As everyone in the Reading community knows by now, the Royals are searching for a new captain. The statement released at 9:03PM on Saturday night announcing that Liam Moore had been stripped of the armband was as sudden as it was blunt.
But ultimately, for a team desperately in need of leaders as they face the final months of the Championship relegation battle, the quest for a replacement captain is crucial.
Here, the Reading Chronicle runs the rule over some of the options available to manager Veljko Paunovic…
Josh Laurent
The case for: Josh Laurent is clearly a leader in this dressing room. Having arrived at the club last summer, the midfielder has racked up 69 appearances out of a possible 71. This season, he has played every single minute of Reading’s Championship campaign. You need your captain to be on the pitch, and Laurent, almost always is.
Additionally, the 26-year old acts as a driving force, propelling his side forward with his determination and boundless energy - an example that should hopefully rub off on the rest of his teammates.
Having captained the side in Moore and Andy Yiadom’s absences, Laurent would seem an obvious choice to at least be considered for the job through the rest of the season.
The case against: Purely on a playing basis, Josh Laurent should be the prototype of what each Reading player aspires to be. Never one to give up and always willing to take responsibility - the few errors he does make can be forgiven. Truthfully, if more of his teammates were similar to him, Reading would likely be well clear of the relegation.
However, while he leads by example, he isn’t the loudest talker on the pitch, something that many managers want in their captain.
Potentially even more crucially, Laurent’s contract is set to expire in the summer and while Reading would love to keep him, he will have other suitors. With a huge amount of uncertainty set to strike Reading this summer many would understandably like the new captain to be tied down for the slightly longer term.
Andy Yiadom
The case for: At 30 years old, Yiadom is one of Reading’s more experienced players, making 106 appearances for the club since arriving in 2018. Formerly captain of Barnsley, Yiadom has both the leadership track record and as a regular for Ghana, the footballing CV to command respect in the dressing room.
He was chosen ahead of Laurent by Paunovic to lead Reading out against Swansea in November, so it would seem he’s the obvious choice to replace Moore for the remainder of the season. A very good player and Reading’s only real option at right-back his place is also not in doubt as long as he is fit.
The case against: That last line brings us to the first point against Yiadom: fitness. While he has made 20 appearances this season, missing just two through injury, Yiadom has struggled to stay healthy throughout his Reading career.
After making 45 appearances in his first season in Berkshire, Yiadom managed just 45 league outings combined over the next two campaigns as knee and hamstring injuries stalled his progress.
He is also currently away at the Africa Cup of Nations so he won’t be able to take the armband straight away. As with Laurent, Yiadom is another of the many players in this squad who is out of contract this summer.
Tom Holmes
The case for: Tom Holmes lives and breathes Reading Football Club and he always has. Having joined the academy as an eight year old, Holmes rose through the ranks before making his first team debut at the age of 17 under Jaap Stam.
From there, it took him some time to nail down a consistent starting berth but last year he truly broke through to make 39 Championship appearances.
His good form has continued this term and at just 21-years old, the sky is truly the limit for Holmes. A natural leader, he captained a youthful Reading side in this autumn's 3-0 League Cup defeat to Swansea City and scored his first goal for the club against Hull City in December. If he satys at Reading he WILL be captain at some point - it’s a matter of when not if.
The case against: Still so young and learning his trade, it’s fair to wonder if the captaincy of his boyhood club is too much responsibility for Holmes at this stage of his career.
There’s no doubt that he would relish the opportunity, but perhaps it’s better for both Reading and the defender if he just focuses on becoming the best centre-back he can be. It’s not an easy team to lead and while taking responsibility has never been a problem for Holmes, it’s always a bit dangerous to put someone so young in the firing line.
On top of that, he is another who is out of contract this summer and while the club have opened discussions with him about an extended deal, Nottingham Forest have made it clear they want to bring him to the City Ground.
While in general, the uncertainty around their Reading futures past this summer has been a mark against, perhaps it’s actually a reason to give the armband to Holmes. Reading need to do whatever it takes to keep him at the club and a show of faith such as this could be an important way to remind him just what he means to this community, town, and football club.
Tom McIntyre
The case for: Another Reading academy graduate who joined the club at the age of eight, McIntyre worked his way up the ranks before breaking onto the scene in December 2018 as he made his first start and won Man of the Match in a 1-1 draw with Rotherham United.
Instantly a cult hero, McIntyre finished the game despite fracturing his skull. If you want to talk commitment and guts, McIntyre certainly has those qualities in spades. The centre-back played just one more time that season before increasing his appearance count to ten the following campaign and 26 last season.
