Alex McCarthy

[Simon's Church]

Who realistically would be looking to buy him though? Same goes for Federici.

I was at the game on Saturday, long story, and McCarthy won't have done himself any harm in front of the scouts from Everton, Blackburn, Wigan and Hull that were sat very close to me.

I'm not saying they were there to watch him but they will certainly have noticed him.

But are any of those clubs in a position to spend (I imagine) £2m+ on an inexperienced keeper?

[leicsRoyal]

Who realistically would be looking to buy him though? Same goes for Federici.

I was at the game on Saturday, long story, and McCarthy won't have done himself any harm in front of the scouts from Everton, Blackburn, Wigan and Hull that were sat very close to me.

I'm not saying they were there to watch him but they will certainly have noticed him.

But are any of those clubs in a position to spend (I imagine) £2m+ on an inexperienced keeper?

I'm not sure that we would get that much for him and I doubt that they are in a position. Not sure of their current goalkeepers contracts but I'm sure they will all be on a damn sight higher salary than McCarthy would be.
I don't know who is the second choice keeper at Blackburn but if, for example, Blackburn offered 1.5m and the number 2 spot to work with a thirty something ex England keeper as number one and to be honest it wouldn't take much to increase his wages.

[Simon's Church]

That's if he's more interested in increasing his wage than playing regular football, he'd have more chance becoming no1 here than overtaking Robinson IMO. Although Robbo may not hang around too long if they get relegated.

[leicsRoyal]

Just putting myself in McCarthy's shoes, I wouldn't really know what to do if an offer came in.

He got his chance last year and did a superb job for us but now can't get a look in again. I'm not saying Feds should be dropped now but I do think it was a bit harsh on McCarthy last season.

Even after Feds 'come and get me call' last season, nobody did. So why would McCarthy think he has any better hope of getting the number 1 jersey now?

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Because he is better than Federici.

[Alan Partridge]

That's if he's more interested in increasing his wage than playing regular football, he'd have more chance becoming no1 here than overtaking Robinson IMO. Although Robbo may not hang around too long if they get relegated.

It's the Premiership lure and the hindrance/help of agents in their ear. Why be sub at Reading when you can be sub at Stoke in the Premiership on more money? Or whoever wanted to buy him.

It's what got Ashdown, he'd only just broken into the Reading 1st team and that offer of being a Premiership player even though he knew he'd be 2nd choice at best took him there. He sat on the bench the entire time nearly and wasted whatever potential he had.

it's the (good) problem of having more than 1 good keeper!

[Ian Royal]

I'm also with snowball on this one.

My personal preference is with McCarthy being No. 1, but other than the first couple of games where he was a bit weak, Federici seems to have done nothing to warrant losing the slot. Once he got it, he has to do something significant to lose it IMO. Anyone who thinks McCarthy is currently streets ahead of Fed is deluding themselves.

At the moment McCarthy is doing extremely well getting first team games and is still our player. I can't see both him and Fed at the club next season and I know which one I'd rather see leave. I also know which one we're more likely to be able to sell for decent money unfortunately.

Is Leeds first choice keeper fit yet? They took McCarthy because he was injured didn't they? If that's right it'll be interesting to see whether he keeps his place when their number one gets back.

[roadrunner]

Flog Feds in January, promote McCarthy to No.1 and use half the money to appease Madejski and the other half to add to the squad.

[M-U-R-T-Y]

Just look at those comments from Leeds fans on that link below!/quote]

19
spiderbob
Wednesday, November 23, 2011 at 10:44 AM

He's a fabulous keeper on what I've seen so far but I cant see Reading letting him go without a serious fight. Even if they did, we might have him until the end of the season and then Batesy would no doubt flog him to the highest Premiership bidder and spend the cash on a new carpet for his office.

Sound familiar?

