Reading FC

« Previous Story | Next Story »

| Submit Comments | View Comments (28)

THROWING DOWN THE CHALLENGE: Ryan Bertrand

You need Flash player 8+ and JavaScript enabled to view this video.

298

250

false

6RzFCeCpZ34

Bertrand: We're bigger and better than Leicester City

By Jonny Fordham
October 23, 2009

Ryan Bertrand has lit the touchpaper ahead of Monday night’s clash against Leicester City by insisting Reading are a bigger club and better club.

Although Royals have not won a Championship game in nine months at Madejski Stadium, the 19-year-old left back insists that they should still be regarded as favourites to turn over eighth-placed Leicester (live on Sky Sports 1, 8pm kick-off).

He said: “Leicester is a big club if you go back through the history books.

“But at this moment in time the league positions are irrelevant. Reading is a better football club than Leicester.

“They say the table never lies, and I guess it doesn’t, but that just shows they’re on a better run than us at the moment.

“The fact is we’re a better football club than Leicester and we should go out there as favourites.”

Nigel Pearson’s side travel to Berkshire on the back of a 2-0 home win over Crystal Palace, whereas Royals have lost their last three games.

And Bertrand, who is expected to return to Royals’ starting line-up after missing Tuesday’s 4-1 defeat at QPR with concussion, conceded: “Leicester will be full of confidence. They’ve just come into the league and are doing well and we can’t underestimate them.

“But I think it’s a game that we will go out and win.”

Bertrand, who is on loan from Chelsea, is desperate to get a victory that would lift Royals away from the relegation zone and ease the pressure on under-fire manager Brendan Rodgers.

He said: “It’s important that we defend well, but the emphasis will be on attacking Leicester and getting the three points.

“If we can eradicate the mistakes and the whole team chips in with a goal here and there, then we should be fine and hopefully the crowd will get behind us as well.”

Until three days ago Bertrand was the only Reading outfield player to have played in every league game this season.

He added: “I was gutted about (getting concussed at West Brom on Saturday), but the main thing is that I’m back now.

“Hopefully if I continue what I’ve been doing in training then I should get back into the team, I’m feeling much better now.”

| Submit Comments | View Comments (28)

« Previous Story | Next Story »

Most recent user comments 15 of 28

1 | 2 | Next Page Show 15 | 25 | 50 per page

What a stupid article.

Your players need to shut up and perform

Watford Hero
26/10/2009 at 09:12

Leicester have been were you are. Things will only get worse for your team as you have lost 2 key strikers and I don't think you have replaced them with the quality needed. i thought at the start of the season you would do well but to be honest the rot has been with your team since the last part of last season if not before. i honestly believe you are going down because you have not got the quality or the fight at the minute. Leicester however is on the way up the league as we fight, i accept we don't have the best squad but neither did reading the year you got promoted. the only thing we have in common is our dislike for mark Mcghee.

leicestertobeatreading, Leicestershire
23/10/2009 at 16:57

Well done RFC PR department, roll out another player spouting spurious rubbish! There's a pattern developing here. Send a player out before the match to talk cr*p. Then after the match send the manager out to talk cr*p!

Who wants a bet if we lose Monday night, Brenda will be out?

love buddha, Berkshire
23/10/2009 at 14:23

I think Ryan needs to keep his mouth shut and focus on the task at hand. His performances this season have barely filled me with confidence, so publically spouting off rubbish about an oppositional side who have made a good start to the season - when Reading haven't - is not wise. Why Rodgers is even allowing his players to talk to the press at the moment is beyond me. The time he has with his players should be spent trying to work out why they haven't won a home game in almost 10 months and without a point in the last three. No team unity, no confidence, NO CHANCE! If Leicester win on Monday then i'm expecting Ryan to use the column inches of the EP to personally apologise to those he has offended.

Shut up and get on with your game mate.

The Ruscombe Rambler
23/10/2009 at 14:06

This lad is only 19 and I'm guessing he didn't know there was a world north of Watford, obviously very naive and ignorant. Somebody needs to pull him to one side and let him know that the team he's succeeding in winding up, have only lost twice this season, are only three points off the top of the table, have a superb owner, fantastic manager, great team spirit, fourth highest average attendance in the league and some of the best training and sports science facilities in the country. Good luck to you for the rest of the season (after Monday night of course)

Yorkie LCFC, Derby
23/10/2009 at 13:43

I like Reading FC because we are a provincial side who get on with our business and leave the 'Bertie Bigballs' types who frequent VIP nightclubs whilst swanning around like David Essex to it. We now appear to have several in our squad and a manager who is doing little to stop it; people who want to support Chelsea and listen to permanent hubris are welcome to it, please let us get on with being Reading FC. PS Betrand, you and your mate Cummings are total bobbins, give me Armstrong, Murty or Kerr any day.

