SIGNED - Pavel Pogrebnyak

[Barry the bird boggler]

Remember the days when Fulham could outspend anyone (save for the really big sides) now they can't compete with Reading. One wonders where Reading actually stand in terms of the wealth behind them in the current PL.

[strap]

The Sun are claiming we will offer him a £13m 4 year contract - that's a £65k a week wage...

Surely, surely we would not spend that much money on anyone.

Correct. Total, and utter, bullshit.

[LanercostRoyal]

I really don't want Pogrebnyak to come. I know that's a weird thing to say about someone who is a Russian international and scored 6 in 8 for Fulham last season, it's just that I think that his record at Fulham was better than his ability.

Anyone remember Amr Zaki at Wigan? His strike rate was incredible but when he returned to Hull he couldn't score at all.

That comparison may be totally unfair, I just can't bring myself to rate the Pog and if we're smashing our wage structure, I wish it would be on a player who dominates in the air like (little) Shane Long did or has some skill like Kitson had. Pog just seemed to be in the right place at the right time and worked hard. Once again, this maybe completely unfair.

We may not even be interested in him, I'm hopefully wrong with my intuition, I just can't help thinking this would turn out a disaster.

Oh well, a pessimist is never disappointed eh?

Brian McDermott was a scout for 20 years or so, i reckon he looks into a player's ability a little more than just his strike rate in 8 games...

[M Brook]

Brian McDermott was a scout for 20 years or so, i reckon he looks into a player's ability a little more than just his strike rate in 8 games...

And he can start a fire with just two sticks.

[Simon's Church]

Brian McDermott was a scout for 20 years or so, i reckon he looks into a player's ability a little more than just his strike rate in 8 games...

Was he?

[Wuzzy87]

The 65k a week is a typical sun story. Soon they'll be stating that Reading are the sole reason theres so much money in the game.

If he signs (and i hope he does) I'd expect him to be on 25-35k a week with a significant bonus depending on how many goals,/points he earns and survival.

[The Rouge]

I like him. Very good all round game - strong physical presence, fairly quick, pretty good in the air, great shot on him, mobile.

[pea]

I like him. Very good all round game - strong physical presence, fairly quick, pretty good in the air, great shot on him, mobile.

Agreed, I think he'd really suit our style of play in the same way that Long did

[bracksroyal10]

At the end of the day if he wasn't right for RFC then Brian Mcdermott would be the first person to realise this. If we get him in however I wouldn't be surprised to see us dip further into the Russian league for a few players given our Russian connections are likely to only get stronger now AZ is at the helm.

Wouldn't mind this at all you've seen what Pardew has done signing mainly french players or ones that can speak the language. Not saying we should make Reading the Russia national team for one minute but it always helps the players settle in quicker if there are players who speak the same language. Have no idea who else we would bring in on top of Pogrebnyak if this was to happen however.

[jimstaaa]

Why are people moaning about money? It's Antons cash and if he wants to bank roll us then what's the problem - I'm sure the other board members have a say in it all anyway.

As for getting Defoe for that??? Add another £20k and you'll be right

Anyone would think its their money we're spending

^^ agreed ^^

[PistolPete]

I really don't want Pogrebnyak to come. I know that's a weird thing to say about someone who is a Russian international and scored 6 in 8 for Fulham last season, it's just that I think that his record at Fulham was better than his ability.

Anyone remember Amr Zaki at Wigan? His strike rate was incredible but when he returned to Hull he couldn't score at all.

That comparison may be totally unfair, I just can't bring myself to rate the Pog and if we're smashing our wage structure, I wish it would be on a player who dominates in the air like (little) Shane Long did or has some skill like Kitson had. Pog just seemed to be in the right place at the right time and worked hard. Once again, this maybe completely unfair.

We may not even be interested in him, I'm hopefully wrong with my intuition, I just can't help thinking this would turn out a disaster.

Oh well, a pessimist is never disappointed eh?

Brian McDermott was a scout for 20 years or so, i reckon he looks into a player's ability a little more than just his strike rate in 8 games...

Yep, in Brian we trust. Just putting my hunch on paper in case (1% chance it happens) Pog signs.

[loyalroyal4life]

Why are people moaning about money? It's Antons cash and if he wants to bank roll us then what's the problem - I'm sure the other board members have a say in it all anyway.

As for getting Defoe for that??? Add another £20k and you'll be right

Anyone would think its their money we're spending

Its call setting a benchmark with all due respect to pavel if we are offering him the quoted 65k a week what would happen when we have a chance at someone who is a better player, what would they demand... £100k?

[Only one Trevor Morley]

This might be a loss leader signing? Reading struggling to convince players they mean business so pay a high wage in order to show others we are for real? Am probably wrong but could be intent signing...

This is a salient comment and I agree with it, but why him? - he's good yes but surely there are better players for that kind of money that would agree to come to li'il old Reading...

Because he is out of contract. Therefore we can increase the offer to him without worrying about the transfer fee. Hopefully the signing itself will work (and I would emphasise that this would be an amazing signing if we pulled it off), but if it doesnt then at least this indicates intent to others....

[melonhead]

Why are people moaning about money? It's Antons cash and if he wants to bank roll us then what's the problem - I'm sure the other board members have a say in it all anyway.

As for getting Defoe for that??? Add another £20k and you'll be right

Anyone would think its their money we're spending

^^ agreed ^^

disagreed


wage structure there for a reason.

im sure we can push it a bit now the new owners are in, especially cos he is free, but to push it to 65kpw is madness.imo.
we still need to keep the wages linked to our potential earnings.
can only have a knock on effect with existing and other new players, and would leave us in the shit again if anton has to pull out at any time/we get relegated.

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

There's every chance of these stories in the papers today being created by Pog's agent to show off the price that clubs can get his player for.
But it does look quite likely he could be our 'big' signing, if we've known we could get him for a while it makes sense that we dropped our interest in Sigurdarson

[PistolPete]

Why are people moaning about money? It's Antons cash and if he wants to bank roll us then what's the problem - I'm sure the other board members have a say in it all anyway.

As for getting Defoe for that??? Add another £20k and you'll be right

Anyone would think its their money we're spending

Its call setting a benchmark with all due respect to pavel if we are offering him the quoted 65k a week what would happen when we have a chance at someone who is a better player, what would they demand... £100k?

No, becuase Hammond would say that what they read in the Sun is crap and that we offered Pog £20k

[Pepe the Horseman]

Signing a four year deal apparently

[RockheadRumple]

SSN BREAKING NEWS BANNER: Russian Striker Pavel Pogrebnyak to join Reading on a four year deal.

[Hoop Blah]

8 games. All this fuss over 8 games.

£13m on the back of two good months? Yeah right.

Fingers crossed this is all bollocks.

It's not just 8 games though is it? He's been around a bit and is pretty proven a decent levels. His brief spell with Fulham does indicate he can handle himself in the Premier League as well.

He was fairly successful (21 in 52?) at the club Anton supports back home. For that reason it could be that Anton recommended him and is willing to dig in to his pockets for this rumoured wage?
....

Edit: when I say fairly successful, in two seasons, he was top scorer in the Uefa cup, won the russian league, Uefa Cup & Uefa Super Cup

Obviously the figures The Sun are quoting are inflated for effect and I doubt we'll be paying him that much, but he's certainly a decent option and one that I can certainly see us being very interested in.

[MouldyRoyal]

Anyone mentioned that he's apparently signing a 4 year deal? Been on Sky Sports News...