouts see something in him i'll trust 'em.

Lets hope he doesnt turn out like this one then.....

What's your point? Some transfers don't work out?

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

Looks like a big bugger with one hell of a left foot. If the scouts see something in him i'll trust 'em.

Lets hope he doesnt turn out like this one then.....

What's your point? Some transfers don't work out?

My point is that Coppell has acknowledged the need for more firepower up front, so we dont have the luxury of signing a bum at such a critical stage of the season - simple!

[Sun Tzu]

But no one has worked out the formula for ensuring a signing is a success.

Ferguson signs plenty of 'bums'. Chelsea have had plenty of failures, not every Liverpool signing is a success. And the amount you spend is no guarantee either.

[Victor Meldrew]

As our French signings always seem to take ages to settle in (Fae,Cisse,Kebe) then surely this is not what we want to help our promotion push.

[andrew1957]

As our French signings always seem to take ages to settle in (Fae,Cisse,Kebe) then surely this is not what we want to help our promotion push.

If we proceed with this it is likley to be a long term punt as I cannot see a player like this having much impact this season. It does not mean we will not bring in another striker for the final promotion push as well.

[Ian Royal]

IR

So did Doyle's last year. Sometimes all players need is for chances to go their way, or for chances to be created for them by a higher quality of players.

I wasn't talking about 1 season though. My French ain't great, but the best he seems to have done is managed 7 from 15, which is pretty good, but other than that it is a poor poor record for a striker.

Doyle had scored lots of goals in the two seasons preceding the last one. Hardly the same at all.