Sonko

[Avon Royal]

he raises a very good point though. if budgets are being cut to that extent then we aren't going to attract the type of player to push us upwards and instead will just go backwards. worrying.

He doesn't raise a good point. He's bitter because we've told him what he's worth these days.

Ian,

Even you have to admit that Sonko, as a somebody who has been in contractual negotiations with the club, probably has an interesting insight into the state of Reading FC. I think it is therefore very telling that he raises the "£12m yet no players" issue.

[Hoop Blah]

Not really Avon.

He's looking after number one and trying to justify his ridiculous statements. He has less understanding of the clubs financial position than many on here and isn't the sharpest tool in the box. His comment is fair enough though, but totally out of place and doesn't add any weight to either side of the argument.

[Avon Royal]

Not really Avon.

He's looking after number one and trying to justify his ridiculous statements. He has less understanding of the clubs financial position than many on here and isn't the sharpest tool in the box. His comment is fair enough though, but totally out of place and doesn't add any weight to either side of the argument.

I agree it has to be taken in the context of a player who is somewhat bitter about not being "shown the money". It is still a good glance behind the curtain.

[Ian Royal]

The only good glance it is, is that we still know enough about what we're going to avoid paying over the odds for someone who's done nothing to show he's good enough for the last three years, despite the potential for nostalgia and sentimentality getting in the way.

[Hoop Blah]

The size of his offer is very interesting I agree, but his opinion on the lack of spending after the £12m inbound transfer fees carries about as much weight as 1TeaminBerks'.

The thing many could take from this is how these guys think. A lot of the players at the club probably have similar thoughts at times. When someone like Mills gets an offer to go elsewhere it's not a real surprise to see him go when the players can see the club not making serious improvements to the team (plus the extra ££ on offer of course).

[Gordons Cumming]

I do not think for one minute we should have even offered Sonko a contract as I saw the Bristol friendly as was on business there and he was frankly awful but hang on a minute - before everyone keeps orgasaming about this please consider this scenario:

You loose your job and are offered another at your 2004 salary level - any takers from above people who have posted? Forget the footballers wages bit - we know nothing of Sonko's financial position - eg mortgages, outgoings, maybe maintenance etc - most people live up to their income which was c£20K per week at Stoke - he may have been on less than £5k pw in 2004.

Lets also remember that in 2004 we signed Sonko on a free from Brentford (league 2 at time?) and he was initially cover so was prob one of our lowest wage earners at the time.

This puts the club in a poor light and if we didn't want him we should have said thanks but no thanks instead of insulting a former player who was instrumental in 2005/06 season.

I am becoming more disillusioned by the day with the old coot and his stupid wig and his micky mouse voiced side kick and if anyone thinks we will get any quality in before the transfer window you are frankly having a laugh - the best we can hope for is conference south.

There's always 2 sides to a story, remember............................and any professional who uses Twitter to discuss any aspect of their contract is a little iffy for me anyway.

A shame...................

[SpaceCruiser]

we know nothing of Sonko's financial position - eg mortgages, outgoings, maybe maintenance etc -

Indeed, but living is not that expensive. It's simple - scale down and get a cheaper mortgage. He could surely get by on less - most people can live on 30K a month, never mind 2 grand a week!

I am becoming more disillusioned by the day with the old coot and his stupid wig and his micky mouse voiced side kick and if anyone thinks we will get any quality in before the transfer window you are frankly having a laugh - the best we can hope for is conference south.

Oh oxf*rd off, that is very tired.

Even you have to admit that Sonko, as a somebody who has been in contractual negotiations with the club, probably has an interesting insight into the state of Reading FC. I think it is therefore very telling that he raises the "£12m yet no players" issue.

What!!! Does Mikele Leigertwood not count then!!

[chilipepper91]

Even you have to admit that Sonko, as a somebody who has been in contractual negotiations with the club, probably has an interesting insight into the state of Reading FC. I think it is therefore very telling that he raises the "£12m yet no players" issue.

