Reading pursues Cunny.

[jloome]

I must now go commit ensco's previously promised ritual suicide.

From MLSnet.com


Will Cunningham cash in? A spell that has seen FC Dallas striker Jeff Cunningham score 16 goals in 14 games was bound to attract some attention. And sure enough, Yahoo! Sports reported that English Championship side Reading has expressed interest in the once (and perhaps future) U.S. international, and is hoping to sign him during the January transfer window.
Should Reading step up their pursuit, they'll have to pay a transfer fee to get him. FCD general manager Michael Hitchcock stated through a team spokesman that Cunningham's current contract "doesn't end after this season." Granted, every player has their price, but Cunningham's status makes it more likely that he'll be banging in the goals for FCD beyond this year.

[flatpicker]

When I first read the thread title I thought it has something to do with Cunningham being illiterate.

At any rate... if Reading pick him up, I wish them luck!
We all know how incredibly unpredictable Cunningham is.

[Beach_Red]

So, does this say anything about coaching and systems and getting the most out of players?

By the way, do we need Dallas to win or lose this weekend? If we need them to lose, maybe he could go now?

[Roogsy]

So, does this say anything about coaching and systems and getting the most out of players?

By the way, do we need Dallas to win or lose this weekend? If we need them to lose, maybe he could go now?

I think it does say something about the impact of proper coaching.

[james]

So, does this say anything about coaching and systems and getting the most out of players?

By the way, do we need Dallas to win or lose this weekend? If we need them to lose, maybe he could go now?

we want Dallas to lose, the only way we can make the playoffs with Dallas winning is if New England, DC United and us also win this weekend.

[james]

it really makes you wonder tho. Why is it that cunningham couldnt score a goal for us if his life depended on it and now that hes on another team he scores every game, same goes for Buddle. Makes you wonder if players like say Barrett would be the same, he strugles this season to score, but for some reason i have a fealling if we trade him this year next year hes gonna be another cunningham.

[MartinUtd]

I really hope he goes, it'll be an interesting experiment to say the least.

[Flipityflu]

A 33 year old MLS lifer going to England to end his career, That's different.


yeah, the English can have our old men and invalids for their crappy startup league. probably plays on fake grass as well.

[maninb]

yeah, the English can have our old men and invalids for their crappy startup league. probably plays on fake grass as well.


Nice one.....needed a chuckle this afternoon.......The speed of the Championship defences and the way they close palyers down would cripple Cunny within 2 weeks....He'd be back in MLS with his head spinning by next year...

[Detroit_TFC]

FCD fans were fretting about this on 3rd Degree blog, I told them that they could scupper the deal by sending Reading a vid of Cunningham at TFC.

[Chevy]

we want Dallas to lose, the only way we can make the playoffs with Dallas winning is if New England, DC United and us also win this weekend.

Playing under pressure isn't Cunny's forte. The playoff pressure and the Reading news will make him crumble.

[Pachuco]

we were discussing yesterday in another thread. I don't hate Cunningham the way most of you do, but Reading must be desperate to try and pull this off.

[felipe]

Reading has been on a downward spiral - and signing Cunny will help them continue along that route...won't they be surprised when they find out what a 'true professional' he is. He's not good enough anyways...MLS is the same as midtier league one - not championship level at all.

[ensco]

Not ritual seppuku for me. For some reason I don't hate the guy. I didn't think he had much left, though, boy was I wrong.

If this happens, then DeRo leaving for Europe is a more serious possibility than I had thought.

[Oldtimer]

Reading has been on a downward spiral - and signing Cunny will help them continue along that route...won't they be surprised when they find out what a 'true professional' he is. He's not good enough anyways...MLS is the same as midtier league one - not championship level at all.

Not really true any more.

Five years ago, you could have argued that MLS was equivalent to league one. However, most players who've played in both say that MLS is under-rated and closer to the Championship level. League 1 players like Andy Welsh couldn't cut it here any more.

That being said, New York would struggle in League 2.

