So, Reading find themselves with 59 points and unless Convey's boys land themselves in a catostrophic dip of form, will surely be playing their first ever season in the Prem next year. I think it's safe to say these two Yanks will be along side them plying their trade against fellow Nats like Reyna, McBride and Freidal. I woud like to hear some predictions from some of you Prem diehards on how these two will perform on the big stage. Can they cut it or will they get lost in the mix of the mid table? Will they become standout stars like Freidal and/or even McBride at Fulham? IMO, Bobby and Marcus deserve glory in England and they'll get it come 2006! discuss...
Re: Convey and the EPL 2006!(predictions) There's another Yank that plays for Reading and has contributed to their success. Marcus Hahnemann, the likely backup keeper to Kasey Keller.
Can someone clarify this for me: I know that the 3 bottom teams in the English leagues go down, and I know that the top 1 gets automatically promoted. Does the #2 team get automatic promotion, as well, or do they battle out with 4 others for 2 promotion spots ?
Deserves got nothing to do with it - W Munny Top 2 auto promotion. 3,4,5,6 have a playoff. Home and home 3 vs 6 & 4 vs 5. Then a one off.
Well, for one, I hope that Convey stays with Reading. There have already been people who have been mentioning that Convey has had offers from a Dutch team or two, and some have suggested that it would be good for him to go. Personally, I think it would be best for him to see Reading up, and then stay on into the next season and make any decisions on leaving or staying long-term until the January window. I guess I'm just one of the guys who doesn't like the constant struggle of guys to GET to better teams, rather than trying to play their current teams into a better position. That's why I will always have a fair amount of respect for Maradona ........ because he went to Napoli and gave them his all. He could have moved back to a "bigger" club when it became obvious he was one of the best players in the world. Instead, he stuck with the team that gave him a chance when Barcelona didn't want him anymore, and raised them to new heights. PS I obviously know that Convey is not Maradona, but I'm talking about the principle.
Not if you're negative ... hehehe. As to Reading's future, a lot depends on what "supporting cast" - to quote Michael Jordan - John Madejski comes up with. In the past, the chairman has been a bit ambivalent about his expectations - some days he claims to want to sell, some days to acquire additional investors. As is, and this is based on references alone, Reading is probably a lower tier EPL club that will struggle to stay up. But, with half a dozen acquisitions that are well within the new revenues/budget coming in, it could conceivably shoot for mid-table. FWIW, I think a "starting" type GK will be one of necessary acquisitions for the team. Then maybe a Prem quality striker or two. Those cost a lot. The midfield will probably stay intact, given the financial limitations of the owner and their 2,005-06 play.
What is it about Marcus that makes you think he won't be a pretty good Prem keeper? The standard of goalkeeping isn't exactly off the charts in the Premiership.
I don't think he's athletic/agile enough. As to Prem's GK, it can be rated excellent on about 50% of the teams and good on additional 25%. Marcus has become a very good technician in goal but IMO he does give away a lot of range.
not really on topic, but you do know that Napoli were the best supported team in Italy, averaging 75,000 when he was there (and prior to his arrival too), much more than Barcelona? And while he was at Barcelona they were, but current standards, a pretty mediocre team?
Convey wants to stay at Reading I think Bobby and Marcus will do well in the Premiership (assuming we go up - They're still holding the Fat Lady singing auditions at the moment!), along with I think the rest of the current first team. We will probably need some extra quality to call on, but I would like to see the boys given a chance to shine. Against Arsenal, they had 52% possession and on another day (with their first team wingers), could have won the game. But Arsenal is not the yardstick - The cup tie against West Bromwich Albion in January will be a truer test.
Marcus is a brilliant keeper, and God Willing if we get to the Premiership, i'm sure he'll do well. I really don't know why you say he's not agile/atheletic enough? I'm guessing it's just because of his size, but if there was a way to measure a size/agility ratio, Marcus would be better then most.
Yes, i understand that, but I'm not talking about support, but talking about on the field results. Napoli was not a powerhouse team before he got there, and they weren't after he left either. From what I remember, the only time they ever won the league was when Maradona was there. Despite your numbers of "support", you wouldn't say that had the history, reputation, or international following that Inter, AC Milan, Juventus, Barcelona, Liverpool, etc. had at that time. In other words, what made Napoli a great team was Maradona. Maradona didn't simply run to a team with an established lineup that was already in the midst of challenging for championships (and winning some) on a yearly basis. He made Napoli that team.
I think marcus will be just fine playing in the epl. I don't believe he has many campaigns left, but for next year, he'll be more than ok.
