Rumour: James Harper (talks with Wolves confirmed)

[Southbank Old Boy]

Why isn't he giving Mooney a chance? People moaned about Coppell sticking with his favourites, but we haven't scored a league goal yet and Mooney hasn't even been given a run out from the bench as far as I'm aware? He has a couple of other options, inc Harps, but he's not playing them.

He played Mooney in the cup game to have a look at him

Dont forget we have only had 3 league games, and he is afterall only allowed to start 11 and bring on 3 subs so he cant play everyone

if he has decided that Long and Church are top of his list so far then he has to give them a decent chance too

That and Mooney looks pretty shit of course!

On Harper, he hasnt been 100% yet, but it looks like Rodgers sees the others in the squad as just as good for now

[Royal Lady]

Well, call me controversial, but the current team he's playing aren't much cop either are they!

[Royalee]

Well, call me controversial, but the current team he's playing aren't much cop either are they!

The defensive midfield role people want to stick Harper in is.

[Royal Lady]

One defensive midfielder and a goalkeeper do not a team make!

Some of those he is playing played last season in Div 1 and Div 2 - it's glaringly obvious to some of us that, currently, the step up to the championship is a step too much for some of them. Surely, with or without Smith on board within the next week, you really don't, hand on heart, think we have much of a hope with what we'll be left with until January?

[Royalee]

One defensive midfielder and a goalkeeper do not a team make!

Some of those he is playing played last season in Div 1 and Div 2 - it's glaringly obvious to some of us that, currently, the step up to the championship is a step too much for some of them. Surely, with or without Smith on board within the next week, you really don't, hand on heart, think we have much of a hope with what we'll be left with until January?

We're short going forward, not in central midfield. We've kept two clean sheets in three games, suggesting it's not Harper we miss, it's someone going forward. Rodgers has said he wants to bring two players in and then we have Matejovsky (our best creator of chances) and Noel Hunt (our best centre forward) to come back, so we're not doomed and I'm still very confident thanks very much.

[Royal Lady]

Do we have any idea who these two players are? It's unusual that, with a week to go, there's no protracted rumours about anyone other than Smith.

[Southbank Old Boy]

One defensive midfielder and a goalkeeper do not a team make!

Some of those he is playing played last season in Div 1 and Div 2 - it's glaringly obvious to some of us that, currently, the step up to the championship is a step too much for some of them. Surely, with or without Smith on board within the next week, you really don't, hand on heart, think we have much of a hope with what we'll be left with until January?

We havent got the players we neeed in yet, agree on that

But Rodgers cant pick players he hasnt got, and Mooney hasnt shown anything to suggest he should be getting picked ahead of Church, Long or Kanu

[Royalee]

Do we have any idea who these two players are? It's unusual that, with a week to go, there's no protracted rumours about anyone other than Smith.

I trust Brendan Rodgers a lot more than I trust you or the rumour mill if it's all the same to you.

[Royalee]

Well, call me controversial, but the current team he's playing aren't much cop either are they!

The defensive midfield role people want to stick Harper in is.

Not true, a lot of people think our best midfield pairing last season was Harper&Karacan together, so putting them up against eachother is just STRAW MAN tactics.

James Harper is the weakest central midfielder we have.

[Royalee]

I trust Brendan Rodgers

Well good for you.
Blind faith isn't enough for me, and it shouldn't be for others either.
A BIRD IN THE HAND IS WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH.

Fact: transfer window ends soon.

Blind faith won't change that.

It's not blind faith, it's faith in the knowledge that he has done everything he has said so far and actually appears aware of where we are going wrong unlike previous managers.

[Royalee]

So basicly what you're saying is you're a sucker for sweet-talk, and don't care about the end product which has in fact not been delivered, and on the face of it looks like we're only in for more of the same non-scoring guff.

No, I can see we're trying to change the way we play and trying to keep the ball, which he has said he'd do. I am also aware we won't be brilliant at it overnight and it will take a while, as it did at Watford with him, but I am liking the improvements and do not have an insatiable need for instant success like some on here in order to prove to me that we are making progress. We will see progress over the coming months and in the second half of the season we will challenge. We're improving defensively and with one or two additions going forward in addition to Marek and Noel Hunt we'll score goals. If we'd had those two from the start of the season we'd have 6 points.

