Rumour: James Harper (talks with Wolves confirmed)

[Ian Royal]

If he stays I wouldn't be surprised to see him come back into the first team sooner than later. There's obviously a fair bit of interest and disruption about him and a potential transfer. It would make sense to not try and build him in as an integral piece of the team if he may go and is probably distracted. But once he's staying for certain, Rodgers would have to be mad not to use him.

Wouldn't he?

Maybe, just maybe, BR doesn't rate Harps.

If he's still with us come Wednesday, and Rodgers brings no one else in in his position and Rodgers leaves him sidelined outside the matchday squad for the majority of the season or more. Then Rodgers is an idiot.

[Ian Royal]

Thing is, do his performances over the last 12 months justify his premiership wage. I'd say not. And the fact that no-one's seriously come knocking backs that up.

The bloke is an RFC legend but I think he needs somewhere new.

You mean apart from Premier League Wolves who would have signed him bar his slightly niggling groin injury?

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

If he stays I wouldn't be surprised to see him come back into the first team sooner than later. There's obviously a fair bit of interest and disruption about him and a potential transfer. It would make sense to not try and build him in as an integral piece of the team if he may go and is probably distracted. But once he's staying for certain, Rodgers would have to be mad not to use him.

Wouldn't he?

Maybe, just maybe, BR doesn't rate Harps.

If he's still with us come Wednesday, and Rodgers brings no one else in in his position and Rodgers leaves him sidelined outside the matchday squad for the majority of the season or more. Then Rodgers is an idiot.

I think its pretty obvious that Harper will not feature in Rodgers plans - the fact that the club are willing to let him go, and Harper saying that in effect he feels "unloved", would say that Rodgers is planning the future without Harper being part of it

[AthleticoSpizz]

..and Man U were going to sack Fergie

once upon a time


Football (including Reading) is dynamic

[Platypuss]

If he's still with us come Wednesday, and Rodgers brings no one else in in his position and Rodgers leaves him sidelined outside the matchday squad for the majority of the season or more. Then Rodgers is an idiot.

Hmm. If BR doesn't get any offers, and he doesn't play Harper because the side he does pick does a fantastic job without him, would he really be an idiot?

[Ian Royal]

Planning a future without someone you were expecting to be transfering to someone else does not mean that, should that player stay, you freeze him out.

A manager needs to use all of his available assets and Harper is a good one. If Rodgers doesn't use him should he stay, I stand by my comments. The man would be an idiot.

Happily I find that eventuality extremely unlikely.

[Ian Royal]

If he's still with us come Wednesday, and Rodgers brings no one else in in his position and Rodgers leaves him sidelined outside the matchday squad for the majority of the season or more. Then Rodgers is an idiot.

Hmm. If BR doesn't get any offers, and he doesn't play Harper because the side he does pick does a fantastic job without him, would he really be an idiot?

And the chances of the side he currently has available doing a fantastic job without him, based on current evidence is what? Extremely unlikely? How many games do you see Gunnarsson playing 90 minutes of this season? 20?

[winchester_royal]

Planning a future without someone you were expecting to be transfering to someone else does not mean that, should that player stay, you freeze him out.

A manager needs to use all of his available assets and Harper is a good one. If Rodgers doesn't use him should he stay, I stand by my comments. The man would be an idiot.

Happily I find that eventuality extremely unlikely.

Gunnar >>>>> Harper
Karacan >>>> Harper

Harper is not the player he was, and does not fit (IMO) into BR's system. His performance against Barnsley was laughable, and as such if he stays I doubt he'd be any more than back up.

[Ian Royal]

We'll see. IMO Karacan is better suited elsewhere.

[Royal Rother]

Rodgers is hardly likely to freeze him out now is he?

It is more likely that he assumed he would go and has therefore decided that, as the building of new team is in its early stages, having a player in a pivotal role who was unlikely to be with us into the 2nd month of the season wouldn't make a lot of sense.

We had a long discussion about Harper at the beginning of last season and IIRC the consensus was that it would be better for Harper, and probably the club, if he moved on. I think it probably would have been. And still is.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Rodgers is hardly likely to freeze him out now is he?

It is more likely that he assumed he would go and has therefore decided that, as the building of new team is in its early stages, having a player in a pivotal role who was unlikely to be with us into the 2nd month of the season wouldn't make a lot of sense.

We had a long discussion about Harper at the beginning of last season and IIRC the consensus was that it would be better for Harper, and probably the club, if he moved on. I think it probably would have been. And still is.

but is becoming less likely to actually happen

[Mad Dog's Ghost]

Ian, Wolves would have gone for him if they'd seriously rated him. As you say, the injury is a slight groin problem. Not exactly career-ending problem.

