Hob Nob Anyone?

Being reported on SKY now. This looks like it’s happening. Reading sources saying FFP means we cannot offer him the deal he is worth and that the club think his value is about £15 million. A huge shame.
Not sure if true but mate saying he might be leaving for Bayern in this window for a million. I haven’t seen that in any media though.

FFP is biting us very hard. Seems counter-productive to me when clubs our size cannot offer the wages to keep a player due to financial constraints and then lose a player for nowt to a club that’s loaded.

Zip wrote:Being reported on SKY now. This looks like it’s happening. Reading sources saying FFP means we cannot offer him the deal he is worth and that the club think his value is about £15 million. A huge shame.
Not sure if true but mate saying he might be leaving for Bayern in this window for a million. I haven’t seen that in any media though.

FFP is biting us very hard. Seems counter-productive to me when clubs our size cannot offer the wages to keep a player due to financial constraints and then lose a player for nowt to a club that’s loaded.

yeah big shame that. counter productive yes, but also one last kick in the bollox from the Gourlay era. Cheers Ron.

Hound wrote:

Zip wrote:Being reported on SKY now. This looks like it’s happening. Reading sources saying FFP means we cannot offer him the deal he is worth and that the club think his value is about £15 million. A huge shame.
Not sure if true but mate saying he might be leaving for Bayern in this window for a million. I haven’t seen that in any media though.

FFP is biting us very hard. Seems counter-productive to me when clubs our size cannot offer the wages to keep a player due to financial constraints and then lose a player for nowt to a club that’s loaded.

yeah big shame that. counter productive yes, but also one last kick in the bollox from the Gourlay era. Cheers Ron.

Sad to say I don’t think it’s one last kick. We can barely strengthen and it looks like we may be struggling to offer competitive deals to existing players.

Up until this season he looked like a winger without quite the pace and a full-back not quite strong enough in the tackle but good on the ball.

I agree with others that he has come on a lot this season with even more confidence when on the ball, a bit stronger in the tackle and a bit better in a positional sense.
He is the modern type of full-back.

So, if he goes what are we losing on the pitch?
We could get somebody stronger in the tackle and possibly more defensively aware which is good in one area of the pitch but unlikely to replace his good forward play.
We could get or use a winger as a wing-back but in doing so would probably be worse off in the defensive area.

What about off the pitch?
Will we be better off, able to bring in another cheaper player and have some much needed money in the coffers?
Yes, if he goes now at the right price, the right price being the "covid with 6 months left on his contract" price, whatever that might be ( a low price will also apply to anybody we might buy, the covid price).

What about on the pitch?
If he stays and sees out his contract will he be just as committed as Sidwell was, knowing that he doesn't want to get injured and fcuk up a dream move in the Summer?
Not all players are like Sidwell-down here Josh King is clearly not committed to Bournemouth having so nearly moved to the Premier League last Summer and Loader just went through the motions although in his case it might be debatable that he is as good as he thinks he is.

In football, strikers have always commanded the highest transfer fees followed by attacking midfielders but central and defensive midfielders have started to match the fees paid for attacking midfielders.
Then we have the keepers and lastly full-backs although again both of these elements have become more expensive.

So, on the assumption that attackers are worth most (and more expensive to buy or replace) then in Reading's case Joao and Olise are worth much more than Omar in terms of both the team and fees.
If that simplistic view is right ( yes there are other considerations over age, fitness etc) I shall console myself that as long as we keep Olise and Joao we can afford to let Omar go-nobody wants it to happen but he will be easier IMHO to replace and miss less than would be the case if Olise or Joao were to leave..

Zip wrote:Being reported on SKY now. This looks like it’s happening. Reading sources saying FFP means we cannot offer him the deal he is worth and that the club think his value is about £15 million. A huge shame.
Not sure if true but mate saying he might be leaving for Bayern in this window for a million. I haven’t seen that in any media though.

FFP is biting us very hard. Seems counter-productive to me when clubs our size cannot offer the wages to keep a player due to financial constraints and then lose a player for nowt to a club that’s loaded.

FFP is just there to make sure the big clubs stay big and the smaller clubs stay in their place.

Given previous examples Reading may well turn down the million (if it is offered) and so Omar will go for nothing in the summer - but Reading may somehow have wangled themselves into the PL by then of course.

Next question is - who do the club buy to replace Richards as I presume Bristow is not really ready.

