Griffin to sign

[Sun Tzu]

Agree with the Jem comments esp if he see's his international future with Turkey - it wouldn't do his prospects any harm to be playing for one of the bigger clubs over there with European football etc - I can see him moving on.

But can you see him being offered a deal at one of the bigger Turkish clubs ?

I guess they have gone for some slightly crazy signings from this country but it seems a bit of a jump !

It also seems odd to report that lots of players are looking to leave the club. I could see some of the youngsters who perhaps haven;t taken the chances deciding their future may be elsewhere but hard to see any mass exodus.

[Stranded]

Well there's been interest in the past (according to reports) so it's not beyond the realms of possibility.

[The Surgeon of Crowthorne]

This is good news about Griff, but disappointing news about Zurab. As has been mentioned above, Gazzer is a very reliable source of news from the club, so it's curious that the club felt we needed additional central defensive cover (and we did) for the last half of the season but they don't think we need it now.

That isn;t what was said. We have PRIORITISED the full back spots, which seems sensible seeing as we have no credible players in either position. Having sorted that we'll look at the next priority. To go into a season with 4 centrebacks and no left back would have been daft.

If they think Zurab possibly isn;t the answer anyway then we'll be casting the net wider. I very much doubt we'll see August start with only 3 centre backs on the books....

OK - I had missed the emphasis on priority. I would be pleasantly surprised if we're able to afford anyone much better than Zurab.

[Sun Tzu]

Well there's been interest in the past (according to reports) so it's not beyond the realms of possibility.

IIRC he was offered a trial at the time he joined us but he joked that the his Dad supported a different team and would never have spoken to him again if he'd signed !!

[Hoop Blah]

Well there's been interest in the past (according to reports) so it's not beyond the realms of possibility.

IIRC he was offered a trial at the time he joined us but he joked that the his Dad supported a different team and would never have spoken to him again if he'd signed !!

I thought they'd made noises since following his performances for their U21s. That might've just been paper talk though, but I'm sure a few of their better clubs would have some interest in their U21 captain (he was at one point wasn't he?) if he was up for it.

By lots of players looking to leave, it probably means two or three of the youngsters. Davies, the lads that have already been shown the door, maybe one of the keepers, perhaps someone like Antonio...that's a few and enough to make it seem like an exedous when you're in a squad of 25 or so.

It's probably a bit of an exageration, but not that unlikely.

[gazzer, loyal royal]

Well there's been interest in the past (according to reports) so it's not beyond the realms of possibility.

IIRC he was offered a trial at the time he joined us but he joked that the his Dad supported a different team and would never have spoken to him again if he'd signed !!

he was offered a three year deal at Galatasary when he signed for us. He didn't move there because he didn't know the language i believe.

I've heard no murmurings of players wanting out. I think there will be a few more leaving before the start of the season, who i do not know.

[From Despair To Where?]

I struggle to see what the fuss is about with Karacan. Lots of energy and enthusiasm but I don't see a lot else in his game that warrants his selection over and above anyone else in the squad. It's great having academy products in the first team but they must be there on merit.

[Hoop Blah]

I struggle to see what the fuss is about with Karacan. Lots of energy and enthusiasm but I don't see a lot else in his game that warrants his selection over and above anyone else in the squad. It's great having academy products in the first team but they must be there on merit.

I don't think he's anything that special, but that energy and enthusiasm, coupled with his desire to win the ball and get forward to support when allowed makes him quite useful.

He seems to read the game pretty well and because of that tidy's up a lot. His passing isn't the best but it's not too bad, and he's quite similar to Sidwell in that respect.

I agree he isn't the best, but he's a good member of the squad and one I think we should be keeping, even if that isn't as a player who's likely to start that often.

I don't think anyone on here has said he should be starting above the likes of Howard and Tabb have they?

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Jem's a squad player nothing more. A very good one at that.

Griffin's relationship with Stoke's totally broken down, one of Pulis's precious 4. Would guess that is the hold up on loyality payments.

[Sun Tzu]

By lots of players looking to leave, it probably means two or three of the youngsters. Davies, the lads that have already been shown the door, maybe one of the keepers, perhaps someone like Antonio...that's a few and enough to make it seem like an exedous when you're in a squad of 25 or so.

It's probably a bit of an exageration, but not that unlikely.

The OS lists 37 players in the first team squad ! Includes 4 loanees but even so it's surprisingly large.

I'd be amazed if this season wasn;t like any other season and a chunk of players moved on (we've already released 3 haven't we and there are others that must be sweating a bit as NcD could easily decide that some of them could be replaced, or done without_

[Hoop Blah]

The OS lists 37 players in the first team squad ! Includes 4 loanees but even so it's surprisingly large.

I'd be amazed if this season wasn;t like any other season and a chunk of players moved on (we've already released 3 haven't we and there are others that must be sweating a bit as NcD could easily decide that some of them could be replaced, or done without_

I agree, and I think the players aren't stupid enough to not see a few changes on the horizon, but wasn't it was you that was saying it was strange to report that a number of players where also looking to leave?

As for my number of 25 or so, as you seem to want to pick holes in it, was more the first team squad size that Karacan will be in and around on a day to day basis. So that would've exclude some of those kids and those out on loan.

