Next Season's Squad.

[Stranded]

Apparently* the following players were not in training today and have been told to naff off as quickly as they possibly could please:

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson - I can see why
Sam Baldock - good
Marc McNulty - expected
David Meyler - expected and good
Chris Gunter - I can see why but harsh on him
Liam Kelly - expected but harsh depending on attitude

Prob no real shock except for Jon Dadi and would explain why we are interested in Piggott and may show that Oliveria is still a likely arrival.

*According to Jonathan Low.

Before getting too carried away for JLow's comments worth noting that Gunter, and JDB played internationally over the summer, so wouldn't expect them not to back today. Doesn't make the above incorrect of course.

[Hound]

Little harsh on Gunts and JDB. Otherwise, all fine by me

Assuming Smith, Popa and Southwood also in this group

JLow reckons Kelly is at training unfortunately

[Stranded]

McCleary is still on holiday as well.

[morganb]

Apparently* the following players were not in training today and have been told to naff off as quickly as they possibly could please:

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson - I can see why
Sam Baldock - good
Marc McNulty - expected
David Meyler - expected and good
Chris Gunter - I can see why but harsh on him
Liam Kelly - expected but harsh depending on attitude

Prob no real shock except for Jon Dadi and would explain why we are interested in Piggott and may show that Oliveria is still a likely arrival.

*According to Jonathan Low.

Before getting too carried away for JLow's comments worth noting that Gunter, and JDB played internationally over the summer, so wouldn't expect them not to back today. Doesn't make the above incorrect of course.

Though that too about the international duty, however I imagine Loader is at training today and he was away with the England U21s more recently than Gunter/JDB. (Same goes for Olise and Barrett with France/Republic of Ireland U21s respectively.)

Also wonder when Yiadom will be back with the squad seeing as he is still on AFCON duty at the moment (played 90 minutes in both of Ghana's games so far) and how it will affect his season?

[Hound]

Yep, Yiadom likely to miss the first couple of games I reckon

[Lower West]

Kelly - wrong choice, I’ll leave it at that

Fate was sealed some time back.

Looks like a few loan players to supplement the squad again come the start of the season.

[Sutekh]

Sad for the way it's ended for Gunter and Bod.

Meyler and Baldock was to be expected

Don't get why Kelly has struggled under the new management after all he is young and has some talent and really just needs direction - but then I don't see training every day

McNulty we all think is off to Hibs anyway (but as ever these things won't be done to the last minute).

My guess is that Reading will not get very much in the way of transfer fees for any of them as any new clubs will have to try and balance that off against a salary package for each.

The upside is that it certainly clears the decks up front with only Meite (and he is seen as more of a winger by many), Novakovich and Loader now left which is pretty inexperienced - so perhaps Oliveira and maybe Piggott will indeed be arriving in due course....

Priority still a keeper and central defender though

[Forbury Lion]

Sad for the way it's ended for Gunter and Bod.

It's not over until it's over, much like when Tommy Burns was trying to get rid of Phil Parkinson, who ultimately turned down a move to Wycombe to stay at Reading.

[Hound]

As mentioned, JLow thinks Kelly was training

Why would McCleary be allowed to still be on hols? Sounds he is likely to be in that little group as well

[genome]

Not hugely fussed about that list, my only concern is whether we will have the time to find a buyer for them AND replace them by the end of the window. We could end up with an even more unbalanced and weaker squad.

Some serial underpeformers and injury prone players on big money on that list. I wasn't a huge Gunter critic but I think he's had his time here, same goes for McCleary.

Will be glad to see the back of Kelly personally. Great first season, terrible attitude since.

[URZZZZ]

Not hugely fussed about that list, my only concern is whether we will have the time to find a buyer for them AND replace them by the end of the window. We could end up with an even more unbalanced and weaker squad.

Some serial underpeformers and injury prone players on big money on that list. I wasn't a huge Gunter critic but I think he's had his time here, same goes for McCleary.

Will be glad to see the back of Kelly personally. Great first season, terrible attitude since.

I think terrible attitude is over the top. Believed in his own hype, most probably. Slightly arrogant, probably. Terrible attitude, I don’t think so, he still gives it his all on the pitch

I actually think he was overrated when he first came in (academy lad etc, like Richards and many others ). Then suddenly 12 months later it became the “cool” thing to criticise Kelly when results weren’t going well and everyone piled on him

The reality is he’s a good option for most Championship sides but with too many flaws currently to establish himself. If he can sort it out, who knows. But unfortunately I don’t see him playing much for us, if at all this season

[royalp-we]

Very possible that Bod and Gunter return next week due to international involvements...

[Notts Royal]

URZZ - could you explain to me what Liam Kelly adds? What’s his defining attribute?

[Hendo]

Inability to beat the first man from a corner?

[Nameless]

That all sounds odd.
It's not up to the players to find a new club is it ? They can simply say 'no thanks, we'll keep taking our wages from you until our contract expires'. If we don't want them, and want to stop paying them it really is our responsibility to find someone prepared to take them on.
I can imagine some players actually deciding to stick around just on principle. Surely it would make more sense for the club to pay off the contracts and cut ties, allowing players the chance to find a new club but also clearing the decks here.

[royalp-we]

It is odd, they would usually just stick them in the U23’s (essentially ‘light duties’).

If it was 1 or 2 then maybe, but with 5/6/7 then the PFA would surely say something about it.

[Sutekh]

That all sounds odd.
It's not up to the players to find a new club is it ? They can simply say 'no thanks, we'll keep taking our wages from you until our contract expires'. If we don't want them, and want to stop paying them it really is our responsibility to find someone prepared to take them on.
I can imagine some players actually deciding to stick around just on principle. Surely it would make more sense for the club to pay off the contracts and cut ties, allowing players the chance to find a new club but also clearing the decks here.

Some might understandably stay as a point of principle, some will actively look to get away and Reading will also presumably circulate their names to all clubs as being available.

Then you just have to wait to see what develops and what dominoes need to fall elsewhere to get interest drummed up.

[Hendo]

Yep, Yiadom likely to miss the first couple of games I reckon

Much better having the AFCON in the summer than it being in Jan an him being out for a month/6 weeks.

[Snowflake Royal]

McNulty we all think is off to Hibs anyway (but as ever these things won't be done to the last minute).

Not bloody likely. Hibs have no money and just bought a cut price striker I think.

[Nameless]

McNulty we all think is off to Hibs anyway (but as ever these things won't be done to the last minute).

Not bloody likely. Hibs have no money and just bought a cut price striker I think.

I reckon we would go for a season long loan with a recall between now and the end of the window and in Jan and them picking up a decent chunk of his wages. If he has a good season someone else will come in for him in Jan or next summer. No point him staying here and not playing, may as well be elsewhere boosting his saleability.