[ZacNaloen]

Well, call me controversial, but the current team he's playing aren't much cop either are they!

The defensive midfield role people want to stick Harper in is.

Not true, a lot of people think our best midfield pairing last season was Harper&Karacan together, so putting them up against eachother is just STRAW MAN tactics.

Maybe you're being ironic but... you do realise your response is a classic strawman?

[SteveRoyal]

Harper should be played in a more attacking role - why would you play a man who can't tackle in a DM position?

[Royalee]

Harper should be played in a more attacking role - why would you play a man who can't tackle in a DM position?

Agree, but we also have better attacking midfielders in Davies and Matejovsky.

[gonesy]

Harper should be played in a more attacking role - why would you play a man who can't tackle in a DM position?

Thats always been the problem with Harps - he doesn't stand out defensively or in a more attacking/creative role. He works hard and his attitude is fantastic but he rarely has a major influence on a game.

[UpNorth]

Move back on with Wolves renewing their £1.8m offer according to the Daily Mail today.

Probably old news but I say sell...

[Dawn]

Reading's midfield maestro James Harper is a man with a mission. He wants to prove to Wolves manager Mick McCarthy - and any other boss in the market for a new player - that he is fully fit.

Harper, known as one of the most fanatical trainers and fittest players at Reading, is still disappointed at being told by McCarthy that he wasn't fit enough to join Wolves at the start of the season.

"I respect his decision but I don't agree with it," said Harper, 28. "I was just recovering from a groin injury and when Mick looked at the scans he told me I wouldn't be ready. I think he is wrong.

"Since then he has been to the Madejski Stadium to watch me play and I hope my performance demonstrated that I can do a job.

"Don't get me wrong. I am not desperate to leave Reading, but they have now put on record that they are willing to let me go.

"I am happy to be here among a great set of lads, but at the back of my mind is the fact that Reading accepted a fee and told me I can go. It's not a nice feeling when you think they don't want you here. Everyone wants to feel wanted."

Harper has also been linked with Sheffield United, though Royals have denied rumours about a possible swap deal involving Blades' Brian Howard.

"All I want to do is play football, and that's true of all players," added Harper, who is Reading's longest serving player. "I am not complaining. I realise how lucky I am to be doing something I love and to have money coming in when so many people are struggling to find a job.

"I am training hard and working hard but it worries me that I am taking the money but not playing in the first team.

"At the moment I just don't have a clue what is happening. It seems that Reading have said they are willing for me to leave but Wolves have said I am not fit enough.

"I have no idea whether any other club will be interested in talking to me before the deadline. What I do know is that I just want to play football."

And he added: "We have not had the greatest start to the season and we need the patience and support of the fans. They understand that we have 19 and 20 year old players in the team who need that support. It has been a tough start for us and we just need to nick a win to get going."


http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/sport/roundup/articles/2009/08/27/40965-harper-baffled-by-worried-wolves/

[Royal Lady]

Since then he has been to the Madejski Stadium to watch me play and I hope my performance demonstrated that I can do a job

Yeah. A job selling burgers.

I like Harps, but to be fair, he didn't exactly stand out on Tuesday night.

Which, thinking about it, is probably a good thing, because McCarthy still won't want him and we can keep him here and should Brendan decide to use his nouse and actually start him and Marek, could be just what we need to bring a bit of experience and stability into this kindergarten team.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

I thought BR said that Harper had turned Wolves down twice??

Now who do we believe.

McCarthy was at the Burton game, no idea about this weeks match, Marek the saviour, my sides hurt now.

[BR2]

Do we have any idea who these two players are? It's unusual that, with a week to go, there's no protracted rumours about anyone other than Smith.

I trust Brendan Rodgers a lot more than I trust you or the rumour mill if it's all the same to you.

You should be able to trust RL more than Rodgers-he's only been here for a few weeks.