[Pachuco]

Not really true any more.

Five years ago, you could have argued that MLS was equivalent to league one. However, most players who've played in both say that MLS is under-rated and closer to the Championship level. League 1 players like Andy Welsh couldn't cut it here any more.

That being said, New York would struggle in League 2.

Yeah, in a league where we have guys making $7M and guys making 30K I think you'll get players who are capable of playing in the Championship and also players who aren't capable of making a reserve team in League 2 (Garcia anyone?) :). If you looked at the level of play overall though, I don't think you could say we are equivalent to the championship. That's my thought. Wouldn't it be nice to play a mini tournament against them to see if that's really the case though? something competetive where the teams would have something to play for? Now that would be cool.

[Chevy]

From what I gather from watching and listening is that MLS teams would overlap the bottom half of the Championship and the top half of League 1.

Houston = Mid Level Championship
NY = Mid Level League 1 (maybe lower) ;)

[Beach_Red]

Yeah, in a league where we have guys making $7M and guys making 30K I think you'll get players who are capable of playing in the Championship and also players who aren't capable of making a reserve team in League 2 (Garcia anyone?) :). If you looked at the level of play overall though, I don't think you could say we are equivalent to the championship. That's my thought. Wouldn't it be nice to play a mini tournament against them to see if that's really the case though? something competetive where the teams would have something to play for? Now that would be cool.

Not to quibble, but shouldn't that be, "a guy?"

Still, it does seem like there are more guys in MLS around the million mark than there were a few years ago.

But if you were looking to pick up someone from MLS would it be Cunningham?

[Cannon]

FCD fans were fretting about this on 3rd Degree blog, I told them that they could scupper the deal by sending Reading a vid of Cunningham at TFC.

But did they actually take you up on your suggestion?

[Brooker]

I knew they got relagated from the EPl in 2008 and all... but have things gotten THAT bad?


FCD fans were fretting about this on 3rd Degree blog, I told them that they could scupper the deal by sending Reading a vid of Cunningham at TFC.

LOL! Sad but so so true.

[trane]

What? This cannot be real. What are they going to go down to League 1?

[Bobo]

we want Dallas to lose, the only way we can make the playoffs with Dallas winning is if New England, DC United and us also win this weekend.

This gives us a 91% chance if we win? Doesn't really seem like it.

[TFCUNITED]

When I first read the thread title I thought it has something to do with Cunningham being illiterate.

Same here.

[bimmer]

we want Dallas to lose, the only way we can make the playoffs with Dallas winning is if New England, DC United and us also win this weekend.

No, we're also in if Colorado loses/draws.

[Troll]

I think it does say something about the impact of proper coaching.


How many times did Cunningham drive the ball right into the keepers knees when he was 1 on 1 with the keeper? How can you blame the coaching there? Sir Bobby Robson himself couldn't do jack shit with Cunny if he decides he doesn't wanna play.

[Beach_Red]

How many times did Cunningham drive the ball right into the keepers knees when he was 1 on 1 with the keeper? How can you blame the coaching there? Sir Bobby Robson himself couldn't do jack shit with Cunny if he decides he doesn't wanna play.


It starts to look a little suspicious when he's been on a few different teams and this is the only one on which he didn't want to play. And frankly, he wasn't the only guy who quit on the team that season.

[keem-o-sabi]

Reading has been on a downward spiral - and signing Cunny will help them continue along that route...won't they be surprised when they find out what a 'true professional' he is. He's not good enough anyways...MLS is the same as midtier league one - not championship level at all.

what planet are you on?

[rocker]

It starts to look a little suspicious when he's been on a few different teams and this is the only one on which he didn't want to play. And frankly, he wasn't the only guy who quit on the team that season.

well, looking back at Cunny's career, TFC wasn't the first team where he flaked out.

If you put his goal scoring totals on a chart, it'd look like the stock market boom, then crash... then boom.. then crash.

