CONFIMRED - John O’shea signs for Reading

[Victor Meldrew]

But you are assuming that O'Shea was bought in to improve out 1st XI. Considering the aim appears to be for him to take up a coaching role in 12 months time, challenging for a starting place in the 1st XI would not seem to be a priority.

Not every signing is made with the primary function of immediately improving the First XI. However, it does seems to be part of a strategy of Clement's to bring in people with strong leadership qualities because potentially they have something to offer that we currently lack. And don't forget, Clement has worked with O'Shea before.

However, you subsequent posts would indicate you have no understanding that there are other things beside what they can do on the pitch that a person can bring to the club. It's about having the right personalities in the club. Couldn't gives toss how good a player O'Shea is if he knows how to inspire and drive other players on. OK, he struggled to do that at Sunderland but Sundarland was an absolute basket case of a club, rotten from the former owner down but at least give the bloke a chance to find his place in the club before damning him.

Just out of interest where did Clement work with O'Shea before?
To me this signing smacks of a Ferdinand/Keown signing of yesteryear and we know how those two deals worked out.
Offering even a 1-year deal to a 37 year old as a player strikes me as crazy.

Republic of Ireland U21s.

Recently then.

[Victor Meldrew]

But you are assuming that O'Shea was bought in to improve out 1st XI. Considering the aim appears to be for him to take up a coaching role in 12 months time, challenging for a starting place in the 1st XI would not seem to be a priority.

Not every signing is made with the primary function of immediately improving the First XI. However, it does seems to be part of a strategy of Clement's to bring in people with strong leadership qualities because potentially they have something to offer that we currently lack. And don't forget, Clement has worked with O'Shea before.

However, you subsequent posts would indicate you have no understanding that there are other things beside what they can do on the pitch that a person can bring to the club. It's about having the right personalities in the club. Couldn't gives toss how good a player O'Shea is if he knows how to inspire and drive other players on. OK, he struggled to do that at Sunderland but Sundarland was an absolute basket case of a club, rotten from the former owner down but at least give the bloke a chance to find his place in the club before damning him.

Just out of interest where did Clement work with O'Shea before?
To me this signing smacks of a Ferdinand/Keown signing of yesteryear and we know how those two deals worked out.
Offering even a 1-year deal to a 37 year old as a player strikes me as crazy.

Republic of Ireland U21s.

Recently then.
I got so excited by this that I posted twice-apologies for taking up Board space.

[muirinho]

Just out of interest where did Clement work with O'Shea before?
To me this signing smacks of a Ferdinand/Keown signing of yesteryear and we know how those two deals worked out.
Offering even a 1-year deal to a 37 year old as a player strikes me as crazy.

Republic of Ireland U21s.

Flipping heck, we've got players who weren't out of nappies then

[From Despair To Where?]

O'Shea cited in his post signing interview that he had been impressed with Clement as a young coach when he coached the Eire U21s and that this and his subsequent coaching experience was a big factor in him joining Reading.

[John Smith]

O'Shea cited in his post signing interview that he had been impressed with Clement as a young coach when he coached the Eire U21s and that this and his subsequent coaching experience was a big factor in him joining Reading.

I'd have thought he'd have bitten anyone's hand off to get back in the Champ after the last two seasons he's had.

John O'Shea everyone!

[muirinho]

Everyone's favourite journalist has an interview with Noel Hunt, about his ambitions to manage Reading, up on the Chronic atm.

http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/sport ... s_one_day/

Little snippet at the end relevant to this thread is:

His brother Stephen, also a former promotion-winning Royal, is now an agent who orchestrated John O'Shea's move from Sunderland to Madejski Stadium on Wednesday.

Drifting wildly off-topic now, but building up contacts (both with LOI clubs, and with agents) in Ireland again would be useful, with Brexit on the horizon. One of the few reasonable certainties is that Irish footballers won't need work permits, unlike the rest of the EU, post-Brexit.

They won't all be 37, with their best days barely visible in the rear-view mirror.

[John Smith]

Drifting wildly off-topic now, but building up contacts (both with LOI clubs, and with agents) in Ireland again would be useful, with Brexit on the horizon. One of the few reasonable certainties is that Irish footballers won't need work permits, unlike the rest of the EU, post-Brexit.

What the hell are you on about?

[Hound]

get the drift, but going to be years before any of that comes into play I imagine. Unless it all goes really wrong

[mambo3]

The one thing O'shea will bring to the club is his experience of fighting losing battles game after game.

[muirinho]

Drifting wildly off-topic now, but building up contacts (both with LOI clubs, and with agents) in Ireland again would be useful, with Brexit on the horizon. One of the few reasonable certainties is that Irish footballers won't need work permits, unlike the rest of the EU, post-Brexit.

What the hell are you on about?

Taking back control, remember?

Unless a very soft Brexit is agreed, post transition, footballers from the EU will need work permits to play in the UK. To get those they'd need to be paid above a certain amount, and be above a certain standard, as you'd have to justify why you weren't getting a British player instead.

which means any player good enough to get a work permit would probably be beyond Reading's reach. (assuming we're not top half Premier League in 3 years time)

Which means Reading, and clubs like Reading will be chasing a smaller pool of players. which will inflate their prices beyond their value. If you think English players are overpriced now, then you could be in for a shock a few years down the road.

So polishing up an alternative source would be useful.

Is also why our academy is very important in years to come.

[Lower West]

The one thing O'shea will bring to the club is his experience of fighting losing battles game after game.

Impressive that a 36 year old made 40 appearances last season. Better than many of our players. No suspensions or red cards either.

[MM]

The one thing O'shea will bring to the club is his experience of fighting losing battles game after game.

Impressive that a 36 year old made 40 appearances last season. Better than many of our players. No suspensions or red cards either.

Probably never got close enough to running (hence no injuries) or making a tackle (hence no suspensions or red cards). Another season of similar quality awaits.

[Ascotexgunner]

If we were going for experience and this older signing, we should have signed James Collins.

[Denver Royal]

If we were going for experience and this older signing, we should have signed James Collins.

+1, hard to disagree with this really. Collins is likely playing better, and certainly at a higher level in the Prem, is on similar wages(?), and is a couple years younger.

[Hound]

I very much doubt how much time he will get on the pitch is reflected by the length of this thread tbh

[Royalwaster]

Totally under-whelmed by this signing too but am just hoping he'll surprise us. Doubt it. But who knows. I think when we signed Leigertwood a lot of people were writing him off before he'd kicked a ball ...

[CountryRoyal]

Totally under-whelmed by this signing too but am just hoping he'll surprise us. Doubt it. But who knows. I think when we signed Leigertwood a lot of people were writing him off before he'd kicked a ball ...

Strange example. He was 28, a half season loan from a side who didn’t get relegated. We’re also now in a much more financially sound place and quite frankly should be setting our sights on someone a tad better than John O’Shea. Back then it was mostly a case of get what you can and beggars can’t be choosers.

I also don’t remember many writing him off?

[Jackson Corner]

Next seasons walk on music.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Jvr6X054xLY

[Tilehurstsouthbank]

Next seasons walk on music.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Jvr6X054xLY

I thought that was our fan base's theme song?

[Zip]

If we were going for experience and this older signing, we should have signed James Collins.

Absolutely. He would have been a free transfer. He is slow these days but still superb in the air and would have given our defence a backbone.