For Harper's sake, I hope he gets a move because prospects don't look great here (bar his wage packet).

[Hogmeister Royal]

Aside from different views on the merits of Harps as a player (past and present), it seems to be that most people are agreeing here, along the lines of...

...a move to Wolves would have suited everyone involved... but it now looks unlikely... if he stays Buck would be an idiot to freeze him out without a good reason... but he's unlikely to do that anyway... if Harps stays and if he doesn't get frozen out, then how much he plays will depend on how Buck rates him... which appears to be not as highly as SSC did... and in fact Harps doesn't appear to be playing as well as he did a couple of years ago... so he'd be scrapping for a place in highly-competitive midfield and would certainly not be assured of a starting place.

I'd go along with all of that, I think.

...in fact if you remove the words "to Wolves", the above might also apply to Marek as well? In both cases I think their experience could be useful with our young team, but central midfield especially is where we have one or two more than we need, and I guess Harps and Marek are two of the highest earners we have left. It'd be sad to see either go, for different reasons, but the phrase "a move suits all parties" looks very relevant for both of them right now, I think.

[Negative_Jeff]

I quite like Harper and he does have qualities; stamina, enthusiasm, makes a nuisance reasonably well and is a good finisher on the rare occasions he gets beyond the back line. But good passing, come on, Negative _Jeff is a wonderful negative passer if nobody tackles him.....which is just the easy option way Harper likes to play the game,

[IMAMATEOFJOVSKY]

Aside from different views on the merits of Harps as a player (past and present), it seems to be that most people are agreeing here, along the lines of...

...a move to Wolves would have suited everyone involved... but it now looks unlikely... if he stays Buck would be an idiot to freeze him out without a good reason... but he's unlikely to do that anyway... if Harps stays and if he doesn't get frozen out, then how much he plays will depend on how Buck rates him... which appears to be not as highly as SSC did... and in fact Harps doesn't appear to be playing as well as he did a couple of years ago... so he'd be scrapping for a place in highly-competitive midfield and would certainly not be assured of a starting place.

I'd go along with all of that, I think.

...in fact if you remove the words "to Wolves", the above might also apply to Marek as well? In both cases I think their experience could be useful with our young team, but central midfield especially is where we have one or two more than we need, and I guess Harps and Marek are two of the highest earners we have left. It'd be sad to see either go, for different reasons, but the phrase "a move suits all parties" looks very relevant for both of them right now, I think.

If he stays - cant see him playing ..........maybe Rodgers sees what Coppell didnt see in Harper...lots of energy maybe but not a dynamic midfielder....if Reading wanted to keep him they would have turned down Wolves offer..if I was Harper i'd be hoping that some club wanted him, because the signs are that he'll be like Marek was under Coppell ...not even a bit-part player

[Row Z Royal]

I quite like Harper and he does have qualities; stamina, enthusiasm, makes a nuisance reasonably well and is a good finisher on the rare occasions he gets beyond the back line. But good passing, come on, Negative _Jeff is a wonderful negative passer if nobody tackles him.....which is just the easy option way Harper likes to play the game,

Isn't the patient passing game the Rodgers way? It seems that Harper should fit the bill perfectly.

[Ian Royal]

Ian, Wolves would have gone for him if they'd seriously rated him. As you say, the injury is a slight groin problem. Not exactly career-ending problem.

For Harper's sake, I hope he gets a move because prospects don't look great here (bar his wage packet).

Ah, well I bow to your superior knowledge that can counter the interviews from Mick McCarthy and Harper themselves.

[Negative_Jeff]

I quite like Harper and he does have qualities; stamina, enthusiasm, makes a nuisance reasonably well and is a good finisher on the rare occasions he gets beyond the back line. But good passing, come on, Negative _Jeff is a wonderful negative passer if nobody tackles him.....which is just the easy option way Harper likes to play the game,

Isn't the patient passing game the Rodgers way? It seems that Harper should fit the bill perfectly.

I don`t know about the patient bit. With Rodgers having previously established the importance of keeping possession, last saturday indicated that we might be moving to a higher tempo. This means pass and move and being prepared to receive the ball in tight situations. Harper`s technique is unsuited to this and is a possible reason why Rodgers may let him go.

[floyd__streete]

http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/sport ... -comments/

Don't get me wrong. I am not desperate to leave Reading, but they have now put on record that they are willing to let me go.

I am happy to be here among a great set of lads, but at the back of my mind is the fact that Reading accepted a fee and told me I can go. It's not a nice feeling when you think they don't want you here. Everyone wants to feel wanted.

Whingey nonsense from Harper. Knuckle down, shut up and get on with it. I think I preferred the days of his pretentious self-imposed press-ban

[Royal Rother]

He's a sensitive lad! Never been the same since Pardew told him off for showboating.....