Squad for 2025-2026

[Sutekh]

When do the squad numbers get issued?

[Snowflake Royal]

Right, well that was an utterly shit way to finish pre-season, throwing most the plans out the window with a lot of those performances.

My team to start the first game would probably be:

.....................Pereira
Ahmed, Stickland, O'Connor, Ryan
.......................Wing
..............Elliott......Savage
Kyerewaa............................. Ehibhatiomhan
...................O'Mahoney

[Sutekh]

Right, well that was an utterly shit way to finish pre-season, throwing most the plans out the window with a lot of those performances.

My team to start the first game would probably be:

.....................Pereira
Ahmed, Stickland, O'Connor, Ryan
.......................Wing
..............Elliott......Savage
Kyerewaa............................. Ehibhatiomhan
...................O'Mahoney

Yes, would agree but would also hope there’s a shiny new striker and/or AM with a bit of pace on the way soon as not seen anything for other clubs to worry about. But perhaps the distinctly lacklustre and uninterested performance turned out today is a deliberate manoeuvre to give any watching scouts that very idea.

Also gives Pompey the feeling they won’t need to bring much to the table in the league cup.

[Hound]

Right, well that was an utterly shit way to finish pre-season, throwing most the plans out the window with a lot of those performances.

My team to start the first game would probably be:

.....................Pereira
Ahmed, Stickland, O'Connor, Ryan
.......................Wing
..............Elliott......Savage
Kyerewaa............................. Ehibhatiomhan
...................O'Mahoney

Looks about right. May Dorsett at CB.

Thought Kyerewaa showed a bit of something and certainly quick

[Brogue]

Hunt isn’t Couhig’s man he clearly isn’t being backed in this window. He will be gone by Christmas and Ainsworth will be brought in.

You heard it here first.

[Royal_jimmy]

Based on things that have been said on X apparently we're offering poor wages for players. Not going to attract decent promising talent by doing that.

[Linden Jones' Tash]

Based on things that have been said on X apparently we're offering poor wages for players. Not going to attract decent promising talent by doing that.

Define 'poor wages'....

Do you mean 'wages that are sustainable'...?

Cakeism perhaps?

[Royal_jimmy]

Well, Knibbs won't be scoring any goals for us this season . . . . .

Cryptic. If we get get a good fee I'm happy tbh. Fee could be used to (finally) sign Bowler and Cole, plus we could get a loan replacement too.

Well if we want to sign those guys we need to increase the wages we've offered to them

[Royal_jimmy]

Based on things that have been said on X apparently we're offering poor wages for players. Not going to attract decent promising talent by doing that.

Define 'poor wages'....

Do you mean 'wages that are sustainable'...?

Cakeism perhaps?

As in other clubs in league one are offering more money

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Based on things that have been said on X apparently we're offering poor wages for players. Not going to attract decent promising talent by doing that.

Yes read this....did Hunt actually this after the game? Apparently players are waiting on signing for us as expecting better offers elsewhere.

[Linden Jones' Tash]

Based on things that have been said on X apparently we're offering poor wages for players. Not going to attract decent promising talent by doing that.

Define 'poor wages'....

Do you mean 'wages that are sustainable'...?

Cakeism perhaps?

As in other clubs in league one are offering more money

Maybe they have sugar daddies....

Reading fans wanted an owner who would run the club sustainably...

Maybe this is what it looks like...

[Royal_jimmy]

Define 'poor wages'....

Do you mean 'wages that are sustainable'...?

Cakeism perhaps?

As in other clubs in league one are offering more money

Maybe they have sugar daddies....

Reading fans wanted an owner who would run the club sustainably...

Maybe this is what it looks like...

Under Madejski we were sustainable but pushed the boat on wages for the right players. If the vibe I'm getting is what's happening then we're offering low wages and selling players.

