Sorry, the connection was probably only clear in my head. Reading have yet to agree terms with Seol. The fee has been agreed to, pds 1m raising to 1.5 on appearances. Reading, btw, have said there have been no approaches for anyone on the team, with the exception of Sidwell. [edit] Just to add some perspective for those who might not have seen all the Reading stuff, they've offered Sidwell, probably their most valuable mid, a contract worth about $1.4 m a year, which he's turned down, insisting on at least $1.8. The gooch to boro rumor had 'boro offering him (and gooch not being impressed by) a salary of about $2.2 million. Reading have enough money for transfers, as seen by the offers they're making. Not sure about what they're willing to do on the salaries, but it doesn't look like they're breaking the bank (if they're not doing it for sidwell, who right now is wanted by charlton, mancity, villa and others, they're not likely to do it). Maybe the strategy is to see if they're going to stay up, then offer bigger money in the spring.
He's only got one year left on his contract, so that would be a pretty good offer, and tough to turn down. But, they are saying they'll turn down offers...
When does Oneywu's contract with Liege end? Any possibility, if it is only one year, that he could play it out to term and walk (to maybe higher payday- since no transfer fee attached). Just a thought/may not be relevant
As is Hunt, his backup this year. I'm not sure Coppell was targeting getting a wing (he never said he was) but he does see a need to bring in as many really good players as possible. If Convey plays as well as he has been, he'll play. If Seol comes in and does really well, so will he. Also, there have been hints from Coppell (it may be he's actually said this, I'm too lazy to check) that Reading will not be entirely reliant on a 4-4-2 this season, and that they'll occassionally at least use a more defensive setup, which I assume to be a 4-5-1, but could be a 5-4-1 or a 6-3-1 for all I know. The player most under pressure from the seol signing is hunt, btw, as Coppell has said he wants two players of prem quality at each position, and Convey looked better than Hunt last year.
A bit off topic here but... Reading just signed South Korean Seol Ki-Hyun for 1 million pounds from Wolves. He is left wing I believe. Don't know how it will affect things but could be bad news for Convey.
Just something I found amusing while reading this and the response by appoo. Has anyone else noticed that a) if a team signs a player that prefers the same position as an American already on the team we worry that it's going to be bad for the American b) if a team signs an American that prefers the same position as another quality player already at the team we worry that the American won't get on the field. Anyway, it just feels like I see a lot of comments that would imply the only way for an American to play on a good team (let alone a MASSIVE team like Reading which is one of the biggest in the known universe) is if he is really the only option. Ok, carry on.
When a team with a limited transfer budget signs a player for over a million pounds then it is obviously going to have an affect on the player already in that position - regardless of his nationality.
I don't think that guy has a set position- the article I read said he can play left and right wing or forward. I think Convey's pretty safe, he's their best winger and this guy is versatile so if anything Little or whoever their right winger is should be worried.
I understand.... but Convey is coming off a pretty good year and Seol is just as unproven in the Premier League. Of course Convey will have to maintain a higher level of performance now, but thats mostly because their opposition will be much better than last year. Yes, all players always have tofight for their spots on the field, I was just saying I think we tend to overworry about Americans. For the record, from the Wolverampton site on Soccernet, his bio says: "An intelligent, mobile attacker who can operate as a central striker or on the right-side, he has a lot more skill than he is usually given credit for and his whipped in crosses are particularly dangerous. <snipped> He joined Wolves in August 2004 in a £1.2 million deal, but he has not always convinced in the hurly-burly of English second tier. As a reward for his part in South Korea's World Cup 2002 success, his national service was reduced from two years to four weeks. He admits that his prowess with a rifle left much to be desired." So we are pretty sure he won't be hunting with Marcus.
If Convey keeps up the knee high crosses he had in Germany, he'd better find a more central position to play.
Exactly. Don't know how it's bad news that someone needs to get better or get replaced. It's the EPL and there will be competition for spots. That's what makes the players better. Sink or swim.
Reading scored off a couple of those low, hard, near post crosses last year. but then, they have actual strikers (plural). He obviously hits several kinds of cross, all of them valuable if people up top are making the right runs. And all of them worthless if people are just fannying about.
His crosses may not have been perfect but there were no near-post runs at the Cup sans one McHead (off Eddie Lewis's cross) vs. Ghana. Vs. Czechia, Brian was bracketed by Rozenhal and Ujfalusi, the latter of which chose to slack off in the following game, with Peter Cech guarding the GK box. A former Bayer Leverkusen sub was of no help on those plays and Bruce obviously taped some porn over the Fulham games where McBride combined splendidly with Heidar Helguson.
seol plays the right side, and is obviously cover for the aging little everyone, please remove bees from bonnets!
As posted elsewhere (https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8954383&postcount=1) Convey signed a 3-year extension w/ Reading. Time to buy the house, bring Lou over, and settle into the Prem.
I don't think so. I think we're all just American's here on this board and these are natural considerations for any player. a) Teams don't sign players just to make the starters play harder, they sign them because they think one day they have a chance to be the starter. b) Any new signing needs to fight for a starting spot The fact that we feel this way about Americans is normal. Anything less is either arrogance or complacency
From what I can see Seoul plays sveral postions, but one of his main psotions is the left wing so it does put pressure on Convey, though it's very unlikely he's not starting the season as the first choice left winger over Convey.
"but Convey is coming off a pretty good year and Seol is just as unproven in the Premier League " Seol played for Wolves in the PL and also in the Champions League for Anderlecht I believe. He's got more experience of playing at a higher level than Convey, but that does not mean he's a better player than Convey of course. Seol's a skilful player and a good signing for Reading.
Where are you getting this information from? I'll admit to being no great follower of Seol, but when he plays on the wing for Korea and Wolves he's a left-sided player who occasioanlly plays on the right.
I've seen him play on both sides. the one argument to right side is that from the left, he cuts back to his right foot a lot.
good news on a few fronts. with seol being on the team, i'll be able to watch every reading match on t.v.; since i live in korea and they show EVERY premiership match that involves a team with a korean player. but more importantly, this signing shouldn't really impact convey at all. seol is primarily a striker, and it would be a stretch for him to beat out convey on the left wing. convey is just a much better out and out left sided midfielder than seol; he's faster and has better ball handling skills than seol does. and yes, just like lee young pyo, seol can't really cross with his left so he almost always cuts back to his right. convey doesn't need to worry anymore than he normally would, he should just be excited to have a new quality teammate.