CONFIRMED - Billy Sharp

[Elm Park Pasty]

I didn't mean to sound so sharp in my comment

I'm glad you saw it cos I didn't

[Elm Park Pasty]

I didn't mean to sound so sharp in my comment, but you both seem to be making an assumption that if the individual player does not come here then it will be a failure on the club's part for that happening, and I am certainly not calling you delusional in terms of what you feel the club may be able to afford. No one knows if the club has spoken to either player (although Hooper's representative said something along these lines) or what the result of any chat could have been. Hooper may have expressed no interest at all in joining a Championship club or he may decide to run down his contract and become a free agent next summer. Austin, could be a different matter, depending on whatever his 'mysterious injury' is. Someone made a good point on the Austin thread (think it was Soggy Biscuit) that a medical can be failed because the value the selling club put on a player is not equal to the value of the player once a medical has taken place, e.g. that any potential injury could knock £s off the price. If Burnley don't want to deal at a lower price then no deal will take place, and again it wouldn't be Reading's fault. The point I was trying to make was that there could be a multitude of reasons a player does not come to a club, and at this moment I am not sure if I would expect 'bottling it' to be one of them. Just ask any Arsenal fan if you want a critique of 'bottling it' as Arsene seems to have turned it into an art form the last few years.

You're right in fact, I was wrong to say the club would have bottled it if we don't sign Hooper or Austin but get Sharp instead. There are many reasons they might not want to come but I would be disappointed if we don't at least lodge a good bid with Celtic if we can afford it and then see what Hooper says. Austin is a different matter as we do not know what is going on with his knee/shoulder/off-field problems and therefore might be a risk to get him and anyway Burnley may not budge on their price, failed medical at Hull or not. For me it's just when I compare Austin and Hooper to Sharp I immediately know which two I would prefer yet really I wouldn't be too disappointed with Sharp. Good scoring record and good work rate, I just failed to see it before when I knew we were looking into Hooper and Austin. Just found this by the way - http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/ ... -1-3001506 That mixes things up a bit!

Think we all know who we would prefer, but the question remains open of what happens if we can't get him? It would be intresting to know what sort of money would interest Burnley. I suppose from their point of view, they have a consistent goalscorer that they want to see at the market price, it must smart them that the 'potential' for an injury could have dropped the price, cos of course they will have to get a replacement whenever he does go.

[alfiesaywhat]

Think we all know who we would prefer, but the question remains open of what happens if we can't get him? It would be intresting to know what sort of money would interest Burnley. I suppose from their point of view, they have a consistent goalscorer that they want to see at the market price, it must smart them that the 'potential' for an injury could have dropped the price, cos of course they will have to get a replacement whenever he does go.

It would actually really test Burnley if we put in a cheeky 2.5m bid, as they would obviously feel he is worth more but also know they might not get the 4 or 4.5m Hull offered from anybody else due to the failed medical or whatever happened with that deal. He's only got a year left and will probably leave on a free next summer as I don't see him waning to stay at Turf Moor so I reckon a 2.5-3m bid might just convince them to let him go. Comes down to whether we feel it's worth the risk should his knee/shoulder be a problem.

[Gordons Cumming]

Think we all know who we would prefer, but the question remains open of what happens if we can't get him? It would be intresting to know what sort of money would interest Burnley. I suppose from their point of view, they have a consistent goalscorer that they want to see at the market price, it must smart them that the 'potential' for an injury could have dropped the price, cos of course they will have to get a replacement whenever he does go.

It would actually really test Burnley if we put in a cheeky 2.5m bid, as they would obviously feel he is worth more but also know they might not get the 4 or 4.5m Hull offered from anybody else due to the failed medical or whatever happened with that deal. He's only got a year left and will probably leave on a free next summer as I don't see him waning to stay at Turf Moor so I reckon a 2.5-3m bid might just convince them to let him go. Comes down to whether we feel it's worth the risk should his knee/shoulder be a problem.

No chance of risking 2/3 million on a player with an obvious injury.

[M Brook]

Forest fans, FWIW, reckon Billy Boy is off ta Celtic!