Essentially he left one ambitious underachieving big club for another, finding the success at Napoli that he didn't have at Barcelona. No, Napoli were not a storied team, despite being the best supported (or attended at least) in Italy. Since promotion to Serie A in 1965, they topped the country in attendance every single season bar two, until 1989. What stopped them being a powerful club after he left wasn't just the lack of his talent, more the gaping hole in the clubs finances which eventually caused the club to fold a few years ago. Back then though, few teams had an international following, as the game was much less globalised than now. But Barcelona were hardly legends themselves at the time, with only one title in over 20 years, and that a decade before he joined. Barcelona just didn't have anywhere near the profile they have today, with 10 of the 11 titles they'd won up to that point being in the era before the European cup became established (ironically by the legendary Real Madrid sides of the early 1960s), and perhaps more importantly, before TV ownership was widespread enough to make clubs and players famous. When Maradona joined, they'd never won the European Cup. All they had to their name were two Cup Winners Cups and a couple of old Fairs Cup wins from the 1950s. Sleeping giant they may have been, but Barcelona just didn't have anywhere near the status (overseas) of the successful clubs of that era. Their seven Spanish titles since the 1990s, and continued champions league presence, has given them an international profile they just didn't have previously. To be fair, nor did AC Milan from your list either. Milan's signing of Luther Blisset from Watford at the same time that Napoli signed Maradona rather highlights the differing ambitions of the clubs at the time.
Wow I am amazed at the lack of respect Marcus still gets. First Reading is refered to as .... ""Convey's boys" (jokingly i hope) Then later the comment is made that one of the first acquisitions they'll need is a new keeper. My gosh folks, Marcus has been fabulous there for years. For contributions to the team, Convey doesn't even come close at this point. Marcus is a good solid keeper - and easily Premiership quality. Maybe not one of the best in the world, but surely good enough and better than Howard by a long shot right now. It's nice that Convey is doing well, but once again, lets give Marcus his share of praise.
Ah, I'd have to disagree. Barcelona was huge in the 1970s with Cruyff, Rexach and company. They won the title in 1973-74. He has fine reflexes but he has a very limited range laterally and is not a great leaper. Yes, he's a very good GK by the Colaship's standards but, had he been considered a decent Prem candidate, he'd have people lining up for him like they are doing currently for Anti Niemi and Robert Green, to say nothing of Boaz Myhill. But Reading hasn't exactly been fending off offers for Marcus, has it? As a side (footsitter) note, he was never considered a top GK in MLS.
well, he wasn't considered a "top" keeper anywhere until he arrived at reading, no offense, but that isn't really relevant, is it? i mean, it doesn't have any bearing on his current form. brad friedel was a flop at liverpool...
We've had no offers for MH because we are not a SELLING club. We have rarely sold our best players, whether that's MH, Sidwell, Doyle or Convey. What difference does it make if he was never considered a top GK in the MLS? As someone said before me Friedel was considered a flop when he was at Liverpool but now he's consistently one of the top 5 keepers in the Prem. Claudio Ranieri described MH as 'World Class'. I am confident that God Willing, if we make the Prem, MH will be one of the Top 10 keeper's. IMO and in a lot of others he's the best keeper outside the Premiership at this current time. The lack of respect he gets from some posters at times disgusts me.
Ignoring the fact that neither of these players were sold. Do we really have confirmation of the level of interest? There is a huge difference betweeen a club saying "hey we could use someone like that" (if even that was truly said), and actually making a cash offer. Bobby's having a good year - but he's not suddenly a must have for big clubs in the world. Add to that, is Feyenoord really a better place to be if Reading move up? I don't think so. If Reading make it to the Premier League, then I'd consider that a better spot then Feyenoord
They couldn't have been yet and probably won't be with Reading in the hunt ... having said that, this is a Colaship squad whose owner had publicly proclaimed his willingness the sell the club itself (after the promotion) and is alleged by the Reading fans here to hold a firm hand over the team's purse. This can hardly be called a Dave Whelan or a Roman Abramovich situaiton. BTW, Transfermarkt has Marcus rated at €200K. It has Robert Green rated at €5M. The site's stated values are far from perfect overall but this gap is a little too large to be considered purely accidental. (BTW, Bobby is valued at €750K there) As to Bobby going anywhere, for an offensive player it's good to go to a team that will have talent around him. IMO, what you see with Conor Casey is the result of Mainz frequently beng overrun in midfield and him having to do more chasing than trying to score. Had he gone to a team - even in B-liga 2 - that allowed him more goal scoring opportunities, he'd be a lot more seasoned by this point. Presumably, Reading won't be another Sunderland and be capable of running with the big boys but that also depends on what additional talent is brought in during the off-season.