Forgotten man, Mooney, speaks to the Irish Herald

[Sarah Star]

Forgotten man, Mooney, speaks to the Irish Herald

Mooney still keen to make Royal waves
Ex-Cork hotshot draws line under frustration and vows to make splash at Reading
By Aidan Fitzmaurice


Wednesday June 30 2010

FORGOTTEN man Dave Mooney returns to pre-season training with Championship side Reading this week, desperate to finally force his way into the first team with the Royals.

Mooney was the hottest property in the League of Ireland in 2008 after scoring 34 goals in a season and a half, and Reading beat off some stiff competition to sign the Dubliner from Cork City for a reported €400,000.

Previous Cork players Kevin Doyle and Shane Long had made a big splash at the Madejski Stadium but Mooney, 25, has struggled to make an impact at Reading, where he has yet to play a league game in two years.

He spent most of last season on loan to League One side Charlton and helped them reach the promotion play-offs, where they lost in the semi-final to Swindon Town, but Mooney is now a Reading player again and will report for duty when pre-season training starts tomorrow.

"I plan to go back to Reading and see how things go. I have no idea how it will pan out for me but I feel I can play a part for Reading next season and I want to do that," says Mooney, who has made just four appearances, all in the League Cup, for Reading.

"I don't think I have ever been given a real chance at Reading, I never really got a fair crack of the whip there. I feel I am good enough to be there, now I suppose it's up to me to do well in pre-season training and show the manager that I can play a part for them.

"It's a bit hard to get my head around. I have been a Reading player for two years now but I've hardly played for them and I haven't even made my league debut yet.

"I find it hard to understand, to be honest. I had my pick of a few clubs when I was leaving Cork that time. Around 10 clubs were in for me and I had a few options but I went for Reading because I was told that I'd get a chance there, and that hasn't really happened yet. I don't know why a club would spend money on a player and not play him but that's the way it turned out.

"There is a new manager there now in Brian McDermott. He was there at the club when I signed and he was part of the management team that signed me so he knows about me. He was in touch with me last season after he got the manager's job and he wanted to bring me back to Reading from my loan spell with Charlton," adds Mooney.

"I thought about it but I decided to stay at Charlton. I was getting first team football every week there and I enjoyed that and I knew there was no guarantee I'd get games at Reading so I stayed.

"Charlton went well for me. I played a lot of games and scored a few goals for them, but I am back at Reading now and determined to do well."

The striker began his senior career with Shamrock Rovers in 2004 but moved to Longford Town midway through the 2005 season which saw Rovers relegated. He had his best season in the Town shirt in 2007, scoring 19 league goals, but those goals were not enough to prevent the club's relegation from the top flight and he moved with manager Alan Mathews to Cork City for the 2008 season. At the halfway point in the season Mooney had already scored 15 times and British clubs were queuing up to sign him, Mooney opting for Reading in the end.

Mooney was immediately handed his debut for Reading, coming on as sub for Shane Long in a 5-1 League Cup win over Luton in August and he played once more for the Royals in that competition before loan moves to Stockport and Norwich.

Last season started in the same vein. In an early-season appearance in the League Cup, Mooney scored twice in the 5-1 win over Burton Albion but he was again sent out on loan, dropping down a division to Charlton.

He scored six goals in 30 games for Charlton, including a superb strike live on TV in the second leg of the play-off semi-final against Swindon, and there were reports that the Addicks were keen to take Mooney to the Valley on a long-term deal. However, Charlton have slashed their budget since their failure to win promotion and would not have the cash needed to prise Mooney away from Reading.

[NR_Royal]

Hmm...I think McDermott should give him a go pre-season.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Take the 1st offer that comes our way. Although after last season not sure there will be a cue for him.

Sometimes these things just don't work out.

[Royalee]

Cya.

[Muskrat]

Take the 1st offer that comes our way. Although after last season not sure there will be a cue for him.

