SIGNED - Pavel Pogrebnyak

[Simon's Church]

Doesn't bode well when the owner starts stepping on the DoF's toes and jumping into player negotiations.

[Pepe the Horseman]

^^^ This. Today's the day RFC lost its soul

[Elm Park Pasty]

Doesn't bode well when the owner starts stepping on the DoF's toes and jumping into player negotiations.

This is assuming that Pavel hadn't been already identified as a possible (given it was well known he was on a free, and that FFC were dithering and hadn't already tied him up), and AZ's visit was the extra little personal touch that pushed things our way. Friday's Legacy on Page 16 (btm) does comment that AZ was also prepared to meet The Sig to persuade him. Sounds more like having got into talks with a player, he wants to sell his vision of where RFC are going.

[RobRoyal]

Doesn't bode well when the owner starts stepping on the DoF's toes and jumping into player negotiations.

True. Is that relevant at all?

[Simon's Church]

Doesn't bode well when the owner starts stepping on the DoF's toes and jumping into player negotiations.

This is assuming that Pavel hadn't been already identified as a possible (given it was well known he was on a free, and that FFC were dithering and hadn't already tied him up), and AZ's visit was the extra little personal touch that pushed things our way. Friday's Legacy on Page 16 (btm) does comment that AZ was also prepared to meet The Sig to persuade him. Sounds more like having got into talks with a player, he wants to sell his vision of where RFC are going.

Yep, bad news. Doesn't trust the manager and DoF to do their jobs properly, it's a slippery slope.

[Cypry]

Doesn't bode well when the owner starts stepping on the DoF's toes and jumping into player negotiations.

True. Is that relevant at all?

Who said that AZ had anything to do with "negotiations" at all? FFS why do so many people want to see the negative in everything?
Who's to say that NH and McD hadn't got most of the way with the signing, and ASKED Anton to have a chat about his vision as the final clincher?

It's quite reasonable - when I started my current job I had an informal chat with the CEO of the company over coffee - it wasn't a formal part of the interview process, but he wanted to outline his vision and strategy for the business with me. I now have very little to do with him on a day-to-day basis (that said I'm having lunch with him today), but it did help me to understand the business, and made the decision for me to join an easier one that it would otherwise have been...

[Barry the bird boggler]

Doesn't bode well when the owner starts stepping on the DoF's toes and jumping into player negotiations.

This is assuming that Pavel hadn't been already identified as a possible (given it was well known he was on a free, and that FFC were dithering and hadn't already tied him up), and AZ's visit was the extra little personal touch that pushed things our way. Friday's Legacy on Page 16 (btm) does comment that AZ was also prepared to meet The Sig to persuade him. Sounds more like having got into talks with a player, he wants to sell his vision of where RFC are going.

Yep, bad news. Doesn't trust the manager and DoF to do their jobs properly, it's a slippery slope.

Good though Nick and Brian are at their jobs I can't see either of them being fluent in Russian and the fact the AZ went to talk directly to Pavel would aid the player in being persuaded this way by showing how much we would like to sign him. More a personal touch in a special case don't you think?

[Norfolk Royal]

Doesn't bode well when the owner starts stepping on the DoF's toes and jumping into player negotiations.

Don't necessarily agree with that. You have to use any lever you have and if Anton's intervention was the deciding factor and BM and DoF were agreed he was a player we wanted, then I don't really see a problem.

[Simon's Church]

This is assuming that Pavel hadn't been already identified as a possible (given it was well known he was on a free, and that FFC were dithering and hadn't already tied him up), and AZ's visit was the extra little personal touch that pushed things our way. Friday's Legacy on Page 16 (btm) does comment that AZ was also prepared to meet The Sig to persuade him. Sounds more like having got into talks with a player, he wants to sell his vision of where RFC are going.

Yep, bad news. Doesn't trust the manager and DoF to do their jobs properly, it's a slippery slope.

Good though Nick and Brian are at their jobs I can't see either of them being fluent in Russian and the fact the AZ went to talk directly to Pavel would aid the player in being persuaded this way by showing how much we would like to sign him. More a personal touch in a special case don't you think?

What about him also speaking to Sig? Or is Russian his first language as well?

[winchester_royal]

'Greed. Madejski never used to speak to transfer targets. We're doomed to life as a Russian toy from now on.

#foldtheclub #readingski

[LanercostRoyal]

There must be a shop in Russia that sells only fantastically hot women, because both Pog and AZ have been shopping there...

[leicsRoyal]

It's a funny old game.

I can fully understand players wanting to move to ambitious clubs, who are forward thinking with big plans for the future. Add to this the chance to play in the best league in the world.

The loop on SSN this morning has reporters at T5 Heathrow to announce that Reading are on the verge of a major signing and then flicks to the King Power stadium to say that Matt Mills is joining Bolton.

Have to admire someone at Sky's sense of humour.

[Geekins]

Anyone who doesn't like it can get lost and support Chelsea... oh.

[Norfolk Royal]

Andy Halls‏@ajhalls1

Pavel Pogrebnyak has just left the Madejski Stadium with Karl Halabi - #ReadingFC's head of sport's science.

[ankeny]

^^^ This. Today's the day RFC lost its soul

No it not ,we are finally acting like we are above average club,goodbye SJM,s signings on the cheap.

[winchester_royal]

^^^ This. Today's the day RFC lost its soul

No it not ,we are finally acting like we are above average club,goodbye SJM,s signings on the cheap.

christ

[leicsRoyal]

^^^ This. Today's the day RFC lost its soul

No it not ,we are finally acting like we are above average club,goodbye SJM,s signings on the cheap.

christ

[winchester_royal]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDF01noeN44

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pm1K3USKMI

[leww_rfc]

^^^ This. Today's the day RFC lost its soul

No it not ,we are finally acting like we are above average club,goodbye SJM,s signings on the cheap.

Is it half term?

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

Latest from the Twittersphere :

Pavel Pogrebnyak has just left the Madejski Stadium with Karl Halabi - #ReadingFC's head of sport's science.