[Kitson12]

I think about half of those 37 are academy graduates, the likes of Gylfi, Bignall, Karacan, Hamer etc, and at least 7 (I know thats not that many) haven't been used by Reading above reserve level. However I also expect some deadwood to be released or sent back on loan, such as Andersen, Davies and Antonio. Obvioudly Bozanic, Vasilev and Bryant haven't had their contracts renewed, so thats the squad down to 34, take away Griff, Berty and Zurab, plus Thorsvalldson, it comes to 30, 31 with Williams now. Armstrong will also most likely be either retiring or leaving, so once again we're back down to 30. That is by no means a large number, I remember our promotion season when there were 40 odd in the first-team squad at one point.

[Sun Tzu]

The OS lists 37 players in the first team squad ! Includes 4 loanees but even so it's surprisingly large.

I'd be amazed if this season wasn;t like any other season and a chunk of players moved on (we've already released 3 haven't we and there are others that must be sweating a bit as NcD could easily decide that some of them could be replaced, or done without_

I agree, and I think the players aren't stupid enough to not see a few changes on the horizon, but wasn't it was you that was saying it was strange to report that a number of players where also looking to leave?

I questioned the suggestion that 'lots' were looking to leave. I doubt you'd ever have a season where someone wasn't thinking they couldget better money, or more games, or an easier life somewhere else.

As for my number of 25 or so, as you seem to want to pick holes in it, was more the first team squad size that Karacan will be in and around on a day to day basis. So that would've exclude some of those kids and those out on loan.

I think you are flip flopping here....

I'd agree that ideally you probably have a core of 25 players, but who those 25 are is going to vary during the season. The players likely to be looking to leave are going to be the ones at 26 -30 ish (assuming 30-37 are mainly youngsters or short term loans). To say losing some of the perihperal players would be an issue as the squad is only 25 strong ignores the fact that the ones most likely to leave would be the ones not in the core 25, or that if one of the core 25 left there are another dozen on the books ready to take their place (the likes of Taylor and Bell-Baggie being prime examples of youngsters who probably need one of the slightly older players who hasn;t made it to move on and free up a space.

[Hoop Blah]

1) I never said it was an issue to be losing the players.

2) I used 25 or so as a ball park figure for the squad that Karacan would be in and around. You're right some of those leaving will be outside of that 25, don't think I ever said otherwise, just that Karacan might perceive it as lots.

3) the original comment you were arguing against said that 'a lot' of players were looking to move on, now you're saying they quite probably are.

4) I really don't know what you're getting at half the time when your just trying to be argumentative, seemingly just for the sake of it.

[URZZZZZZZZ]

Agree with the Jem comments esp if he see's his international future with Turkey - it wouldn't do his prospects any harm to be playing for one of the bigger clubs over there with European football etc - I can see him moving on.

But can you see him being offered a deal at one of the bigger Turkish clubs ?

I guess they have gone for some slightly crazy signings from this country but it seems a bit of a jump !

It also seems odd to report that lots of players are looking to leave the club. I could see some of the youngsters who perhaps haven;t taken the chances deciding their future may be elsewhere but hard to see any mass exodus.

Casing point. Colin Kazim Richards. Average in England, awesome in Turkey!!

[loyalroyal4life]

So most people are now agreeing that losing Jem isn't going to rock our squad, so what was wrong with me saying wouldnt mind him going to Turkey!!

We need cash from somewhere and he will do!

[Sun Tzu]

1) I never said it was an issue to be losing the players.

I don't think I ever said you did...

2) I used 25 or so as a ball park figure for the squad that Karacan would be in and around. You're right some of those leaving will be outside of that 25, don't think I ever said otherwise, just that Karacan might perceive it as lots.

My apologies, but if you use words in a really rather unlikely context then it's hardly surprising if the meaning you hoped to convey isn;t picked up. Talk of our 'squad' pretty obviously leads people to look at the players who are part of the numbered squad !!

3) the original comment you were arguing against said that 'a lot' of players were looking to move on, now you're saying they quite probably are.

No. Obviously
I don't think 'lots' will move on but some will. I'm not sure how we can work on a definition of 'lots' that relies on working out what Karacan might think is 'lots'.

4) I really don't know what you're getting at half the time when your just trying to be argumentative, seemingly just for the sake of it.

Well I was responding to Stranded when you joined in so it's hardly me being 'argumentative' !! I stick by my belief that we won;t see lots of players moving on (we've released 3, I suspect we may see another couple go but 5/34 isn't lots. I'd be worried if it got closer to double figures - the sort of level it was last year)
Whether jem goes or not I'm not so sure. It would be a shame if he did because I'd like to see him developing in the same way Gylfi has done and making himself a key part of the team. I think that him , Howard and Tabb would be a good 3 to cover the two defensive midfield roles but suspect he may be 3rd of the 3 with bryn also still hanging in there.

[SpaceCruiser]

So most people are now agreeing that losing Jem isn't going to rock our squad, so what was wrong with me saying wouldnt mind him going to Turkey!!

We need cash from somewhere and he will do!

Losing him now may not rock our squad, but we'd be losing a potentially important player.

[Ferris]

So, to conclude, in this thread titled 'Griffin to sign', we've established that Jem Karacan may be going to Turkey, but probably isn't, and we do or possibly don't mind if he goes?

[Terminal Boardom]

No great loss if karajan goes. Nothing special we have better players at the club in the shape of Howard, Tabb and Brynaldo. As for Griff, it would be great business if he were to join but I think that would be dependent on someone leaving for serious money to help balance the books.