What!!! Does Mikele Leigertwood not count then!!

Bought before we sold Mills or Long.

[PieEater]

Sonko's comments typify how players and their agents think though. Their aim is to extract as much money from the club as they can, and since they know we added £12m to the balance sheet their objective is to get as much of that cash as possible.

Of course the club will say they've spent most of that on covering the deficit, and improving other contracts and get the best deal they can. I guess in Sonko's case we weren't really desperate for a 4th centre half that wouldn't improve the starting line up, but we offered him something to give him a chance to prove himself again.

I've no doubt we will pay the going rate to get a player that improves the starting 11.

[SpaceCruiser]

Even you have to admit that Sonko, as a somebody who has been in contractual negotiations with the club, probably has an interesting insight into the state of Reading FC. I think it is therefore very telling that he raises the "£12m yet no players" issue.

What!!! Does Mikele Leigertwood not count then!!

Bought before we sold Mills or Long.

Surely it still counts in terms of this transfer window, whether it was before or after sales.

[Avon Royal]

What!!! Does Mikele Leigertwood not count then!!

Bought before we sold Mills or Long.

Surely it still counts in terms of this transfer window, whether it was before or after sales.

But he was in the squad that Mills and Long departed from, so signing him on a perm basis hasn't "added" anything to the squad.

[royal67]

Sonko's comments typify how players and their agents think though. Their aim is to extract as much money from the club as they can, and since they know we added £12m to the balance sheet their objective is to get as much of that cash as possible.

Of course the club will say they've spent most of that on covering the deficit, and improving other contracts and get the best deal they can. I guess in Sonko's case we weren't really desperate for a 4th centre half that wouldn't improve the starting line up, but we offered him something to give him a chance to prove himself again.

I've no doubt we will pay the going rate to get a player that improves the starting 11.

Good post.....

[loyalroyal4life]

Indeed, but living is not that expensive. It's simple - scale down and get a cheaper mortgage. He could surely get by on less - most people can live on 30K a month, never mind 2 grand a week!

30k a month sounds about right! Can understand why Sonko was pissed at £2k

[SpaceCruiser]

Indeed, but living is not that expensive. It's simple - scale down and get a cheaper mortgage. He could surely get by on less - most people can live on 30K a month, never mind 2 grand a week!

30k a month sounds about right! Can understand why Sonko was pissed at £2k

D'oh, I meant 30k a year.

[SpaceCruiser]

Bought before we sold Mills or Long.

Surely it still counts in terms of this transfer window, whether it was before or after sales.

But he was in the squad that Mills and Long departed from, so signing him on a perm basis hasn't "added" anything to the squad.

We are talking about transfers, are we not? Had we not signed him, we would have "lost" something from the squad.

[Hoop Blah]

Isn't the discussion about what's being done with the £12m that's come in this summer?

That's all money that's come in SINCE Legiertwood signed.

[winchester_royal]

Isn't the discussion about what's being done with the £12m that's come in this summer?

That's all money that's come in SINCE Legiertwood signed.

Yes but Mikele would have been signed knowing that Long was going to be sold.

[Avon Royal]

Isn't the discussion about what's being done with the £12m that's come in this summer?

That's all money that's come in SINCE Legiertwood signed.

Yes but Mikele would have been signed knowing that Long was going to be sold.

Er, the signing was announced before the play-off final................

[winchester_royal]

Isn't the discussion about what's being done with the £12m that's come in this summer?

That's all money that's come in SINCE Legiertwood signed.

Yes but Mikele would have been signed knowing that Long was going to be sold.

Er, the signing was announced before the play-off final................

Fine. If we'd gone up then the signing would have been funded by the money made from going up. But they also knew if we didn't that Long would go.

[Ian Royal]

TBH winch, I think you've got it wrong. We aren't in the habit of spending money we don't have yet. I suspect it was remnant of Gylfi money, from the POs + FA Cup QF or a combination of both.