After he scored 12 for Columbus in 1999, he scored 2 in 2000.
Then he scored 16 for Columbus in 2002, but he scored only 5 the next season.

In colorado, he scored 12, but they didn't like his attitude and he went to RSL. Then in RSL, Jason Kreis hated the guy... and off he went to TFC. I don't think it's just TFC. In 2007 Dichio fed him with lots of GREAT passes (patricularly off Dichio's head) and the guy still failed. And then there was the game against Montreal..........

[ManUtd4ever]

^^ Fair enough, but isn't it odd that Buddle, Casey, and now Cunningham have all excelled with other clubs? I think the coach/systems have an impact on the performance of a player as well...

[ManUtd4ever]

I must now go commit ensco's previously promised ritual suicide.

From MLSnet.com


Will Cunningham cash in? A spell that has seen FC Dallas striker Jeff Cunningham score 16 goals in 14 games was bound to attract some attention. And sure enough, Yahoo! Sports reported that English Championship side Reading has expressed interest in the once (and perhaps future) U.S. international, and is hoping to sign him during the January transfer window.
Should Reading step up their pursuit, they'll have to pay a transfer fee to get him. FCD general manager Michael Hitchcock stated through a team spokesman that Cunningham's current contract "doesn't end after this season." Granted, every player has their price, but Cunningham's status makes it more likely that he'll be banging in the goals for FCD beyond this year.

LMFAO!

[Bobo]

How many times did Cunningham drive the ball right into the keepers knees when he was 1 on 1 with the keeper?

About as many times as he missed the net completely.

Tactics didn't hold Cunny back but Carver at one point did come out and say that he didn't understand how Cunny scored 96 goals in the league. I think its safe to say something was going on between the two well prior to those comments.

[Yohan]

if reading wants to take a chance on 33yr old attitude problem and streaky striker, they can go ahead

just how much is reading willing to play? 250,000? lol.

no sense for MLS to sell Cunty, unless Reading is going to give up like a million bucks

[Candu_88]

I have already sent a warning to Reading through the Hob Nob Anyone? website. RFC are really struggling right now they have lost all their key players from their league record 106 points team in 2006. Shorey, Little, Sidwell, Convey, Doyle, Shunt etc. and manager Steve Coppell retired.

They are bringing in many academy players that look like they have great potential and have brought in an academy coach like Chris Cummins named Brendan Rogers. Just like CC he is adapting to the manager role.

They have several forwards with tremendous potential Nicholas Bignall and Simon Church and Dave Mooney in the reserves or on loan. As long as they avoid relegation I'm confident that RFC (my second favourite team) will be a threat to return to EPL in the next two years.

No way Cunny could help this team.

TFC should be looking at those forward mentioned above and the wingers James Henry, Hal Robson Kanu and central defender Alex Pearce.

[Beach_Red]

About as many times as he missed the net completely.

Tactics didn't hold Cunny back but Carver at one point did come out and say that he didn't understand how Cunny scored 96 goals in the league. I think its safe to say something was going on between the two well prior to those comments.


Yes, and some people on here were upset that Carver would take that kind of thing public.

That does seem to be the thing about coaching in MLS - you're going to have very frustrating players, inconsistent guys, and you have to deal with that.

[TorCanSoc]

Isn't Bobby Convey back in MLS? Sorry too lazy to check the situation of his departure. If Reading wasn't pleased with Convey, they're not going to be pleased with an aging MLS life'r.

[Candu_88]

Convey lost his starting spot to the speedy Kebe. Convey had a long term knee injury similar to Hargreaves. Many of the supporters weren't happy to see Convey leave.

Reading are one of the few teams in England that aren't accumulating debt and are spending profit on the academy, practice facilities and stadium upgrades.

It has been revealed recently that were losing money after getting relegated from the EPL due to the huge jump in wages. Over the last two years they have sold of their best players for 25 million pounds and only spent a small fraction of that for the current squad.

Reading won the reserve league title while in the EPL so that is a strong indication on the quality of the academy players moving into the first team squad.