Sone Aluko

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Agree with the majority on this thread.

Overall his signing has been a disaster, waste of money, very little return etc

But, without going over old ground the last few years have been woeful in general at RFC, bloated squad, manager merrygo round and it can’t have been easy for him.

What’s gone is gone.

As someone said, new manager, clean slate, this is just one performance and we are clever enough to know that one swallow doesn’t make a summer but he talks the talk in that interview. It would appear at least that the manager is having a positive impact (sorry Ian) and of course the run we are on helps. Onwards and upwards, give him the chance to walk the walk for the season and see what’s what. If he doesn’t perform and play a part the. It’s just like a new signing.

[Snowflake Royal]

I've got nothing against Velcro.

My issue was sacking Bowen and the management.

Otherwise it was just that Velcro had warning signs as a new manager of no Champ experience, talking about playing it out from the back and about one good club season. But that's about whether he looks like a good candidate, not how he performs.

[Simmops]

I've got nothing against Velcro.

My issue was sacking Bowen and the management.

Otherwise it was just that Velcro had warning signs as a new manager of no Champ experience, talking about playing it out from the back and about one good club season. But that's about whether he looks like a good candidate, not how he performs.

You should learn to tie your shoelaces Ian. Only 47 years late but never too late!

[Jagermesiter1871]

He's paid to do a job well. In any other profession he would have been redundant. That's business. On a personal level I do hope that he proves himself worthy of the fee he commanded this season. No manager so far has got the best out of him though.

Can you make a fix term employee redundant?

[SouthDownsRoyal]

I've got nothing against Velcro.

My issue was sacking Bowen and the management.

Otherwise it was just that Velcro had warning signs as a new manager of no Champ experience, talking about playing it out from the back and about one good club season. But that's about whether he looks like a good candidate, not how he performs.

What size slice of humble pie would you like?

[Snowflake Royal]

I've got nothing against Velcro.

My issue was sacking Bowen and the management.

Otherwise it was just that Velcro had warning signs as a new manager of no Champ experience, talking about playing it out from the back and about one good club season. But that's about whether he looks like a good candidate, not how he performs.

What size slice of humble pie would you like?

Don't do humble. Don't do pie

[Lower West]

He's paid to do a job well. In any other profession he would have been redundant. That's business. On a personal level I do hope that he proves himself worthy of the fee he commanded this season. No manager so far has got the best out of him though.

Can you make a fix term employee redundant?

After 2 years continuous service , then yes.

[Lower West]

I've got nothing against Velcro.

My issue was sacking Bowen and the management.

Otherwise it was just that Velcro had warning signs as a new manager of no Champ experience, talking about playing it out from the back and about one good club season. But that's about whether he looks like a good candidate, not how he performs.

These are unusual times. Perhaps the plan changed after Covid hit. Style of management suits younger players not established stars possibly.

[Old Man Andrews]

I've got nothing against Velcro.

My issue was sacking Bowen and the management.

Otherwise it was just that Velcro had warning signs as a new manager of no Champ experience, talking about playing it out from the back and about one good club season. But that's about whether he looks like a good candidate, not how he performs.

More mocking of the manager because he has a foreign name...... Says a lot about you as a human.

[Chameleon]

He's been a really expensive disaster so far. Nothing against him personally, he changed employers for a good payrise (like every single one of us would do), hasn't moaned at being exiled, and seemingly still tries in training.

What's done is done, hopefully with the new management (which unlike Gomes & Bowen aren't trying to freeze him out) he'll put in more performances like Saturday. Because if he does then we're one big step closer to a pretty good season. And if we achieve the ultimate goal then the past 3 years will be an irrelevant bad dream.

[SCIAG]

There are very few Reading players I’d extend anything remotely resembling hate towards.

I find Aluko professionally disappointing, but I have no personal animosity towards him.

As others have said, he seems to be in good form. Years of mediocrity don’t matter if your last performance was good.

[WestYorksRoyal]

He's paid to do a job well. In any other profession he would have been redundant. That's business. On a personal level I do hope that he proves himself worthy of the fee he commanded this season. No manager so far has got the best out of him though.

Can you make a fix term employee redundant?

It's actually remarkably difficult to move on somebody for being shit at their job. If you made 1 employee "redundant" without evidence of a bigger restructure and plan, they'd have decent grounds to take you to a tribunal.

As for Aluko, he's clearly a confidence player who has never got up and running for us. If we get a final good year out of him, of course we should be happy about that.

[leon]

He had one good game. Let’s not get over excited.

His performances have usually been characterised by lack of application and appalling decision making. Saturday these were noticeably absent.

Give it a couple more games off the bench to see if he’s turned a corner.

[Millsy]

1) It wasn't HIS fault that he cost £7.5m.

2) Noone really ever though he was thick surely? Nothing to base that on - always seemed bright enough (too bright!) in interviews.

3) I don't think anyone really hated the poor chap, rather just didn't want him here anymore.

