NH on Radio Berkshire

[Esteban]

That's hard to justify, isn't it? Sissoko made the journey over here and spent a day and a half talking to us. Doesn't sound like a guy who had no intention of signing for us.

Had we moved on Pogrebnyak, I'm sure that we'd have brought another striker in. There's no point spending for spending's sake to bring in a mediocre striker.

But Pog clearly doesn't have his heart in it - so I presume now NA will tell him to up his blooming game. Perhaps he could try starting him and ALF up front together. Presume Pog had the arse he wasn't ahead of Blackman in the pecking order and who can blame him.

I agree, Pog doesn't want to be here. But that doesn't mean that moving him on would be easy!

I think we may see a couple of loan deals, plus the possibility of Sissoko coming in. And if the loan deals are decent, then we'll have a very good squad again. All is not lost and the only quantifiable mistake the club have made so far is letting fans get their hopes up. Unsurprising, given the state of our media department!

[Platypuss]

NA has already said he doesn't want to really consider the loan market, but now NH is saying we will use it. Another contradiction.

Not necessarily a contradiction:

"At my previous club the first loan deal I got was Richard Chaplow and he was great for us and we took him on a permanent deal. But here, with Category 1 status, we`ve got own youngsters so we`ll use our own. That`s what they are there for. If we`re going to get a loan in it would have to be a top, top player.'"

[sandman]

Congratulations to Anton Zingarevich because he's actually managed to do the impossible and make me feel sorry for Adkins.

[Extended-Phenotype]

So NH said we were talking to a player that's never going to sign for us and we can't afford a striker great. So by selling 2 players and freeing up more wages, we still couldn't afford a Striker.

I SMELL BULLSHIT

Isn't that resonating from you?

Perhaps if you listened to the interview you would have understood that the club won't pay over the odds for a striker. The right deal is the only deal would be the gist of the interview.

Out of interest, how are you (or they) quantifying "over the odds"? Over the odds according to who?

[RoyalBlue]

Did I hear him right?

Did Hammond actually claim that the other two relegated teams were behaving in a similar financial manner to us?

If so, who the f*ck does he think he is trying to kid? All the transfer dealings going on at QPR and they are acting in a similar financial way to us?!! Absolute bullshit!

Also, and Williams let him off the hook on this, how the f*ck can he claim we have a strong squad when the whole world can see that we are desperately lacking in effective fire power and, following his window activity are now short of cover at centre back?!

By Hammond's warped logic, we could have a squad merely comprising 30 really good keepers and that would count as a strong squad!

QPR made a net gain of £3.4m this window.
Wigan made a net gain of £16.5m this window.
We made a net gain of £1.5m this window.

And the only reason QPR were able to make a net gain this window (do your stats cover all signing on fees, loan fees, agents fees, wages) is that they were able to cash in on some of the very considerable assets (whilst keeping others) that they had previously invested in. For Hammond to suggest that QPR are operating in a similar financial way to us is plain dishonest.What a shame that no-one in the media appears to have the balls to tell him that!

[Hoop Blah]

NA has already said he doesn't want to really consider the loan market, but now NH is saying we will use it. Another contradiction.

Not necessarily a contradiction:

"At my previous club the first loan deal I got was Richard Chaplow and he was great for us and we took him on a permanent deal. But here, with Category 1 status, we`ve got own youngsters so we`ll use our own. That`s what they are there for. If we`re going to get a loan in it would have to be a top, top player.'"

It's amazing how many people can't see the difference between what was said and saying we don't want to use loan players!

[LoyalRoyalFan]

So NH said we were talking to a player that's never going to sign for us and we can't afford a striker great. So by selling 2 players and freeing up more wages, we still couldn't afford a Striker.

I SMELL BULLSHIT

Isn't that resonating from you?

Perhaps if you listened to the interview you would have understood that the club won't pay over the odds for a striker. The right deal is the only deal would be the gist of the interview.

Out of interest, how are you (or they) quantifying "over the odds"? Over the odds according to who?

The clubs financial structure, which is controlled by AZ. If he doesn't feel that the money should be spent in the transfer market, or a deal isn't viable, it's his decision and not that of Hammond.

[Gordons Cumming]

NA has talked about 21 clean sheets, 100 goals and winning the division -

That's the sort of talk that has really done the damage.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Out of interest, how are you (or they) quantifying "over the odds"? Over the odds according to who?

The clubs financial structure, which is controlled by AZ. If he doesn't feel that the money should be spent in the transfer market, or a deal isn't viable, it's his decision and not that of Hammond.

