Published: Thursday, 10th July, 2008 10:00
`We won't be held to ransom'
By Anthony Smith
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STEVE Coppell has declared Reading will not be held to ransom by unsettled players looking to leave the club.
A number of Coppell’s first-team stars are hankering for a move back to the Premier League after Royals crashed out of the top flight.
James Harper, Nicky Shorey, Dave Kitson, Leroy Lita, Stephen Hunt, Kevin Doyle and Leroy Lita could all leave in the summer for the right price.
But tough-talking Coppell insists the club does not need to sell to raise funds which could scupper any likely transfers.
That is certain to anger the players themselves who have taken a dramatic pay cut as a result of relegation and could earn vast amounts more in the Premier League.
But Coppell insisted: “The one thing you can’t do is sell a player just because he is unhappy. There is a responsibility when you sign a contract.
“If we sold someone for that reason it is an invitation for disaster. We can’t respond to that kind of bullying.”
Coppell insists no-one has handed in a transfer request, though Shorey and Lita have rejected new contracts and appear certain to leave.
“It’s all very carefully worded nowadays,” explained Coppell. “It’s very rare for someone to come in and sling a letter on your desk which has happened in the past.
“They come in and the conversation is very much along the line of `if anyone was to come in I feel I should be playing in the Premier League and wouldn’t be against the move.’
“I can understand that attitude. We have had a taste of the Premier League and they all want to be there.
“But there are two options; the quick way which is the transfer by signing a new contract somewhere else, or there is the hard way which, unfortunately, involves 10 months.
“The easy option is attractive at this stage but there has to be clubs who want to sign them.”
Harper is being chased by Middlesbrough and Bolton, though it is thought his £5 million price tag may scare them off.
Shorey is wanted by Portsmouth and West Ham, Fulham and Wigan like Kitson and Sunderland are lining up a double swoop for Doyle and Hunt. Lita, farmed out to Charlton on loan last season, is reported to be on Newcastle and Stoke’s radar.
All the players listed are under contract and Coppell insist no-one will leave unless the price is right.
“There have been speculative phone calls, there have been a couple of what I call `flier’ bid, though only three at the most,” he stated.
“It’s wrong to be specific but as far as I’m concerned they are all some considerable distance away (from our valuation).
“It’s what you do in the summer - you throw in a bid thinking the club might be desperate. They may have a tax bill or the chairman might be frightened. We’re fortunate that our chairman is right behind us and we don’t have to sell. We’re not going to give any players away.
“We don’t have to sell anybody. There are no financial pressures on us to sell. We will only accept realistic market values for our players.”
And he added: “This is almost expected when you get relegated because you are vulnerable.
“I have players who feel they should be playing in the Premier League and I have players who certain Premier League managers would love to add to their staff.
“But there is a process to go through. First there’s speculation, then more reality and then possibly or probably movement.
“We’re not in isolation - Manchester United and Arsenal have experienced it. It’s just that time of year. Once everyone gets deep into pre-season preparation and playing games the emphasis goes elsewhere.”
Despite the widespread rumours, Coppell still hopes the majority of his squad will stay and fight for promotion back to the top-flight.
“I’d like to think there aren’t too many who want to go,” he said. “They may not have as many options as they think.
“But I don’t want anyone who doesn’t want to be here. It’s a question of looking people in the eye and seeing what their real intent is.”
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