Alex Pearce [Archive]

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gastric

11/05/2011, 3:24 AM

I haven't ever started a thread before - so here goes.
Pearce has declared for us, is he any good?

http://greenscene.me/2011/05/alex-pearce-wants-to-play-for-ireland/

BonnieShels

11/05/2011, 8:11 AM

Congratulations.;)

Can't say that I know a lot about him cos I didn't see much of reading this season. However I will now watch the playoff with even more interest. The more declarations the better.

cornflakes

11/05/2011, 11:19 AM

Our Scottish cousins don't rate him, he played two under 21 games for them (http://taboard.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=128442&st=0)

TrapAPony

11/05/2011, 11:32 AM

BBC article about him from a while ago.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/2009/10/the_new_john_terry.html

BonnieShels

11/05/2011, 11:51 AM

Our Scottish cousins don't rate him, he played two under 21 games for them (http://taboard.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=128442&st=0)

They really don't...

I like this post though...

He's obviously seen Wilson and Hanley are ahead of him with regards to players coming through and thought, "I'm better than McShane"!!

Serb

13/05/2011, 11:05 PM

Jesus, there are some appalling posts on that forum. From calling the player a c*** to blatantly getting all their facts wrong regarding his international eligibility and the player's stance within his club side. They may not rate him on that forum, but from the looks of things, they have no idea what they're rating in the first place. I think we can judge for ourselves.

DannyInvincible

13/05/2011, 11:35 PM

Eirambler

17/05/2011, 8:14 PM

Interesting how the Reading fans' opinions and the Scottish fans opinions of this player differ so much.

It's worth bearing in mind that these guys spent years peddling the 'McGeady is no loss' line and are now in full flow with the 'McCarthy is no loss, sure we have Graham Dorrans' line.

They have absolutely no idea whether his is **** or not, they just hope he is.

Charlie Darwin

17/05/2011, 10:30 PM

He was on the bench for the playoff win tonight if I'm not mistaken.

theworm2345

23/10/2011, 5:36 AM

Meanwhile, Trapattoni has been urged to point his beloved satellite dish towards Reading this evening and check out Alex Pearce.

The highly rated defender (22) wants to prove his international potential to Trapattoni and is hoping that the Irish boss might tune into television coverage of Reading's tie with Championship leaders Southampton.

Pearce has been capped as a schoolboy by Ireland and twice at U-21s by Scotland, but he insisted: "The country I have always wanted to play for is Ireland."
http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/reid-unlikely-to-make-irish-return-under-trapattoni-2913874.html

I watched the first 60 minutes of the match, Pearce had pretty much nothing to do. Southampton were dominated in the midfield (Leigertwood does a good job breaking things up), couldn't get the ball to Lambert or Connolly, and their only chances through the first hour were on the counter...they missed Lallana.

tetsujin1979

29/10/2011, 12:16 PM

Can't find the article online, but it says in today's Independent that Trapattoni will be at Palace - Reading today to watch Pearce, with any luck McCarthy and Scannell will continue their excellent start to the season

Deckydee

04/11/2011, 1:18 PM

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11673/7290594/Pearce-eyes-Republic-call

Declared for us

Ross

06/11/2011, 5:33 PM

I'm a season ticket holder at Reading so I've seen Pearce develop over the last few years. He's a solid enough defender at championship level - reads the game very well and is strong in the air but I don't trust him with the ball at his feet. He's prone to some terrible hoof ball but as far as defending goes he's a standard no-nonsense centre-half, always chipping in with crucial blocks, tackles and defensive headers. He's a threat from set-pieces as well.

He was absolutely fantastic last season until he got injured, our best defender by a long way and miles better than Mills who managed to get himself a £5million move to Leicester. Unfortunately he hasn't found that form this yet this season but he's certainly getting back to his best.

He could well make the step up to international football but his lack of pace is likely to be an obstacle, he's painfully slow! However, he's still ten times the player Paul McShane is (I know it doesn't take much!). I'd rate him as of similar ability to O'Dea so he could well do a job for us. Obviously not in the same league as Dunne or O'Shea, or even St Ledger, but he would be good defensive cover. We're actually in a pretty good position considering it wasn't that long ago that we had absolutely no options at centre-half other than Dunne and O'Shea.

