The Reading way

Friday, 03/09/2010

by Shoot's Reading blogger, Esther Star.

It’s been a busy transfer window at the close. Outgoing is Gylfi Sigurdsson, one of the best players ever to pull on the Reading shirt who goes for a club record fee that may just keep us going at the same level we’ve become accustomed to.

It was always a hope that the 20-goal midfielder would stay and help us push for promotion, but the real surprise is that he hasn’t gone to a Premier League club.

Instead, he’s gone to Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga and to be fair, the move is probably a better one for him at this stage as he’ll be playing with some of the best in Europe. He will be sadly missed and a few tears were shed at his leaving – not least by Siggy himself.

Incoming we have Ian Harte from Carlisle whose 18-goal haul seems quite impressive for a 32 year-old. The fact that he did this whilst playing at centre-back is even more amazing – banging in penalties and free-kicks from 35 yards sounds good whichever league you’re in.

If he can continue that form for us then he will have gone someway to filling the goal black hole left by Gylfi’s departure. I’m looking forward to seeing him in action.

Also signing for us on loan we have Zurab Khizanishvili, a defender whose name scores more in Scrabble than he does on the pitch. This isn’t a problem though. 

We already know that he is a solid centre half and with our other defenders not afraid to push up in search of goals, it’s good to know he’ll be back defending.

Lee Hendrie is the final name brought into the side. He’s only training with us at the moment, but it looks like he will be given some sort of contract.

At the age of 33 and without a club, on paper, he doesn’t look that good. Many of his best days may have come years ago with Aston Villa and Leeds and when you look at the bad-boy headlines, his name may raise a few eyebrows.

But it seems half the squad know him and he seems eager enough so maybe we should do as McDermott wants and give him another chance. After all, he’s free and hungry for football. It’s the Reading way.

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