Trevor Wallid, Tilehurst
23/10/2009 at 13:42

If you ever want to do the opposition manager a favour Just do something like this. His team talk will be so much easier now. Heres betting on the team coach from Leicester several copies of this article will be doing the rounds. I therefore predict Reading 0-2 Leicester. One has to wonder is Ryan Bertrand old enough to wipe his own nose yet let alone who or what is bigger and better in the world of Football.When he's been around in the game for a lot longer andmaybe won a few things like championships ,Cups, International caps ..then maybe he'll have something worth listening to to say.

A. XYZ
23/10/2009 at 13:25

Unbelievable!! Not sure whether to blame his tutelage under Rodgers or his apprenticeship under Moan-riniho for his embarrassing, unsubstantiated comments. Based on the regular flow of similar diatribe from our players and the lack of performances on the pitch, I'm wondering if the majority of training sessions are now classroom based i.e. how to talk a good game, how to draw little stick men on a tactics whiteboard.

Agree with most others on here, implement a gagging order on all players ASAP. Let them do their talking on the pitch.

Biffa, Didcot
23/10/2009 at 13:10

What frigtens me more than anything is the fact the manager and players actually think they are the best and that they are doing a good job.

Forbury Lion
23/10/2009 at 13:07

You may think we're the best Bertie but talk is cheap. Go out and prove it because the league table never lies.

If a Reading player had said this 18 months ago then you would have to take them at their word.

Forbury Lion
23/10/2009 at 13:06

Of course it's a stupid thing to say, and its also wrong, but to be fair to the guy we haven't see the full transcript of the interview. The question could well have been; Reporter "Leicester are a big club and will bring a lot of fans so you must be expecting another really tough game this Monday?".

To which there are probably 3 possible answers, coming from a fairly simple footballer:

1. The response that you think makes your own fans feel good and positive about their club, i.e the one he sort of gave (but failed based on performances not backing this up).

2. You give a balanced view, agree that Leicester are a big club, but so are Reading and we need a good performance to back it up.

3. Tell the truth. Which is that Leicester I think got relegated two seasons ago to spend the first period in their clubs history outside the top two divisions, have a large, loyal fan base (average 20k+ crowds in League 1. In comparison Reading have spent 99% of our history OUTSIDE the top two divisions, have only around 6,000 real loyal fans, a load more that jumped on the bandwagon in 2005 and now expect miracles every season as a result. And that after this season will probably be back to where we have spent 99% of our history, though I really hope not.

Suspect answer 3 wouldnt have gone down to well with our own fans, and 2 is asking a bit much of a simple footballer.

JE, Reading
23/10/2009 at 13:05

You should all come and watch the Tavern better viewing and its free. We would offer to play Reading but i think Brendon would say no as another defeat wont help.

Classified
23/10/2009 at 12:42

Leicester fan in peace.

Sorry guys, I've just managed to stop laughing at this thread for long enough to type this note.

Who is this arrogant, overconfident young man? Generally footballers are footballers and not Public Relations officers for a reason. I do feel for all fans when players come out with utter rubbish like this 'boy' has.

Who knows who will win any game in this league? But history states that 'yes' we were a big club if you judge that on how many seasons you stay in the Prima Donna League but I believe we were there for 6 seasons as opposed to your 2.

Basically, stop players from belittling our clubs through the media. It's only ever the fans that suffer.

Let's hope we (the fans) witness a cracking game of football on Monday night, and may the best team win.

Dclcfc, Midlands
23/10/2009 at 12:27

Looks like Brendan Rodgers's training now stretching as far as PR for the players, either that or his rubbish is really rubbing off on them now. Still with another home defeat in the bag at least we'll get the chance to say goodbye to BR & his team of charlatans. Hopefully they can take Kebe & Rasiak with them.

Northstand Norman, Earley
23/10/2009 at 12:22

High minded comments, but now he needs to prove them on the pitch. If you're going to say you're bigger and better than someone else, you'd sure better have something to back it up with.