Yard of Pace

26/11/2011, 3:54 PM

Scored Reading's second goal today

TrapAPony

10/12/2011, 3:28 PM

Reading 1-0 up against West Ham. Joey O'Brien got sent off and Pearce scored from the resulting free kick.

Closed Account

06/01/2012, 3:46 PM

Prize guy Pearce's Irish aim

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/7415188/

Reading defender Alex Pearce is hoping his Championship Player of the Month prize will boost his chances of winning a call-up to the Republic of Ireland squad.

Pearce was rewarded for his fine form in December by scooping the Player of the Month award ahead of Barnsleys Ricardo Vaz Te, Middlesborough midfielder Nicky Bailey and Burnleys Kieran Trippier.

The 22-year-old has established himself as one of the best young central defenders outside the Premier League and is thought to be on Giovanni Trapattoni's radar with the Republic of Ireland (http://topics.skysports.com/Republic+of+Ireland/?section=football)http://static.lingospot.com/spot/image/spacer.gif coach watching him on several occasions this season.

Pearce was delighted to scoop the Player of the Month award and hopes it will enhance his claims to win a call-up to Trapattoni's next squad.
"It is always nice to get recognition like that in winning the award and it is a sign the team are doing well," Pearce told skysports.com.
"We have been doing well recently, keeping clean sheets and I have also chipped in with a few goals which may have swayed the vote in my direction.

Dream
"It would be a dream come true for me to play for Ireland at any stage in the future and hopefully things like this award can only help me.

"I think every player wants to play international football and play at the highest level and I am no different.

"I know Mr Trapattoni has come to a few games in the past and hopefully I can get in there and show what I can do and prove myself.

"I believe Mr Trapattoni and his coaching team are aware of me and I will just keep doing what I am doing for Reading and hopefully something will happen with Ireland and they will take a chance on me."

seanfhear

07/01/2012, 9:59 AM

The more quality players that we have competing for places the better and more options at centre back for now and the future are to be welcomed.

Yard of Pace

18/01/2012, 9:59 PM

1 of 6 Championship players destined for the Premiership according to the Grauniad

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/football-league-blog/2012/jan/18/championship-players-premier-league

Alex Pearce, 23, Reading (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/reading)Dominant Scotland Under-21 centre-half who also makes a nuisance of himself up front. Excellent positional play and leadership qualities make up for a noticeable lack of pace for a player clearly modelling his game on a young John Terry.

Charlie Darwin

18/01/2012, 10:03 PM

Scotland Under-21, eh?

Crosby87

19/01/2012, 1:50 AM

Scotland Under-21, eh?

It's evolution, Chuck. He is 23 and Scottish then U-21 and (Bless his heart) Irish.
But he Can't fly. And has small feet.

Ross

28/02/2012, 1:23 PM

theworm2345

24/03/2012, 2:39 PM

Goal Pearce! Again (see: Harte thread) McAnuff the provider as, from deep in the left channel, he cuts it back on to his right foot and delivers a great cross the back post. Pearce, from the right edge of the 6 yard box, guides his header back across goal and in at the far post.

Murfinator

23/04/2012, 3:27 PM

Pearce has been spectacular this season for Reading. Part of the best defensive unit in the championship, having just kept 5 clean sheets in a row. What he lacks in pace he makes up for in a fantastic footballing brain. Fortunately now that we (Reading) have some cash we should be able to keep hold of him. I would have him in the Ireland squad in a heartbeat.

I'm curious how the Reading back 4 is so successful when apparently both Harte and Pearce are very slow. Do they play a very deep line? A holding midfielder to cover? Is the other CB a speed merchant? Are these guys just so tuned in positionally that they don't get caught out in a mismatch? Sweeper keeper?

theworm2345

23/04/2012, 3:56 PM

I'm curious how the Reading back 4 is so successful when apparently both Harte and Pearce are very slow. Do they play a very deep line? A holding midfielder to cover? Is the other CB a speed merchant? Are these guys just so tuned in positionally that they don't get caught out in a mismatch? Sweeper keeper?
The other CB (Gorkss) is not that fast though fullback Shaun Cummings has some pace. They do have a holding midfielder to cover in Mikele Leigertwood and wingers Jobi McAnuff and Jimmy Kebe both have great pace and must help tracking back.

paul_oshea

23/04/2012, 4:07 PM

Colbert Report

23/04/2012, 8:37 PM

They play in the Championship.

Great post! Made me spit Corn Flakes all over my keyboard.