[Elm Park Pasty]

Think we all know who we would prefer, but the question remains open of what happens if we can't get him? It would be intresting to know what sort of money would interest Burnley. I suppose from their point of view, they have a consistent goalscorer that they want to see at the market price, it must smart them that the 'potential' for an injury could have dropped the price, cos of course they will have to get a replacement whenever he does go.

It would actually really test Burnley if we put in a cheeky 2.5m bid, as they would obviously feel he is worth more but also know they might not get the 4 or 4.5m Hull offered from anybody else due to the failed medical or whatever happened with that deal. He's only got a year left and will probably leave on a free next summer as I don't see him waning to stay at Turf Moor so I reckon a 2.5-3m bid might just convince them to let him go. Comes down to whether we feel it's worth the risk should his knee/shoulder be a problem.

No chance of risking 2/3 million on a player with an obvious injury.

The problem is whether the injury is obvious or whether it is potential. It would seem in Austin's case that the injury could be of sufficient concern to reduce the valuation from £5M but is still seemingly potential. The question will then be whether a) Burnley will just hold on for the max figure knowing that he could play all the games next season and then walk away or b) whether someone will be prepared to table an offer that Burnley find acceptable, without being max, in the knowledge that if this mystery injury happened he may be off for a period. This is, of course, excludes the rumours of off pitch shennigans which may/may not have input over the confused messages about where the injury is supposed to be.

[Elm Park]

I would think that they may hold out until the end of the transfer window in the hope of maximising his value as this would also give them a chance to show that he isn’t injured (at least not at the moment)

[Ian Royal]

Although he would do a perfectly good job in the Championship I think is be underwhelmed with us signing Sharp

I think it would be satisfactory. When compared to Williams, Bridge and Drenthe it's a little underwhelming, but still a good signing. We'll need to add more if we go up anyway, so Sharp and ALF would be a very good 3rd and 4th choice at that level under the circumstances.

[maffff]

Although he would do a perfectly good job in the Championship I think is be underwhelmed with us signing Sharp

I think it would be satisfactory. When compared to Williams, Bridge and Drenthe it's a little underwhelming, but still a good signing. We'll need to add more if we go up anyway, so Sharp and ALF would be a very good 3rd and 4th choice at that level under the circumstances.

Yeah, that basically covers my sentiment in more detail.

[FridaysGhost]

The way things are going, we may not even get Sharp. So far, good people have been brought in but only as free transfers. Decent Strikers cost money and, when sold, need to be replaced. If Hooper ends up with the Fake Hoops and Sharp goes to Celtic to replace him, where does that leave us? The same place that major underinvestment has left us in the past. Rhodes, Austin, Hooper etc. were the reason we could seek promotion with confidence, without any truly decent striker we will head for mid-table. What is the point of great wingers if we have no-one in the centre.

[jellytot]

You know Hammond if we have to spend more than a penny on a player he gets stressed.

[jellytot]

I didn't mean to sound so sharp in my comment

I'm glad you saw it cos I didn't

Do you have to be so blunt.

[USA_Loyal_Royal]

if we dont bring in another striker i will be very disappointed. if we lose pog surely we will have to bring in 2 strikers? i thought management wanted to get our business done before the preseason tour.

[Platypuss]

Because buying a striker is just like popping down Tesco for a pint of milk.

[maffff]

Because buying a striker is just like popping down Tesco for a pint of milk.

Question is value or finest, free range or battery...

[TFF]

battery milk?

[Agent Balti]

battery milk?

Yeah, for your Ever Ready Brek.

[exileinleeds]

battery milk?

Yeah, for your Ever Ready Brek.

Very good.

[maffff]

battery milk?

I might have missed the 'pint of milk' bit.

Never seen a battery cow?

[howser]

Am I missing something here ? the similaraties to last season, an early dip into the transfer market with three coming in, although on paper, Bridge, Drenthe and Williams would appear to be up a level or three on last years early birds, but now we seem to have stalled, many suggestions that the "Reading way" was on its way out and we had a substantial transfer budget, in terms of Championship spending, but now we have started pre-season matches and with the strong rumours that Pog will go, Hunt and Church gone, are we heading down the same road as last year ? with a limited squad for the start of the season and only ALF and Blackman as our only striking options, and out of those two, Blackman not only hasn't scored but dosen't look likely to...................yet ? your much wider knowledge and views gentlemen.