No, I appreciate that - not saying Hammond is at fault at all. I'm asking for clarification of this overused vocable "over the odds" and how exactly it justifies a failure to sign a needed player.

If the club set the odds, surely anything can be declared "over the odds". If everyone keeps asking for "over the odds", perhaps our valuation of the "odds" is wrong.

Not in disagreement with you in principle, just find this phrase utterly meaningless.

[Royal Lady]

That's hard to justify, isn't it? Sissoko made the journey over here and spent a day and a half talking to us. Doesn't sound like a guy who had no intention of signing for us.

Had we moved on Pogrebnyak, I'm sure that we'd have brought another striker in. There's no point spending for spending's sake to bring in a mediocre striker.

But Pog clearly doesn't have his heart in it - so I presume now NA will tell him to up his blooming game. Perhaps he could try starting him and ALF up front together. Presume Pog had the arse he wasn't ahead of Blackman in the pecking order and who can blame him.

I agree, Pog doesn't want to be here. But that doesn't mean that moving him on would be easy!

I think we may see a couple of loan deals, plus the possibility of Sissoko coming in. And if the loan deals are decent, then we'll have a very good squad again. All is not lost and the only quantifiable mistake the club have made so far is letting fans get their hopes up. Unsurprising, given the state of our media department!

Where did I mention moving Pog on or that it would be easy? I'm saying NA now has to man manage him to an extent where his heart WILL be in it.

[melonhead]

It's just over what we assess as the players worth to us as a club. In terms of ability, potential,experience, profile and resale value.Simple really.

[Royalee]

Even with the parachute payments we can't really compete on wage with a Premier League teams wages for new players this season.

Generally I think the reason we've struggled to close deals for the players we've been after is just because we've been aiming at a higher quality of player. We've not just been looking to bring in the likes of Akpan, Le Fondre and Blackman. We're actually looking to improve our team and not just add more average players to the squad.

For me that's the right way to go with the squad we have right now.

^ this

For all those saying "splash the cash", it really isn't that simple.

I suspect we thought that we had Hooper tied up earlier in the window - terms agreed with Celtic, but then Norwich came in and the player chose the Premier League over the Championship.
I also reckon we were close to Lambert, but then he got the England call up, and scored, and realised that he might have a chance to go to Brazil (but not if he was playing in the Championship).

We aimed high earlier in the window and tried to bring in some quality - the money is there to buy the players, but you can't make them come if they don't want to.

But what about the parachute payments I hear the mongs shout....

Well, what about them? As someone pointed out, they're there to help soften the blow to players wages when teams drop to the Championship, not to fund transfer activities...

Well, what about Wigan and QPR, they both spent money scream the uneducated....

Yes, they did, but QPR made over £13M in player sales (and spent some £16M so a net spend of just £3M) and Wigan made over £20M in sales and spent just £6M - WHERE'S THE MONEY GONE WHELAN?

Those slating Anton, NH etc and trying to stir up protests are simply spoilt, ignorant twats IMO; products of a generation who want the World on a plate, and want it now.....

Get behind the team and support it rather than undermining it....

Yep

[Extended-Phenotype]

It's just over what we assess as the players worth to us as a club. In terms of ability, potential,experience, profile and resale value.Simple really.

Aye. We set 'the odds'. Set 'em lower than reality. So it's f/cking meaningless.


- So why didn't you sign Billy Sharp?
- We will not pay over the odds for anyone.
- Bravo! How much did you offer?
- £40.
- He's valued at around 1.5m, though?
- No, that's everyone else's odds. Our odds are different.
- Er, right - still, bravo.

[NewCorkSeth]

Out of interest, how are you (or they) quantifying "over the odds"? Over the odds according to who?

The clubs financial structure, which is controlled by AZ. If he doesn't feel that the money should be spent in the transfer market, or a deal isn't viable, it's his decision and not that of Hammond.

No, I appreciate that - not saying Hammond is at fault at all. I'm asking for clarification of this overused vocable "over the odds" and how exactly it justifies a failure to sign a needed player.

If the club set the odds, surely anything can be declared "over the odds". If everyone keeps asking for "over the odds", perhaps our valuation of the "odds" is wrong.

Not in disagreement with you in principle, just find this phrase utterly meaningless.

The spending power of the buying club against the spending power of the selling club.

For instance if the club said Billy Sharps asking price was over the odds we compare our finances (above average) with Southamptons (well above average) then see how fair to the overall transfer market they are being (how similar players in similar situations have bee sold in recent days)

So if they asked for say 5 million from us for him it is over the odds as it is within their fair price range but not within ours. If they asked for 2 million that is a price in keeping with the overall transfer market and within the buying clubs price range. All depends on the quality of the player.