McIntyre is also one of very few Reading players who has his long-term future tied to the club having signed a new deal in June which will keep him at the SCL until 2024. That element of McIntyre’s case should not be underrated.
The case against: It’s a frustrating occurrence on this list, but injuries are a major concern when appraising McInty’re chances of taking the armband.
Currently sidelined with a fractured foot sustained in August, it remains unclear when he will return after suffering a setback in December. Last season a thigh strain ended his campaign prematurely and the year before it was an ankle injury which cost him large swathes of the season.
A healthy McIntyre has a real shot at earning the captaincy either this year or in the future, but unfortunately, we are yet to see a healthy McIntyre for an extended period of time.
The other argument against the defender connects to his injury record and it’s really just a lack of experience. The 23-year old has managed just 38 league appearances for Reading, significantly less than the younger Holmes’ 54.
Yakou Meite
The case for: If we’re judging purely based on popularity, then Meite would be one of the clear front-runners. An immensely well-liked figure in the dressing room for the positive energy he brings everyday, Meite is equally loved by the fans.
Still just 25 years old, he’s also shown himself to be a real game-changer at this level, scoring double-digit goals in each of his last three seasons.
His quality can not be downplayed. And neither can his desire. Having attacked his rehab from an ACL tear with real excitement, Meite is ahead of schedule and he has refused vacation time in order to focus on his recovery. He wants to play and he wants to help the team. Badly.
Additionally, he is another of the eight players in this Reading squad with a contract past this summer, his deal running until June 2023.
The case against: While the impressive attitude Meite has displayed during his time out is certainly a point for him, the actual injury itself goes against him.
With an estiamted return date of ‘sometime in February’ Meite is still quite a long way from playing week in and week out, the forward himself cautioning patience as he looks to get back from an extremely serious injury. If given the armband, another captain would have to be chosen in his absence…solving the problem but only kind of.
Luke Southwood
The case for: Yet another graduate of Reading’s impressive academy, Southwood has take a long route to the first team having gone on loan to Bath City, Eastleigh, and Hamilton Academical before sitting behind former starter Rafael Cabral.
But that all changed in September when the Brazilian suffered a hand injury, opening the door for Southwood. The 24-year old didn’t just walk through, he smashed the door down, becoming Reading’s undisputed number one and relegating Rafael to back-up duties in the process.
Southwood has gone on to make 17 Championship appearances thus far as he continues to improve weekly. The job is so firmly his now that Rafael was allowed to terminate his contract and move back to Brazil where he will be joining Cruzeiro.
Popular with the fans as all academy graduates are, Southwood is 24-years old, making him older than McIntyre and Holmes but still young for a goalkeeper. He’s got plenty of time and experience ahead of him and that should be a good thing for Reading.
Like Meite and McIntyre, he too is signed up past this summer, putting pen to paper in May on a deal that will keep him at the club until 2023.
The case against: The simple truth is that many managers prefer their captain to be an outfield player rather than goalkeepers with a keeper unable to command a presence across the entire pitch.
It may seem a silly reason, but it is something for Paunovic to think about. Other than that, there’s really very little against Southwood’s case. He starts every single game, he is a leader at the club, and he will likely be staying past this summer. The pros certainly outweigh the cons.
Andy Carroll
The case for: Okay okay, I know this one’s a bit of a punt but let’s think about it for a moment. Carroll’s arrival in November was a huge boost for the club and his effect on the pitch has been significant. Carroll has started each of Reading’s last six games, scoring twice and quickly becoming the focal point of this team.
An extremely popular person around the club and a clear leader on and off the pitch, Carroll has a level of experience and pedigree that most don’t have at his level. His CV includes more than 200 Premier League appearances and nine caps for England.
It would only be a short-term appointment but Carroll is a leader - there’s no doubt about that.
The case against: Alright, it’s time to talk about the elephant in the room. Carroll isn’t actually a Reading player. Having signed a short-term deal, the striker's contract expired on Saturday after the Middlesbrough defeat. He is now free to join any club with Burnley amongst the Premier League and Championship sides with an interest in the former Liverpool man.
Reading’s “best possible offer” to keep Carroll has been on the table for weeks now and despite Paunovic expressing confidence that he would stay, no deal has been signed as of yet. Clearly Carroll is checking out his options before committing to anything making it entirely possible he’s already played his last game for Reading.
So Reading fans, we’ve looked at quite a few options but who would you choose to take the captain’s armband following Liam Moore’s shock demotion?
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