Sutekh wrote:

Zip wrote:Being reported on SKY now. This looks like it’s happening. Reading sources saying FFP means we cannot offer him the deal he is worth and that the club think his value is about £15 million. A huge shame.
Not sure if true but mate saying he might be leaving for Bayern in this window for a million. I haven’t seen that in any media though.

FFP is biting us very hard. Seems counter-productive to me when clubs our size cannot offer the wages to keep a player due to financial constraints and then lose a player for nowt to a club that’s loaded.

FFP is just there to make sure the big clubs stay big and the smaller clubs stay in their place.

Given previous examples Reading may well turn down the million (if it is offered) and so Omar will go for nothing in the summer - but Reading may somehow have wangled themselves into the PL by then of course.

Next question is - who do the club buy to replace Richards as I presume Bristow is not really ready.

what's Tyler Blackett up to nowadays? Heard he was looking for a team with a project to get promotion

Agree with what's said, no point taking a derisory sum now when Richards inclusion for the rest of the season could secure promotion. Only reason to sell now in that scenario is if he kicks up a fuss which I personally don't think he is the type of person for.

andrew1957 wrote:I cannot help thinking that Richards would be making a big mistake by leaving at this time. At Bayern he will be a reserve, whereas at Reading he is one of the first names on the team sheet. If I was his agent I would advise him to sign a one year extension - which I am sure RFC would be happy to offer on much increased wages - and then see RFC end the season. That would give him some security in case of injury. If we go up RFC would no doubt be very happy to offer him a much more lucrative longer term contract and he would be playing in the PL every week.

If we don't go up he would still be in a position to move on in the summer and get his PL or overseas move. So many young players have taken the big move too early and seen their careers just go down the plughole. He would be much better served staying here where he is appreciated and becoming a top player with us.

If I was his agent I'd advise him to take the huge pay jump I'll get a slice of. Because I'd be an amoral money oriented a-hole

I know someone mentioned Dale Jennings, and I'm sure Richards will go on to be a lot more successful, but his fall from grace has been pretty spectacular:

2010–2011
Tranmere Rovers
29
(6)
2011–2013
Bayern Munich II
36
(1)
2013–2015
Barnsley
47
(4)
2013–2014
→ Milton Keynes Dons (loan)
6
(0)
2015–2016
Milton Keynes Dons
1
(0)
2018–2020
Runcorn Town
16
(9)
2021–
Prestatyn Town
0
(0

Pepe the Horseman wrote:I know someone mentioned Dale Jennings, and I'm sure Richards will go on to be a lot more successful, but his fall from grace has been pretty spectacular:

2010–2011
Tranmere Rovers
29
(6)
2011–2013
Bayern Munich II
36
(1)
2013–2015
Barnsley
47
(4)
2013–2014
→ Milton Keynes Dons (loan)
6
(0)
2015–2016
Milton Keynes Dons
1
(0)
2018–2020
Runcorn Town
16
(9)
2021–
Prestatyn Town
0
(0

The last 3/4 years have been a difficult time for him, seem to remember seeing somewhere his daughter had been diagnosed with leukaemia.

How's Tshibola doing these days? Obviously Munich is bigger than Villa, but the risks of moving too soon are clear and have countless examples. But I trust Munich to have a good plan for his development. I'm clutching at straws really. It's a great move for him.

WestYorksRoyal wrote:How's Tshibola doing these days? Obviously Munich is bigger than Villa, but the risks of moving too soon are clear and have countless examples. But I trust Munich to have a good plan for his development. I'm clutching at straws really. It's a great move for him.

I was baffled why Villa came in for him so early on in his career. It did him no favours. He seems to be a regular with Kilmarnock although out of contract in the summer. I think Richards is at a different level. Not necessarily Bayern Munich level bit who knows if he keeps progressing.

Not sure the comparisons with Dale Jennings and Aaron Tshibola are relatable. Jennings was signed as a 18yo with 32 professional games played at league 1, so signed for £0.5-1.7m (depending on source, but peanuts for Bayern) based off potential that didn't materialise (with some knee ligament injuries that probably didn't help). Tish moved as a 21 year old with 17 appearances at championship and 23 at league 2, and can probably be put down as a recruitment failure from a financial basket case of a club (was 8 starts in the Championship enough to gamble £4m?)

