Andre Bikey

[Maguire]

If they say he can go for free, we should get in there with a 1 million bid. They may force us down to 500k but if we get our man then it adds a bit more depth to the squad.

[Arch]

I hope we sign him, our squad is ever so thin.

As far as I can tell, we have moer potential first teamers thanb about half the Premiership. We're one short at CD and maybe one short in CM (depending on how serious Coppell is about Halls there). But we have one or two extras elsewhere. So I wouldn't agree we're "ever so thin".

[TommyF]

If they say he can go for free, we should get in there with a 1 million bid. They may force us down to 500k but if we get our man then it adds a bit more depth to the squad.

I wouldn't want to pay anything less than £750k if I was Coppell - haggle all the way. "Bert, this guy won't haggle". "Won't Haggle?". Ohh dear, ohh dear. Come On. Haggle

[The Goat was fed]

Wonder if he's still got his gun?

Could be the first time a player can hold a gun to a club's head
over contract negotiations...and mean it.

Useful for those wrong turnings through Whitley, too...

[Arch]

If they say he can go for free, we should get in there with a 1 million bid. They may force us down to 500k but if we get our man then it adds a bit more depth to the squad.

I wouldn't want to pay anything less than £750k if I was Coppell - haggle all the way. "Bert, this guy won't haggle". "Won't Haggle?". Ohh dear, ohh dear. Come On. Haggle

Free for him? You're having a laugh!

[SpaceCruiser]

Wonder if he's still got his gun?

Just realised that he could join Hahnemann's gun club!

[TommyF]

If they say he can go for free, we should get in there with a 1 million bid. They may force us down to 500k but if we get our man then it adds a bit more depth to the squad.

I wouldn't want to pay anything less than £750k if I was Coppell - haggle all the way. "Bert, this guy won't haggle". "Won't Haggle?". Ohh dear, ohh dear. Come On. Haggle

Free for him? You're having a laugh!

It's for the wife

[Maguire]

If they say he can go for free, we should get in there with a 1 million bid. They may force us down to 500k but if we get our man then it adds a bit more depth to the squad.

I wouldn't want to pay anything less than £750k if I was Coppell - haggle all the way. "Bert, this guy won't haggle". "Won't Haggle?". Ohh dear, ohh dear. Come On. Haggle

Free for him? You're having a laugh!

[holsgrove breaks a leg]

I'm shocked that Russia seems to be a backward country.

I am shocked at this statement

Having been to Moscow a few times i can safely say that it is very multi cultural- lots of chinese,mongolians and khazaks mix with Eastern Europeans. There did seem to be pockets of trouble though and parts of it are very very poor. I was in town when Spartak played Rangers a few years back and could definately sense an 'atmosphere' between Spartaks own fans. I would say it is a culture shock for anyone outside of Russia to play there as it not typically European, especially if you play outside of Moscow (Volograd, and St Petersburg to a lesser extent). I dont doubt that players eg Bikey are given a hard time, the cultural shift should not excuse the treatment, lets hope Reading can gain something from Bikeys treatment.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

I'm shocked that Russia seems to be a backward country. What possessed Bikey to go there in the first place?

it wasn't that so long ago that the southbank would sing "you've got a town full of pakis" when Bradford came down, and everyone would join in and laugh about it. Monkey chants weren't that rare either.

Having been to three games in Russia, I saw a black Krylya Sovetov player get similar treatment in St Petersburg during a match there. It did seem a bit more widespread and bit more constant, but wasn't a million miles away from the sort of thing that went on here in the 1980s.

Saying that, Russia is an incredibly white country. After about a week there I saw a black guy in the street and it occurred to me he was the first black person I'd seen in the country. The only non-whites I saw were people in the army (who are everywhere).

[URZZZZZZZZ]

I hope so, and Id welcome any signing of a centre back (well nearly anyone). Do remember however how well that Blaha was playing for us last season, scoring a few goals, and he wasnt offered a contract. I do hope he signs, but until its done, I wont get my hopes up.

[Ian Royal]

I hope so, and Id welcome any signing of a centre back (well nearly anyone). Do remember however how well that Blaha was playing for us last season, scoring a few goals, and he wasnt offered a contract. I do hope he signs, but until its done, I wont get my hopes up.

Blaha? do you mean Obinna? or am I just hopelessly out of touch and confused

Bikey sounds a good prospect to me. I'll take him.

[mydak]

Wonder if he's still got his gun?

Could be the first time a player can hold a gun to a club's head
over contract negotiations...and mean it.

Useful for those wrong turnings through Whitley, too...

i'm sure marcus could manage...

[URZZZZZZZZ]

I hope so, and Id welcome any signing of a centre back (well nearly anyone). Do remember however how well that Blaha was playing for us last season, scoring a few goals, and he wasnt offered a contract. I do hope he signs, but until its done, I wont get my hopes up.

Blaha? do you mean Obinna? or am I just hopelessly out of touch and confused

Bikey sounds a good prospect to me. I'll take him.

Nah, Obinna managed to get a contract, albeit a short one.

Blaha was on trial in pre season last year, and managed to find the net a few times, he was not offered a contract though. Also Muldowney of Brentford (?) also played well, but was not given a contract either.

[higher]

http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=7004 Free according to this anyway.

[Only one Trevor Morley]

But not free according to the post - it looks like the transfer fee (as opposed to wages) could be a problem.........

Steve Coppell will only sign Andre Bikey if the price is right, writes Nick Ive.

The versatile player is currently on trial with Reading from Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow.

He has featured in both Royals’ games in Sweden so far, playing first at centre-back and then right-back.

And tonight against Orgryte, Bikey is set to start in the heart of the midfield.

I understand that Lokomotiv want £1.35million for the 21-year-old, who has three years left on his contract.

But Reading will not play ball at that price and value the Cameroon international at about £200,000.Royals manager Steve Coppell told the Evening Post: “We have to see what the costs are to us. Everything has to cross at the right area.

“The price will be a major factor, but we will also have to weigh up how long it would take him to settle in.

“Bikey has been in Russia for three years and footballers have a different mentality there.â€

[Ian Royal]

not sounding good. but if we're now trying him in midfield would suggest he's very versatile.

1.35 is a lot to pay unless you think they're a winner though

[TommyF]

But Reading will not play ball at that price and value the Cameroon international at about £200,000.

Now I can't believe Lokomotiv Moscow believe that! I would question why a premiership club would be interested in a 21 year old central defender who they believe is worth so little.

[Gordons Cumming]

I would question why a premiership club would be interested in a 21 year old central defender who they believe is worth so little.

............because he is unproven?

[dylan kerrs left foot]

I'm not too surprised to hear about the high level of racism Bikey encountered in Russia. I’ve spent a fair amount of time in former eastern bloc countries (predominantly Poland) and as a -admittedly sweeping- generalisation racism, homophobia and anti-Semitism is still fairly rife.

A few years back as a teaching exercise so that I could work Reading FC into lessons I ascribed individual Reading players to my students for them to research and adopt. The kid who got Goater complained he had 'a black man' and his classmates took the piss. Also the lad who got Brown only accepted it on the condition that whilst his name was Brown he was not black.
There were also great mumblings of discontent from the nation when the lad (can’t remember his name) who was born in Nigeria but gained Polish citizenship started to play up front for the national team.

Sadly, I'd assume this attitude may be similar in Russia.