We definitely shouldn't overpay on a players wages or be taken for a ride if a player asks for an unrealistic amount (like Michael Craig) but with our resources we should be able to offer competitive wages for league one. Sounds like we're not doing this.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Based on the squad now that League One website having us down finishing in 17th looks reasonable....the replacements for Bindon, Mbengue & Knibbs aren't anywhere near the same standard, and off the back of losing Smith in January.

[Royal_jimmy]

Based on the squad now that League One website having us down finishing in 17th looks reasonable....the replacements for Bindon, Mbengue & Knibbs aren't anywhere near the same standard, and off the back of losing Smith in January.

Agreed, our squad looks weak and 17th would be an abysmal season.

[WestYorksRoyal]

As in other clubs in league one are offering more money

Maybe they have sugar daddies....

Reading fans wanted an owner who would run the club sustainably...

Maybe this is what it looks like...

Under Madejski we were sustainable but pushed the boat on wages for the right players. If the vibe I'm getting is what's happening then we're offering low wages and selling players.

We definitely shouldn't overpay on a players wages or be taken for a ride if a player asks for an unrealistic amount (like Michael Craig) but with our resources we should be able to offer competitive wages for league one. Sounds like we're not doing this.

We spent "big" under Madejski. £700k for Murty and £750k for Butler were huge sums in what was division 2 at the time. Not Birmingham style, but pretty damn big. Even the Convey and Lita signings in the Championship were significant; if Lita had a bad game opposing fans would troll his transfer fee.

The difference is what constitutes "big" spending has grown exponentially since Madejski, and his spending would tread water at best these days. Even mediocre Championship clubs like Millwall and Preston lose many times more per annum than Madejski did.

The grey zone of investing sustainably doesn't really exist any more. To hold our own as a Championship club, we need to exist unsustainably. The only way out is player sales, but even then we need to be in the Championship first to get fees of £10m - £15m, but that comes back to gambling on promotion. This dichotomy has always existed for any potential owner; go big for promotion or stabilise finances and accept a long spell in L1. I don't think Couhig and co. have realised this yet, so they can't have made a decision. I think we are one of the "bigger" clubs in L1, but that means nothing if clubs like Stockport, Huddersfield and and Orient have owners willing to throw money at them.

[Brogue]

Based on things that have been said on X apparently we're offering poor wages for players. Not going to attract decent promising talent by doing that.

Yes read this....did Hunt actually this after the game? Apparently players are waiting on signing for us as expecting better offers elsewhere.

He did say this yes.

[Snowflake Royal]

Right, well that was an utterly shit way to finish pre-season, throwing most the plans out the window with a lot of those performances.

My team to start the first game would probably be:

.....................Pereira
Ahmed, Stickland, O'Connor, Ryan
.......................Wing
..............Elliott......Savage
Kyerewaa............................. Ehibhatiomhan
...................O'Mahoney

Looks about right. May Dorsett at CB.

Thought Kyerewaa showed a bit of something and certainly quick

He certainly had energy. Didn't get a lot of chance to do much, because we pretty much gave up by the time he came on.

[Snowflake Royal]

Based on things that have been said on X apparently we're offering poor wages for players. Not going to attract decent promising talent by doing that.

Define 'poor wages'....

Do you mean 'wages that are sustainable'...?

Cakeism perhaps?

As in other clubs in league one are offering more money

Other clubs in L1 don’t have a PL training facility and Cat 1 academy to fund.

And if they can get more money at other clubs in L1, what are they waiting for... go sign for them.

[Snowflake Royal]

It's also not exactly new that players and agents will try to bargain for better deals by claiming better offers, or biding gheir time in case something else shows up.

We should not allow ourselves to be bullied or blackmailed. If we do, every player and agent will continue to do it. If we don't, maybe we'll lose out a fair bit this summer, but people will eventually stop trying to take us for a ride and we'll weed out the chaff without having to dangle to their tune.

[linkenholtroyal]

So….. we are having an issue with wage offers. Hunt keeps saying we need 5 or 6 more in but… would we take starting first team wingers and a striker on higher wages rather than 6 squad players. Maybe we are trying to stretch the squad too far.