Remember Reading are now owned by extremely wealthy Russians so are financially probably in a much healthier position than us. They will not have to buy and sell the Pozzo way, but can buy their way to success and pay much higher wages. Personally I think this is a plus for everyone. Mapps secure a good financial future, we get a good transfer fee and gives a chance to the likes of Bennett and Thompson or a loanee from Udinese. I am not sure Mapps is quite as good as some on here suggest although I wish him well.
Sadly money talks! Look what happened to Sordell, probably quadrupled his weekly wage, hasn't played and now back in the Championship Grass-greener-perhaps not
Re Sordell, I suspect that some players (probably encouraged by their agents) are more interested in their bank balances than actually playing football.
Good luck to him, he deserves a go in the top division. Interesting how no one is complaining about the price or accusing the owners of cashing in and taking the money. Seems the price has not changed from a month or so ago, just our owners and therefore peoples attitude to the deal.
Probably because we know that the fee will be re-invested in the team rather than put in Bazzas safe.
Personally I don't think £2 million is an especially good fee for him, although I appreciate he only has a year left on his contract. I'd imagine part of the add ons involve Reading staying up. Alot of us here believed that, post takeover, we'd no longer have to sell our assets quite so easily or so cheaply. Seems we may be wrong. Am very excited by the Zola era and am sure there will be some exciting additions to enjoy, but so far from our excellent run of form post January onwards, we've lost the goalkeeper, best defender and leading scorer. It's all going to be very new come August 11!
The problem though, is if the player wants to go. Zola wanted Mapps to stay but you cant force a player too if he really wants out. Just look at what happened with Williamson refusing to get on the team coach. Marriappa's more professional than that mind, but 2mil was probally the best sum for all parties involved
Onwards and upwards, wonder if Zola will bring another player in or break Bennett in over the season. Got two good championship cb's in Nos and Tiny so not too concerned about losing Mapps to be honest.
I like Maps but am not convinced that his is Prem class and so finding a replacement shouldn't be too hard. If Zola couldn't convince the lad of the clubs ambitions then i am happy he is leaving. Wages are clearly a prime motivator as it is for most of us so I don't really understand people who are surprised or annoyed when this kind of thing happens even if the player involved is not guaranteed first team football. It all very well to say "it's all about playing and winning trophies" ... when you have secured a financially stable future for your family/
I think some people on this thread are looking at Marriappa with Rose tinted glasses. Yes he was and has been a good player for us but I don't think he is premiership class. We will miss him but now we have the option to bring in better players. Cheers Mapps wish you all the best.
It means he doesn't have to move house, as according to reports he is settled in the area, Watford to Reading in time for training isn't that difficult, (he can even car share with Sir Nigel) why wouldn't he want to at least triple his wages and play in a nicely constructed stadium. Go for it Adi you have been a loyal player for us and the best of luck
Think it's good business all round. Reading will do well to get relegated this year given their financial backing and a pretty solid manager Mariappa get's another crack at the Prem which he deserves and might not get it here for 2 years at least. We get in excess of £2mil for a player with only 12 months on his contract - the same we were offered in January. Only downside is it leaves us a place to fill at the back as Dale Bennett isn't good enough (and never will be) for where the new owners want to take us.
Really? A player who's only 22 and made only 13 starts over the last couple of years and you've already seen enough to say catergorically that he'll never be good enough? Looked pretty good against West Brom to me a few years back and was exceptional against West Ham away last season. Then again a lot of people thought Mariappa wasn't good (or tall) enough to play Centre Back, not me though, I was loving Mariappa before it was cool.
I think the fact that he has only made 13 starts may answer your own question. Im another that doesn't see Bennett having much of a future at WFC,yes none of us have seen that much of him,but when Mirfin gets on the bench ahead of him then there must be something wrong.
He was on loan at Brentford and we had just signed Mirfin. As I'll repeat for you again he was only 22 in January which is why he has only made 13 starts as they've tried to loan him out to get him some first team football rather than sitting in the reserves. Was he meant to just take Jay Demerit or Martin Taylor's place? Or Mariappa's? or Nosworthy's?
In a word, yes. With our new owners our aspirations are to be a lower half Prem team in 3/4 years. Bennett will never be of that quality and he's not championship quality now. Where do you see him fitting in?
I wonder if Mariappa now representing Jamaica had any bearing in seemingly letting him go so easily? With Nosworthy also in their squad it would be possible to have our two first choice centre backs travelling across the world and back during international weekends. This would leave them knackered for the following Championship fixtures and possibly, and only possibly mind you, WFC having to field a second choice centre back pairing for those games. Just a thought and probably rubbish but thought I'd put it out there.
we might have wealthy owners but that's because they sell players when they can get the most. Mariappa is probably at that stage for us - I think 2-3 mil is a fair price for a player, especially a defender with a year left on their contract. Would have been nice for him to stay (he's certainly better at centre back than right back) but unlike in previous times losing our player of the season no longer feels like the end of the world. Onwards and upwards.
I agree, Mapps owes Watford nothing and is entitled to advance his own career, but I can't help being a little surprised he was so intent on leaving. Reading are a newly promoted club and have no guarantee of being in the Premier for longer than a season. Come next May the roles could be reversed, with Watford being promoted and Reading relegated. Maybe he just doesn't believe in the "project" that was explained to him?
Reading have billionaire owners so realistically have a very good chance of staying up. Financially they are much more secure than we are and as such can pay far higher wages to their players. This is one of the rare cases where everybody wins.
