Hob Nob Anyone?

frustrating but reality. We picked up Laurent on a freebie when he was probably worth a fair bit more to Shrewsbury, and talk of him being worth millions now.

Hound wrote:frustrating but reality. We picked up Laurent on a freebie when he was probably worth a fair bit more to Shrewsbury, and talk of him being worth millions now.

There's always a bigger fish.

He's 23, how much more "developing" has he got time for. in six seasons' time his career as an attacking full back will be on the downward slope. he hasnt got long left to get better.

Still great advert to have for our academy which matters the most. If you are choosing between us and other similar academy's we have a very strong proposition.

Finally, i can't see him getting match time almost at all.

Davies will start. If he gets injured Hernandez will slot in at LB.

if Richards does start i suspect he will be shown up to be what he is, a good LB but not a Champions League contender left back, and that will be the end of that.

PieEater wrote:It still grates that the club developed him through the academy, he turned down a contract and goes on a free with no compensation due because he's gone abroad. Freeloading Germans benefit from our youth development and Richards no doubt makes a mint as a signing on fee.

Added to the FFP constraints that mean we couldn't offer a better contract to keep him.

In reality we would never have been able to compete with Bayern. It’s a fantastic move for him and could be the making of him. I wish Omar well.

Touching goodbye message from him.

I’m over the moon to be joining @fcbayern , a top club with such great history i feel honored to be a part of it.
I’ve always believed in myself, I knew I had the talent and work ethic, i never doubted that. But if u had told me two or three years ago I would be signing for one of the biggest clubs in the world I would have struggled to believe you. I feel that i’m so driven as failure has been such a scary option, i know if i can be successful then i can help my family to have a better life, so i’ve kept my head down and worked on my game until this opportunity arose. I look forward to meeting the fans, my teammates and the staff. I can’t wait to get started, continuing to improve and give my all to help the team achieve our targets!

Pepe the Horseman wrote:Touching goodbye message from him.

I’m over the moon to be joining @fcbayern , a top club with such great history i feel honored to be a part of it.
I’ve always believed in myself, I knew I had the talent and work ethic, i never doubted that. But if u had told me two or three years ago I would be signing for one of the biggest clubs in the world I would have struggled to believe you. I feel that i’m so driven as failure has been such a scary option, i know if i can be successful then i can help my family to have a better life, so i’ve kept my head down and worked on my game until this opportunity arose. I look forward to meeting the fans, my teammates and the staff. I can’t wait to get started, continuing to improve and give my all to help the team achieve our targets!

Are you being sarcastic? Doesn't seem to mention Reading at all, seems to be putting all the progression he has made all down to himself.

Greatwesternline wrote:He's 23, how much more "developing" has he got time for. in six seasons' time his career as an attacking full back will be on the downward slope. he hasnt got long left to get better.

Still great advert to have for our academy which matters the most. If you are choosing between us and other similar academy's we have a very strong proposition.

Finally, i can't see him getting match time almost at all.

Davies will start. If he gets injured Hernandez will slot in at LB.

if Richards does start i suspect he will be shown up to be what he is, a good LB but not a Champions League contender left back, and that will be the end of that.

This pretty much. He's a neat and tidy player, able to get out of tricky situations with quick feet and his defending and decision making has improved with consistent game time

However, given Bayern's stature within the Bundesliga, on the front foot, dominating possession, creating chances, the signing makes little sense. IIRC Richards has registered 0 assists in 96 league games for us, which, for a so called "attacking" full back - isn't entirely convincing at all. His crossing, in particular, leaves a lot to be desired

Happy to be proven wrong but can't imagine he'll play much at all for them

Will be interesting to see if hes loaned straight back out over here
Bayern II got relegated to the German 3rd tier last weekend so I can't imagine they'd want him dropping down a level in regards standard

ah good luck to him. Clearly has talent and was exceptional at the start of the season

However, we really only saw the best of him in that period, and whether he can consistently keep that level of performance and improve even more on it, I have my doubts. But will certainly keep an eye our for how he develops

RFCMod wrote:Will be interesting to see if hes loaned straight back out over here
Bayern II got relegated to the German 3rd tier last weekend so I can't imagine they'd want him dropping down a level in regards standard

He will drop in behind Davies so he will be very much first team squad material.

You don't get given the number 3 shirt at a club like that if you are going to play for their second team.

Orion1871 wrote:You don't get given the number 3 shirt at a club like that if you are going to play for their second team.

Other than their last number 3 - Jonathan Meier - who played a grand total of 0 games for the first team and 19 for their second team?

Hound wrote:ah good luck to him. Clearly has talent and was exceptional at the start of the season

However, we really only saw the best of him in that period, and whether he can consistently keep that level of performance and improve even more on it, I have my doubts. But will certainly keep an eye our for how he develops

The question is whether you back Bayern to bring the best out of him consistently. Given their track record and the record of Bundesliga clubs generally, I personally do.

Orion1871 wrote:You don't get given the number 3 shirt at a club like that if you are going to play for their second team.

I agree. German teams have a good record of giving younger players a chance and so it will not surprise me if he start the season first choice (hence being given 3). Then it is up to him whether or not he can keep the shirt.

As for him leaving on a free, last season I was harsh on Loader for doing the same. However, we now know how crazy our wage bill got with Gourlay and the owners allowing stupidly high wages for the likes of Baldock and Aluko and so over the last couple of years the club has been unbale to offer our own home grown talent decent wages and long term contracts. And so it is hard to be critical of the likes of Richards and Nevers for looking elsewhere. I would so much rather we had never signed all these "experienced" players but instead paid decent wages and offered our young quality players long term contracts.

Frankly the squad situation for next season looks dire and the only hope is that some Academy players like Bristow can step up and that we can obtain 5 top PL/European loan players to bolster our incredibly thin squad. Otherwise a relegation fight looks more than likely - even if we don't get a points deduction.

Hendo wrote:

Orion1871 wrote:You don't get given the number 3 shirt at a club like that if you are going to play for their second team.

Other than their last number 3 - Jonathan Meier - who played a grand total of 0 games for the first team and 19 for their second team?

Fair enough but a bit of a difference between giving it to a player that you sign and giving it to one that comes through the youth ranks.

andrew1957 wrote:

Orion1871 wrote:You don't get given the number 3 shirt at a club like that if you are going to play for their second team.

I agree. German teams have a good record of giving younger players a chance and so it will not surprise me if he start the season first choice (hence being given 3). Then it is up to him whether or not he can keep the shirt.

As for him leaving on a free, last season I was harsh on Loader for doing the same. However, we now know how crazy our wage bill got with Gourlay and the owners allowing stupidly high wages for the likes of Baldock and Aluko and so over the last couple of years the club has been unbale to offer our own home grown talent decent wages and long term contracts. And so it is hard to be critical of the likes of Richards and Nevers for looking elsewhere. I would so much rather we had never signed all these "experienced" players but instead paid decent wages and offered our young quality players long term contracts.

Frankly the squad situation for next season looks dire and the only hope is that some Academy players like Bristow can step up and that we can obtain 5 top PL/European loan players to bolster our incredibly thin squad. Otherwise a relegation fight looks more than likely - even if we don't get a points deduction.

Can't see him displacing Davies unless they convert him back to a winger but Richards will play a number of games for them as a back up.

tidus_mi2 wrote:

Pretty disrespectful to Bayern that he's focused on thanking his former club and not even mentioned his new club.

Pepe the Horseman wrote:

tidus_mi2 wrote:

Pretty disrespectful to Bayern that he's focused on thanking his former club and not even mentioned his new club.

He has made a separate statement about joinig Bayern (see Pepe's post above).