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Reading FC boss Brian McDermott
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McDermott's super transfer-market sweep at Reading FC

By Jonny Fordham
August 09, 2012

Brian McDermott had a clean sweep in landing every single one of his transfer targets.

The Reading boss has added seven new faces to his squad this summer and has been linked with even more players.

But he insists that despite all of the rumours and specualtion surrounding scores of other players, the only names he went for were the ones that he eventually brought through the door.

And the former chief scout hasn’t been short of agents contacting him offering their clients’ services since promotion to the Premier League and Anton Zingarevich’s £25million buyout either.

“I’ve had a lot of agents in touch, loads even,” said McDermott.

“But each and every player that I have got have all been targets of mine. All the players I went for, I got. Anyone I didn’t want I didn’t go for.”

Follow Royals reporter Jonny Fordham on Twitter here

Just last week both Royals and West Bromwich Albion had to come out and deny any truth linking Shane Long with a return to Madejski Stadium this summer.

Reports claimed that the Reading fan’s favourite was subject of a £5.5million bid from McDermott and that he was ready to quit the Hawthorns to return to Berkshire.

McDermott has had to also bat away questions surrounding wild specualtion linking him with moves for players from World Cup and Champions League winner Filippo Inzaghi to former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Manchester United striker Michael Owen.

“For me – anything else that goes on in the background is irrelevant as there’s loads going on,” admitted McDermott.

“It’s out of my control and it doesn’t matter to me in one way or another.

"It’s like people having a chat down the pub about who we might sign. We did the business that we wanted to do.”

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Most recent user comments 10 of 10

Personally I think we'll be ok, but if not, then we do have the January window to put things right, as we did last season...... Pleased with the progress so far, evolution, not revolution........

Southbank Dave
30/08/2012 at 15:56

Good point Tilidie. We will definitely need to create a lot more chances in the premier league and can not see us being able to keep out opposition strike forces to the same extent (or rely on them to be so wasteful in front of our goal). I am sure that Brian has a new system worked out for the premier league. For me we will be in the bottom six. Hope we get off to a good start. We need to build confidence fast. I know that we have cover in every position but some of that cover is a bit powder puff. hmm Reading 4 Stoke 0 then! ;0) If your happy and you know it clap your hands!

poru, Bournemouth
09/08/2012 at 21:47

Statistics suggest "the Mighty Royals had over 140 less shots over last season than West Ham and just under 100 less than Southampton". IMO this was because we employed 2 very deep lying defensive midfielders that did not go forward or create enough. Hopefully this tactic will change in the Premier and we will be a tad more exciting to watch. Mind you........look at the number of clean sheets we acheived by playing in such a style!!! We appear to be 3rd favourites for relegation but my moneys on a higher finishing up the league than that.

Tilidie, Reading
09/08/2012 at 13:50

Let's trust our manager who got us into the Prem and not treat him like he has already failed! Give them a chance and lets see what happens. Its gonna be a fight...and if Brian got all of his targets then im definitely happy coz last season he lost 2 key players and won the league!

Dee Reading Man, Tilehurst, Reading
08/08/2012 at 19:10

Well put askan....maybe I should be a bit more diplomatic in future.

Lester Crinklesack
08/08/2012 at 15:31

Not knocking anyone's comments as you are entitled to them and may be proven right. However BMcD has made a statement, and if true he must think he has enough to get us through the season. It is all too easy to demand big name signings but it is not as simple as many may imagine. For starters the boss must target someone who is not only good enough but must fit into the set up and system. In addition the player must want to play for him and not come in as a Prima Donna who refuses to play when it rains and upsets the entire happy camp. I have every faith in Mr McD and as previously posted in another thread I think at present anyway our biggest challenge is to make sure he's there at the end of the season. Again this may change, but I sincerely hope not.

askan
08/08/2012 at 14:21

Totally agree with Reading1987....TilehurstEnder/Poru - You are the 1%.

You must be very naive to think that Guthrie/Pogregnyak/Gunter/Mariappa/McCleary/Shorey on top of last seasons team can't compete in the Prem. Or are you hoping to win the league this season too? In that case yeah, you're probably right....not quite good enough.

Lester Crinklesack
08/08/2012 at 14:01

Still feel we are a bit short on class for the premiership. I worry about creativity through the middle of the park. Pog is a good signing but we can not just rely on supply from out wide or set pieces. This will not be enough in the Premierhship. It will be interesting to see how we get on in the first few games. Stoke home and Chelsea and Sunderland away.. Think we are looking for 3 or 4 points from those. I guess if we struggle then we still have time to bring in a couple more before the window closes. Not a good idea to risk leaving it to January. Anyway, will be at the Stoke game and looking forward to it!

poru, Bournemouth
08/08/2012 at 13:22

Got to laugh at some comments on here! I must be in the 1% who is thrilled with the attacking options we have signed. The Pog being a massive signing and statement. Any way the best statements will be on the pitch and not in the gossip pages

Reading1987
08/08/2012 at 13:07

Like 99% of fans I'm disappointed that we haven't signed a proven goal scorer.

With all the money from Sky + talk of increasing the size of the Stadium, plus the so called Billionaire owner you would have thought we would a made a statement of our intent to stay long term in the PL

Championship here we come!