The higher the selling clubs financial power the lower (price) they can sell unwanted players. Trippier comes to mind.

In my head this all make perfect sense but I am having a lot of trouble putting it to paper :/

[paddy20]

[quote

But Pog clearly doesn't have his heart in it - so I presume now NA will tell him to up his blooming game. Perhaps he could try starting him and ALF up front together. Presume Pog had the arse he wasn't ahead of Blackman in the pecking order and who can blame him.[/quote]

I agree, Pog doesn't want to be here. But that doesn't mean that moving him on would be easy!

I think we may see a couple of loan deals, plus the possibility of Sissoko coming in. And if the loan deals are decent, then we'll have a very good squad again. All is not lost and the only quantifiable mistake the club have made so far is letting fans get their hopes up. Unsurprising, given the state of our media department! [/quote]
Where did I mention moving Pog on or that it would be easy? I'm saying NA now has to man manage him to an extent where his heart WILL be in it. [/quote]

Good point. Putting him on for 4 mins and putting him behind Blackman will have worked wonders for his morale. Adkins really must sort this out

[stickywhisky]

Interview in full...

http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/article/hammond-040913-1035297.aspx

[winchester_royal]

Did I hear him right?

Did Hammond actually claim that the other two relegated teams were behaving in a similar financial manner to us?

If so, who the f*ck does he think he is trying to kid? All the transfer dealings going on at QPR and they are acting in a similar financial way to us?!! Absolute bullshit!

Also, and Williams let him off the hook on this, how the f*ck can he claim we have a strong squad when the whole world can see that we are desperately lacking in effective fire power and, following his window activity are now short of cover at centre back?!

By Hammond's warped logic, we could have a squad merely comprising 30 really good keepers and that would count as a strong squad!

QPR made a net gain of £3.4m this window.
Wigan made a net gain of £16.5m this window.
We made a net gain of £1.5m this window.

And the only reason QPR were able to make a net gain this window (do your stats cover all signing on fees, loan fees, agents fees, wages) is that they were able to cash in on some of the very considerable assets (whilst keeping others) that they had previously invested in. For Hammond to suggest that QPR are operating in a similar financial way to us is plain dishonest.What a shame that no-one in the media appears to have the balls to tell him that!

Do you even understand the concept of FFP?

[P!ssed Off]

Just for the record I don't necessarily require a big signing for a striker.
I would rather have a hungry lower league striker with us and than a disinterested Pogrebnyak.

Possible targets:
Nakhi Wells Age: 23 (Bradford) Last Season: League 2 39 Games, 18 Goals; This Season: League 1 5 Games, 5 Goals
We couldn't afford him?

Will Grigg (Brentford) Age: 22 League 1 Last Season: 41 Games, 19 Goals, League 1; This Season: 4 Games, 2 Goals
Snapped up by Brentford on a free in the Summer. We couldn't compete with Brentford for a free transfer?

Sam Baldock (Bristol City) Age: 24 Championship Last Season: 24 Games, 10 Goals; This Season League 1 5 Games, 4 Goals
We couldn't afford him?

Paddy Madden (Yeovil Town) Age 23 League 1 Last Season: 35 Games, 22 Goals
So what Yeovil got promoted, we couldn't afford him or convince him to leave Yeovil?

None of these strikers would have improved our forward options?
An option that currently consists of ALF, an entirely disinterest Pog and Nick Blackman.
There are plenty of available strikers who are young, inexpensive, on our doorstep and would actually be willing to move to Reading. Why did we not target them instead of wasting our time pursuing Hooper, Austin and a random Nigerian fella based in Germany?

And before anyone says "We signed Nick Blackman last year and you complained", that was different. We signed a League 1 player when we were in the Premiership, for an inflated fee when at the time we needed much more and supposedly had money to spend.

[sandman]

Ah the severely flawed financial fair play plan based on income that was sculpted by David Gill and the other chief executives of the world's richest clubs to advantage them and turn the leagues into even more of a procession.

[ayjaydee]

2 things the majority of posters on here seem not to take into account

If players want to leave i.e. Mariappa and Kebe, nothing the club can to to keep them short of consigning them to the reserves - you only have to read the Robbie Savage article on how to engineer a move.
If players want to stay and see out their juicy contract e.g. Pog and possibly Roberts - again northing much the club can do other than hope some mug comes in for them.