Reading FC

Noel Hunt
advertisement

Royals in Hunt to replace Noel

By Jonny Fordham
October 30, 2009

Reading boss Brendan Rodgers is stepping up his search for a loan striker after learning that Noel Hunt will be ruled out for the season by a knee injury.

As exclusively revealed on getreading.co.uk, 26-year-old Hunt travelled to see a specialist in London on Wednesday night for an operation to repair damage to knee ligaments.

The Republic of Ireland ace had been relying on injections to get him through games.

The loss of joint-top scorer Hunt is a major blow to relegation-threatened Royals, who are preparing to face Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena tomorrow (3pm kick-off).

But Rodgers insists there is no need to panic, even though the club’s attacking options are restricted to Simon Church, Shane Long and Grzegorz Rasiak as David Mooney and youngster Nicholas Bignall are out on loan.

Royals’ manager said: “We’ve still got one or two (loan) targets we would like and there’s time with the international break coming up to look at it.

“It’s frustrating for Noel as he’s a good player and an important part of this squad.

“It’s been an on-going problem for him that he’s had since he was up in Scotland. So it was a case of trying to nurse him through with injections.

“But the pain was becoming too much for him and he’s only been at 50 per cent of what he has maybe been at before.”

Rodgers could make use of his strong contacts at Chelsea with a move for promising young striker Fabio Borini.

But it is unlikely Carlo Ancelotti will let the Italian go as he is knocking on the door of the first-team squad.

Rodgers’ options are limited by the tight wage bill at Madejski Stadium and getreading understands he is monitoring players in this country and abroad.

“There are always constraints financially, though, and it’s something that needs managing,” added Rodgers.

“I will always identify the type of player that I want and then I will sit and speak with (director of football) Nick Hammond and he will speak with the board in relation to that.

“I have a good relationship with the chairman.

“We speak during the week and the lines of communication are clear and open.

“If there’s a player I need or want then I will go to Nick and we work from there.”

| View Comments (23)

« Previous Story | Next Story »

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.

Most recent user comments 15 of 23

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

This column has been hijacked by Watford supporters and short-term Reading supporters. Brendan Rodgers took the job as manager because he is a Reading Fan but before you judge him anymore consider a few facts - Yes FACTS. Mad John as he was referred to by The Chairman of Tranmere in their programme in the 1995 play-off at Prenton Park allowed about 15 regular first teamers to leave - some for very good prices, others on a free transfer and two on loan during a 14 month period between about June 2008 - August 2009. What was left were players no-one else wanted and a bunch of youngsters with potential. BR desperately needed some new players and backed the ones he knew on probably a very small budget. You cannot find a Dave Kitson, Kevin Doyle, Tommy Jenkins, Robin Friday etc every day of the week. How would Alex F, Arsene W or Rafa cope if their 14 or so best players were sold and they were given about 10% of the proceeds to spend on new players and with a vastly reduced salary budget. Reading are now back to were they had been for about 130 years before 4-5 good years. There is no point in carping and no point in picking on the manager. The Chairman invested money, now he has taken a lot back. However I would prefer our journey of the past few years than that of Aldershot, Swindon or Oxford. Lets do a Liverpool and back the manager and the players and perhaps together we can avoid relegation this year and some of the youngsters will with experience give us hope for next year.

Jon Pepper
26/06/2010 at 22:23

Tonge, Soares nor Kitson made the bench for Stoke on Saturday.... Wages might be a problem but i'd have Kitson over Ras every day of the week. Perfect in that point role BR plays. Tom Soares is a Reading boy too - he would be a very good addition to Midfield.

BR fan, Reading
01/11/2009 at 23:15

Reading will get another manager soon, give him three months and he will be gone to. You can not make a silk purse out of a sows ear the old saying goes. That is what the new manager is going to have to put up with, no money to spend on players.Can you be in the fransfer market for a new chairman i wonder?

Expom, Christchurch New Zealand
31/10/2009 at 10:24

Good call Fred KP another WFC player.

Who writes these so called articles do they live in Fantasyland?

When Rodgers came to you he had two top targets...Tommy Smith and Jack Cork....Jack a chelsea lad who CFC wante to send out on loan....Rodgers strong contacts????? Jack signed for Coventry and Smith risked Pompey. Two huge votes of confidence in a man who has proved to be lacking in integrity....If you were Chelsea would you lend developing talent to a man who will soon be unemployed.....Sorry nothing you say Mr Fordham makes too much sense

chris the vic, Berkshire
31/10/2009 at 10:13

big percy freeman would do just fine after the other night - with malcolm swain controlling the midfield!

Eastbourne Outpost

eastbourne outpost, eastbourne
30/10/2009 at 20:43

K.Lunge makes a very valid point. Why is the Evening Post letter Madejski off the hook? We don't want to hear his views about X Factor. We want to hear and see him back Reading FC.

As it seems you can't think of any football related questions for him, here's your starter for 10.

'What did you think would happen when the club sold or loaned out all of its best players in order to balance the books?'

HARB
30/10/2009 at 18:53

Please dont let Rodgers pick a loan signing striker !!!, we could end upwith worse than weve got, if thats possible

topcat, torquay
30/10/2009 at 15:15

The Bodger must be dusting off his copy of Championship Manager 2009. That's clearly how he scouted his last 5 purchases for us!! Don't tell him the 2010 version is due out shortly, just in time for Xmas and the Jan transfer window. Thank the Lord we've only 2 more games of this over-grown adolescent in charge of our once mighty team.

Mr Angry
30/10/2009 at 14:28

"he only got 2 games left(conventry and ipswich) according to hammond "

I think you'll find that's according to the Daily Mail, not Hammond.

Brendan Rogers ate my hamster. It must be true, it was inThe Sun.

Tom_Foolery, Reading
30/10/2009 at 14:17

get kevin phillips he isn't a regular at birmingham he is well proven at this level despite his age and would have converted at least 3 of the chances made on monday night..

FRED BAINES
30/10/2009 at 14:12

Ok Royals4Life, neither are proven at this level but HOW are we expected to know? The only way I feel we will know is if they play for us! Mooney by all accounts did ok in a poor Norwich side last year so I still reckon we'd be better off recalling one or both and leave the loan market alone.

BTW Fabio Borini whoever he is isn't proven at this level either! All the good young strikers that were available for loan are at QPR.

As for David Healy I'm not sure, we need someone with a bit of pace which Bignall certainly has.

RYF, Royal County of Berkshire
30/10/2009 at 13:48

I'm free on Saturday and up for a game if that helps save a few quid...

walsh_in_wales, Cardiff
30/10/2009 at 13:34

“We’ve still got one or two (loan) targets we would like and there’s time with the international break coming up to look at it." Yeah, no hurry Brendan, we're only mired in the bottom three with the gap to midtable safety growing bythe game. What more would you expect from a man who said after 5 league games that those matches were part of our pre-season!

South Bank
30/10/2009 at 13:16

What about someone like Fran Merida, the Arsenal youngster? Looked great on Wednesday. Surely Hunt should have had this op at the end of last season? I cannot understand why we didn't realise we needed a striker before now!

GwentRoyal, Pontypool
30/10/2009 at 12:58

to RYF, Royal County of Berkshire

calling back any one of them is no use.both have not really proven themselves at this level.i would love healy here btw.

besides,he only got 2 games left(conventry and ipswich) according to hammond so there is a HUGE chance that be WILL be back in the premiership

come on URZ!!