The reason I didn't want him here is because he seemed a bit cocky in the only other interview I've heard him in - I can't remember what it was but Dellor was pushing him on something and he was quite dismissive IIRC. But MAINLY because he seemed to apply zero effort for the team. He'd walk around the pitch like he just wanted to pick up a payslip.

What we have seen now is immense effort and (one) immense performance. With not long left and most calling for him to go it's been a wakeup call for him i.e. work hard or goodbye to your career. I don't think we can suddenly love the guy fpr coming to that realisation. If anything it raises more questions as to why he didn't apply himself before? It would actually make him more 'hateable' if he doesn't follow suit and continue to work hard.

I'm with Ian on this sorry. One performance does nothing, however amazing it was. If he churns out a few half decent performances (doesn't need to be MOTM) and has clearly shown he will always apply himself then yeah I'll really like him.

But for now I'm on the fence.

[NewCorkSeth]

I am fully aboard the hype train. But srsly. All he has to do is show half of what he did last game for the rest of the season and he will provide adequate cover and lend some experience while doing so.

We have 4 players fighting for the same 3 positions. Personally speaking, Meite has to start. Swift, Ejaria and Olise can fight over the other 2 spots and Aluko can cover all 3. He even has a chance to try and claim a starting spot if he can. Thats 5 players for 3 positions and if we can add a 6th on loan I would be delighted given the injury issue. However, even if we cant get cover in, I am happy.

[WoodleyRoyal]

He's paid to do a job well. In any other profession he would have been redundant. That's business. On a personal level I do hope that he proves himself worthy of the fee he commanded this season. No manager so far has got the best out of him though.

Can you make a fix term employee redundant?

After 2 years continuous service , then yes.

In employment law you are not making the person redundant, you are making the post redundant. As such if you have made the post redundant you cannot legally advertise/ fill that position for a minimum of one year. So we would not be allowed to sign another striker if that where the case. A mutual termination of contract would amount to the same thing, which of course is the route clubs take.

[Snowflake Royal]

He had one good game. Let’s not get over excited.

His performances have usually been characterised by lack of application and appalling decision making. Saturday these were noticeably absent.

Give it a couple more games off the bench to see if he’s turned a corner.

I think his performance against Watford differed from earlier showings in two main ways.

Firstly, he was committed and engaged. Playing hard, getting stuck in and working constantly. That's been lacking previously.

A kind description of previous poor performances would be laconic.

Secondly, the turns and serves he tried came off. For me he was doing a lot of the same things as before, but rather than being caught out and losing the ball or playing a poor pass afterwards it worked.

If you compare him with Olise in the game. They were both trying similar things to turn players, often in inadvisable areas of the pitch and situations like 10 yards ahead of the defence centrally when under pressure. But it worked for Aluko and didn't for Olise.

Whereas it would normally be the other way round.

So it will be very interesting to see if he can sustain getting it right, or whether he just had a one off good game and Watford couldn't read him

[leon]

He had one good game. Let’s not get over excited.

His performances have usually been characterised by lack of application and appalling decision making. Saturday these were noticeably absent.

Give it a couple more games off the bench to see if he’s turned a corner.

I think his performance against Watford differed from earlier showings in two main ways.

Firstly, he was committed and engaged. Playing hard, getting stuck in and working constantly. That's been lacking previously.

A kind description of previous poor performances would be laconic.

Secondly, the turns and serves he tried came off. For me he was doing a lot of the same things as before, but rather than being caught out and losing the ball or playing a poor pass afterwards it worked.

If you compare him with Olise in the game. They were both trying similar things to turn players, often in inadvisable areas of the pitch and situations like 10 yards ahead of the defence centrally when under pressure. But it worked for Aluko and didn't for Olise.

Whereas it would normally be the other way round.

So it will be very interesting to see if he can sustain getting it right, or whether he just had a one off good game and Watford couldn't read him

He moved the ball on quickly after gaining possession - there was a sharpness about him. He didn’t run down blind alleys.

[Nameless]

Can you make a fix term employee redundant?

After 2 years continuous service , then yes.

In employment law you are not making the person redundant, you are making the post redundant. As such if you have made the post redundant you cannot legally advertise/ fill that position for a minimum of one year. So we would not be allowed to sign another striker if that where the case. A mutual termination of contract would amount to the same thing, which of course is the route clubs take.

But Aluko’s contract won’t state he is employed as a ‘striker’. He’s employed as a footballer. So in theory if you made a player redundant you couldn’t sign ANYONE to replace him under the time restrictions (I thought it was less than 12 months). It’s irrelevant though as you would just terminate the contract and pay whatever the early termination penalties were (which should be specified, surely !) not that different a process to selling a player really.

[Snowball]

He moved the ball on quickly after gaining possession - there was a sharpness about him. He didn’t run down blind alleys.

Maybe the manager watched him in training matches and said:

"Move the ball on quickly after gaining possession,

be quick and sharp, use your energy

don't run down blind alleys"