Team for 1st day of 2011/12 season

[Wycombe Royal]

Can everyone PLEASE forget about MacKail-Smith? Peterboro have had 2 offers from Premiership clubs, and anyway, if the lad wanted to play in the Championship, he would stay with Peterboro, wouldn't he?

Do any of us think that Long would leave us to join another team in the Championship?

Brightons top scorer has left them to join Palace. It does happen.

[marcusopp]

[quote="Wycombe Royal"]Shane Long will have to weigh up being a regular for us or a bit part player in the Premiership. He knows what it is like sitting on the bench all season as he did it for us for a long time before finally gettinghis chance this season to be the first choice striker. Will he want to go back to being an impact sub again? It's a big choice for him to make.....

He's gone mate, Celtic are planning a £4m bid. Neil Lennon has been to our last 3 games and JM said he's definitely off
The jurys still out on Manset. He's looked well out of his depth this season.
I won't be suprised if we let Church go now.
Kebe might well return to France, and there'll be interest in Mills and Feds for sure.
I reckon McAnuff will stay, Legs will take over captaincy if Mills goes.
I also believe Kish will take a reduction in wages (he's no spring chicken), and our full backs will remain, leaving;
McCarthy/ Feds
Griffin/ Cummings
Harte
Mills/Pearce
Kish/ new guy from Jan
McAnuff
HRK
Karacan
Legs
Hunt
Williams/ Manset

Not bad. A lot of weight on Williams shoulders. Big boots to fill. C'mon son!!

[Royal Rother]

Manset has looked exceptionally raw (being kind) when I've seen him but there's definitely potential there.

I think the club should give him one week off then get him in and work on his fitness relentessly all summer, then give him daily drills on 1st touch and awareness. Next season is his big chance to really make it here but he needs to step up from what he's produced so far...

[Big Foot]

Manset has looked threatening in the away games I've seen him play in

[Avon Royal]

No goal threat at all at the club now.

Anyone who thinks that next year will be anything other than a depressing slide into mediocrity is kidding themselves.

[Super Kevin Bremner!]

McCarthy

Griffin
Mills
Pearce
Harte

McAnuff
Elwood
Karacan
Robson-Kanu

Hunt
Mackail-Smith (Nailed on signing by the way)

Subs

Morrison
Taylor
Manset
Church
Obita
Andersen
Cummings

My only caveat to that would be that I ncan see Brendan coming in for McAnuff again.

[Royal Rother]

No goal threat at all at the club now.

Anyone who thinks that next year will be anything other than a depressing slide into mediocrity is kidding themselves.

Oh great, here we bloody go with the doom and gloom rubbish. Of course you might be right but the same thing has been said at the start of virtually every season since I joined this Board 9 years ago and we've seen a sustained period of (relative) success for a (relatively) small club.

The financial and football management of the club has been absolutely exceptional over the last decade and it is no coincidence that RFC has had a sustained period of success. I see no reason why that should change whilst SJM is involved in the club.

[Agent Balti]

I would like to think that we'd evolve personnel wise and tactically, especially once Long's gone. Whilst we've been reasonably successful with getting the ball up to the last third efficiently, it's extremely limited and obviously not good for ball retention. Hopefully, we'll be able to attract players with a bit more ball control and technical 'savvy'.

Others have pretty much summed up what's likely to happen. The obvious targets will no doubt move on, doubtless. What targets we have already remains to be seen. McDermott will have his thoughts on who he'd like to bring in if we were in this Division or the Prem.

For me, Federici can go any time he likes. Supremely overrated in my book. I will miss Long for his effort, improvement and heart. Kebe I will miss for those 'What's he going to do now?' moments. I doubt they'll go, but Griffin and Harte are obviously 'issues'. Cummings' improvement could push him ahead of Griff now, maybe. Karacan...people love him, but I have issues with his overall ability. Just doesn't seem to have enough guile despite his effort. Upfront we'll have a gap to fill with Long going...but we miss a pacy striker, we have done for years. Would be nice to change that, if we can.