Omar has 83 appearances at this level, turns 23 next month and after 20 games this season we can reasonably assume his step up in performances represent more than just a good run of form. The whole thing is just unfortunate timing that his breakthrough year (from a solid squad player, and some peoples third choice LB last season) came in the final 12m of his contract.

Of the 3 deals, Omar is by far the safest bet. For a free transfer, worst case scenario is probably he doesn't continue to develop and isn't good enough for Bayern. They can sell to a lower PL-level club, or championship level for a likely profit. Even him fading into obscurity while on their books and leaving for free is worth the cost, which will be a drop in the €660m annual Bayern income ocean

Nameless wrote:

Coppells Lost Coat wrote:If we sell Richards now, we can at least have some control in his contract - sell on clauses / app bonus / cup bonus - If it is genuinely Bayern Munich, they are almost certain to win cups / leagues. Also command decent fees for their players.
Also for a player looking in - teams like Bayern looking at our players must be a huge plus to to attract new additions.

We have virtually no say over any deal if he leaves now.
He can sign a contract now with a club to join them for nothing in the summer and refuse any other deals we may get offered.
Bayern have no need to fork out money for him, he’s not being looked at to go straight into the first team and probably their preferred outcome would be to sign him up now for a summer move and let him keep playing here.

This is probably why Bayern specifically are being talked about rather than English clubs. Foreign sides can make early approaches when a player has six months left on their deal, while domestic clubs have to wait until much closer to expiry.

Pepe the Horseman wrote:I know someone mentioned Dale Jennings, and I'm sure Richards will go on to be a lot more successful, but his fall from grace has been pretty spectacular:

2010–2011
Tranmere Rovers
29
(6)
2011–2013
Bayern Munich II
36
(1)
2013–2015
Barnsley
47
(4)
2013–2014
→ Milton Keynes Dons (loan)
6
(0)
2015–2016
Milton Keynes Dons
1
(0)
2018–2020
Runcorn Town
16
(9)
2021–
Prestatyn Town
0
(0

In fairness to Jennings he had 2 or 3 bad injuries whilst over here, which hindered any progress he could have made and probably screwed his later career.

Also was initially signed for Bayern II, who whilst technically the reserves are also run as a separate entity and make signings too where the player is just for them and never likely to move over to the first team.

SCIAG wrote:

Nameless wrote:

Coppells Lost Coat wrote:If we sell Richards now, we can at least have some control in his contract - sell on clauses / app bonus / cup bonus - If it is genuinely Bayern Munich, they are almost certain to win cups / leagues. Also command decent fees for their players.
Also for a player looking in - teams like Bayern looking at our players must be a huge plus to to attract new additions.

We have virtually no say over any deal if he leaves now.
He can sign a contract now with a club to join them for nothing in the summer and refuse any other deals we may get offered.
Bayern have no need to fork out money for him, he’s not being looked at to go straight into the first team and probably their preferred outcome would be to sign him up now for a summer move and let him keep playing here.

This is probably why Bayern specifically are being talked about rather than English clubs. Foreign sides can make early approaches when a player has six months left on their deal, while domestic clubs have to wait until much closer to expiry.

Officially. Am sure any interested English clubs have had a word with the agent.

Imagine what kind of a hero he would be if he signed on for us.

Ask him just to sign a 12 month extension, so that we can get a reasonable fee for the sale.

Shame it doesn't work like that.

skipper wrote:Imagine what kind of a hero he would be if he signed on for us.

Ask him just to sign a 12 month extension, so that we can get a reasonable fee for the sale.

Shame it doesn't work like that.

In fairness it has worked like that in the past, in the Hammond days I seem to remember a few of our key players signed new long contracts on the understanding . But none of them were quite as close to being out of contract as Richards is.

VP saying all the right things about wanting to keep Omar

https://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/foot ... r-19595531

Zip wrote:Being reported on SKY now. This looks like it’s happening. Reading sources saying FFP means we cannot offer him the deal he is worth and that the club think his value is about £15 million. A huge shame.
Not sure if true but mate saying he might be leaving for Bayern in this window for a million. I haven’t seen that in any media though.

FFP is biting us very hard. Seems counter-productive to me when clubs our size cannot offer the wages to keep a player due to financial constraints and then lose a player for nowt to a club that’s loaded.

I think it is no difference this window or the next he leaves as we will get compensation for youth training which will be approx. Million anyway. I think 2 million and take it and buy someone else from the lower leagues. Tie down McIntyre and Olise and move on.