Why's that then is he resigning from his snooker club?

[semtex1871]

Sometimes these things just don't work out.

how the hell could things have worked out when they haven't given the guy a chance.......

[Ian Royal]

Sometimes these things just don't work out.

how the hell could things have worked out when they haven't given the guy a chance.......

They haven't given me a chance in the first team and I can tell you now that wouldn't work out.

[loyalroyal4life]

'I don't know why a club would spend money on a player and not play him but that's the way it turned out.'


Maybe because you are....not very good

[Barry the bird boggler]

So, what was Charlton's fan's opinion of him?

[brendywendy]

if we get rid of rasiak he could get a game as our big man alternative

[CMRoyal]

Sometimes these things just don't work out.

how the hell could things have worked out when they haven't given the guy a chance.......

They haven't given me a chance in the first team and I can tell you now that wouldn't work out.

Precisely. And anyway, he's spent two years being watched in training, the reserves and on loan. If through all that our manager(s) still can't see a place for him, then the message is clear - he doesn't measure up.

[floyd__streete]

'I don't know why a club would spend money on a player and not play him but that's the way it turned out.'

Well, quite. Mooney doesn't grow on trees.

[Tilehurst End]

McD would have been involved in bringing him here through his scouting duties and appeared to want him back when he took over as manager so may still have hopes for him.

However I suspect either he or Rasiak will have to go as there's only space for one striker in our 4-3-3/4-5-1 formation and Long, Church and a fit again Hunt are ahead in the pecking order.

[Ryn]

Who?

[Ian Royal]

McD would have been involved in bringing him here through his scouting duties and appeared to want him back when he took over as manager so may still have hopes for him.

Despite what I said earlier I think this is a good point, particularly the bit about wanting to bring him back from Charlton. You can afterall scout a player who is definitely good enough and sign them and they just don't fit in / make it for whatever reason.

I still haven't seen Mooney play live, just caught the odd highlight clip, so I won't be passing judgement on whether he's good enough to contribute or not. It doesn't look too good for him though.

[peeping bernal]

Forgotten man, Mooney, speaks to the Irish Herald

Mooney still keen to make Royal waves
Ex-Cork hotshot draws line under frustration and vows to make splash at Reading
By Aidan Fitzmaurice



"There is a new manager there now in Brian McDermott. He was there at the club when I signed and he was part of the management team that signed me so he knows about me. He was in touch with me last season after he got the manager's job and he wanted to bring me back to Reading from my loan spell with Charlton," adds Mooney.

"I thought about it but I decided to stay at Charlton. I was getting first team football every week there and I enjoyed that and I knew there was no guarantee I'd get games at Reading so I stayed.

quote]

Well he seems that McD does rate him, as he tried to bring him back, but let Mooney decied as he was playing every game at Charlton and would only be on the bench at Reading when he came back

[rabidbee]

So, what was Charlton's fan's opinion of him?

I know ne Addicks fan who was raving about him mid-season. Think he'd gone a bit off the boil by the end of the season.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

5 goals from 28 games, victim of loads abuse in a K.Jones/Rougier type way. Tried to give them the finger to the lips treatment after he scored to to end a long barren spell, which sent the fans nuts.

Can see him going back to Ireland if he gets his contract paid up.

He's one of those strikers who you look at and ask what does he do well? He's not quick, not a target man, not a goal scorer.

[andrew1957]

I am all for giving someone a chance but his goal tallies out on loan haven't been that impressive and at the moment he must be our 6th choice striker, so probably better for both him and RFC if he moves on to a league 1 or 2 side. I just cannot see him breaking in.

[ankeny]

Sometimes these things just don't work out.

how the hell could things have worked out when they haven't given the guy a chance.......

They haven't given me a chance in the first team and I can tell you now that wouldn't work out.

Bennett anyone?Another player bought and not given a chance,what was the point in Coppell buying them,just to piss Cork off?