We're still in semi-decent shape, don't get me wrong. Next season I think will be a transitional one (and who could really deal with Play-offs again, ffs?!) To that end...we'll probably looks like this, presuming 4-4-2. Come August though, this scenario could be way off beam.

McCarthy
Cummings
Harte
Mills
Pearce/Morrison
Leigertwood
Karacan/'Creative Midfielder'
McAnuff
New Winger
Hunt
Church

[chilipepper91]

-----------------McCarthy---------------
Cummings---Pearce---Mills---Daniels
Kebe----Ledge----Karacan----McAnuff
------------Hunt---Rhodes------------

That's right, I'm confidently predicting with absolutely no basis in rumour or knowledge that Kebe will stay, McAnuff will stay, and we'll sign Charlie Daniels from Leyton Orient at left-back and Jordan Rhodes from Huddersfield to stick up top with Nunt.

[Wizard]

McCarthy
Griffin
Mills
Pearce
Harte
McAnuff
Leigertwood
Karacan
Robson-Kanu
Hunt
Long

[RoyalJames101]

I have a feeling Long will stay. McDermott is like a dad to him, which makes me feel he owes it to Brian to have one more season here. And seeing him crying as much as he did yesterday, showed how much he loves this club.

[Svlad Cjelli]

I have a feeling Long will stay. McDermott is like a dad to him, which makes me feel he owes it to Brian to have one more season here. And seeing him crying as much as he did yesterday, showed how much he loves this club.

I don't think there's any way he'll stay - I'm just not sure he'll be particularly successful playing under another manager.

[Baby Royal]

Assuming Long goes, which seems pretty much certain, I would like to see Church and Manset up front. Given the chance, due to the absence of Long, I think Church could come good.

[Wizard]

I have a feeling Long will stay. McDermott is like a dad to him, which makes me feel he owes it to Brian to have one more season here. And seeing him crying as much as he did yesterday, showed how much he loves this club.

He clearly does love the club, that's why I said (more in hope than expectation) that he will stay.

[Snowball]

Long will be on a decent whack here, and is the man.

Understand him going for Premiership wages, but what would he make at Celtic?

And big upheaval for his young family.

Going to be an interesting month.

[DOYLERSAROYALER]

McCarthy

Griffin
Mills
Pearce
Harte

McAnuff
Elwood
Karacan
Robson-Kanu

Hunt
Mackail-Smith (Nailed on signing by the way)

Subs

Morrison
Taylor
Manset
Church
Obita
Andersen
Cummings

My only caveat to that would be that I ncan see Brendan coming in for McAnuff again.

...what to replace Sinclair or Dyer ??....cant see that happening ...i thought you only brought in players to improve what you have ??

[DOYLERSAROYALER]

I have a feeling Long will stay. McDermott is like a dad to him, which makes me feel he owes it to Brian to have one more season here. And seeing him crying as much as he did yesterday, showed how much he loves this club.

... this decision wont be SL's or BM's anyway .......wonga man Madejski will decide ..and it will only be a matter of time before the infamous "black hole in the accounts" line comes out.....Reading sell their biggest assets to fill this "hole" first it was Doyle, then it was Siggy...and now it will be Long.....

[RobRoyal]

No goal threat at all at the club now.

Anyone who thinks that next year will be anything other than a depressing slide into mediocrity is kidding themselves.

No Kebe, no chance.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Church
Manset

OH MY DEAR GOD!!

Hunt, church, manset - we need a real goal scorer or we may as well not bother next year

[Svlad Cjelli]

I have a feeling Long will stay. McDermott is like a dad to him, which makes me feel he owes it to Brian to have one more season here. And seeing him crying as much as he did yesterday, showed how much he loves this club.

... this decision wont be SL's or BM's anyway .......wonga man Madejski will decide ..and it will only be a matter of time before the infamous "black hole in the accounts" line comes out.....Reading sell their biggest assets to fill this "hole" first it was Doyle, then it was Siggy...and now it will be Long.....

This post demonstrates perfectly just how little you know about how Reading FC is actually run and how decisions inside it are actually made.