[loyalroyal4life]

I can't see McCarthy coming in unless Feds gets an injury which is a shame as he definately seems the better keeper overall

[No Fixed Abode]

You should keep McCarthy and get rid of Federici and he mugged Reading FC off in the Summer with his comments. Quite odd that you loan a keeper out to a better/bigger Championship club though as no doubt he won't want to come back to Reading after being at Leeds.

[Forbury Lion]

Mcdermott has his favourites. It's that simple. Mcanuff for example could probably kill Mcdermotts wife & still get picked.

This post is useless without pics of McDermott's wife.

[RoyalBlue]

Mcdermott has his favourites. It's that simple. Mcanuff for example could probably kill Mcdermotts wife & still get picked.

This post is useless without pics of McDermott's wife.

[West Stand Man]

Because he is better than Federici.

In your opinion.

[peterroyal76]

My preference at the start of the season was for McCarthy to be our 1st choice keeper, however Feds was given the shirt and at the moment deserves to keep it.

[LWJ]

McCarthy can learn a lot from being on the bench and going out on short term loans at the moment, we just need him to stay patient and understand he has a better chance of pushing from Reading in 2-3 years than leaving now.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

McCarthy can learn a lot from being on the bench and going out on short term loans at the moment, we just need him to stay patient and understand he has a better chance of pushing from Reading in 2-3 years than leaving now.

Not really true though is it, Marcus went to Wolves and thanks to injury to the No1 got a couple of seasons in the prem. McC is in the shop window, his potential is known , the more he actually plays the higher his worth and status becomes. Keepers are in a situation where they have one position to play, and there seem to be a lot of them around, perhaps it is easier to coach a keeper than any other position?

Ashdown has made a lot of money, and has ben no1 for a season or two now.

[Pele_Kitson]

At the moment Federici has done nothing to warrant being dropped and who is to say Mikkel Anderson isn't better than both Federici and McCarthy.

[LWJ]

McCarthy can learn a lot from being on the bench and going out on short term loans at the moment, we just need him to stay patient and understand he has a better chance of pushing from Reading in 2-3 years than leaving now.

Not really true though is it, Marcus went to Wolves and thanks to injury to the No1 got a couple of seasons in the prem. McC is in the shop window, his potential is known , the more he actually plays the higher his worth and status becomes. Keepers are in a situation where they have one position to play, and there seem to be a lot of them around, perhaps it is easier to coach a keeper than any other position?

Ashdown has made a lot of money, and has ben no1 for a season or two now.

Marcus moved after a long stint at Reading, not sure what that has to do with what i was saying.

Ashdown may have made a lot of money, but if he is like any sportsmen i know, he would of been extremely fustrated to sit on the bench and would rather be playing. McCarthy should not consider moving until he has enough expeirence from us to warrant a 1st team place at a higher standard club.

[trueroyal1871]

Frankly, a horrible dilemma.

Feds can be a very good keeper, but McCarthy has the potential to be a GREAT keeper.

I've already predicted that, barring serious injury, he will play for England.

If you were manager, would you try to sell Feds in January for 1M+ (if we could get that)
and play McCarthy as first choice,
especially this season as it looks (ATM) like a finish for RFC somewhere between 7th + 14th place?

But then, the thing is, if McCarthy develops (and he's already excellent) he could pull top dollar for a keeper
going to a Premiership top-six club, (if he stays with RFC - playing - or ends up playing first choice at Leeds.

But he could go even as early as the next window, or next Summer (to some clever club realising they can
probably get him for around 1.2 million, a fair few million less than he'll be worth by 2013.)

We have three keepers and surely we are going to lose one BECAUSE HE WANTS TO GO. That means
some deep thought about which one to keep, which one to sell. We probably know what we could
get for Feds (if someone would actually make an offer)... but could we get 1M+?

What if we were offered 2M for McCarthy and 25% sell-on?

What if we kept him, played him for 1.5 seasons and then got 5M for him?

I said the exact same thing about McCarthy a long time ago that he will be on the bench next to Joe Hart in the next couple of years and eventually be England's number one. I really do think he will end up at a top European club in years to come.