Stuttgart88

24/04/2012, 8:36 AM

Yep, potm candidate.

Sullivinho

29/04/2012, 3:19 PM

Pearce Named Player of the Season (http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~2751826,00.html)

TrapAPony

08/05/2012, 1:02 AM

Pearce eyes Trap's callReading's player of the year hoping promotion will earn him Ireland nod
HE MAY be a new recruit to the cause, but Reading defender -- and Ireland hopeful -- Alex Pearce wants to make one thing clear. He's not jumping on the Irish bandwagon, he was on it a long time ago.
(http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/pearce-eyes-traps-call-3101980.html)"Most people seem to know that I played U21 football for Scotland, but people don't know that Ireland was the first country I played for," Pearce told the Herald.

"I was called up by the Republic way back in my career and I played in an U14 game in a tournament, I think it was up in Derry. Anthony Stokes and Eddie Nolan were in the side, they're the two main ones I remember from the Irish team that day.
"So even though I was born in England and played for Scotland's U21s, I always had a strong Irish connection, the Irish link has always been there -- my dad's mother was from Dublin, though sadly she's no longer with us as she passed away a few years ago.
"But I always hoped that some day I could achieve two things: play in the Premier League and play for Ireland at senior level."
The 23-year-old already has one of those aims almost in his grasp, as Pearce will -- barring a calamity -- be playing in England's top flight next term, as he was a key player -- voted the club's player of the year -- for Reading as they won the Championship title and automatic promotion.

Celebrations are still ongoing and the Reading squad have only just returned from a well-earned club holiday in Spain, all part of the "team bonding" which, Pearce says, has made the Royals such a tight group.
Next up is an international call-up. The Euro 2012 finals will go ahead without his involvement, but by the time the World Cup campaign kicks off in Kazakhstan in September, Pearce hopes to be part of it.

"It's a big ask to break into that squad because there's so much competition but I hope I can do it," says Pearce.
"It's always been my dream to play for Ireland. I got that cap at U14 level and then nothing happened for a few years. Then I got the call to play for Scotland and I did, once, at U21 level, but it was always in the back of my mind that Ireland would always be my choice.
"Thankfully I have everything sorted in terms of the paperwork -- I have my Irish passport -- and hopefully now I can get a call-up at some stage. All I need to do is to catch the eye of the Ireland manager and show him what I can do and hopefully being in the Premier League next season will help. "I haven't had a direct approach from Trapattoni or the FAI yet but I have spoken to people who are involved indirectly so I think the manager knows who I am.

"The squad have done really well to qualify for the Euros, I won't get to Poland in the summer but I'll be supporting the team on TV, I'd love to see them do well and then, hopefully, try to be a part of things for the World Cup qualifiers after the summer."
Elevation to the national team squad is certainly achievable for players like Pearce -- three years ago Sean St Ledger was just an uncapped player in the Championship, now he's almost certain to start in defence for Ireland at the European Championship finals.
And central defence is a position that could be up for grabs in the autumn, especially if Richard Dunne opts for international retirement.
So what could Pearce bring to the party? "I think I have good leadership qualities," he says.

"I am a good solid defender, I win a lot of balls in the air and my distribution on the ground is pretty good, so I think I have enough about me to add to the squad. I have a lot of experience at club level and I had a good season, personally as well as with the club, in the season just gone so I feel I can contribute. I'd sell myself as a good all-round centre half.
"I know it can be done, the Ireland manager has shown with people like Sean St Ledger that he will pick players if they are good enough, no matter what level they play at or what experience they have and I feel I can do the same, and maybe I have more of a chance that I'll move up to the Premier League from the Championship next season.
"All you can hope for is a chance, so that if you don't take that opportunity then it's your own fault, but I feel that if I get a chance with the Ireland squad I won't let anyone down."

The season just gone was Pearce's sixth with Reading but he's had to be patient in his progress, and spent time on loan to toughen himself up, going to clubs like Northampton and Bournemouth to get games. "I have worked my way up, I played in the lower leagues on loan so I have come up the hard way," he says. "I think that's why the reward of playing in places like Anfield and Old Trafford in the Premier League next season will be even better. "We're really looking forward to the Premier League now, you see clubs like Norwich and Swansea go up and do well in that division after going up from the Championship. We'll go into the Premier League with no fear.
"Playing Premier League football will be great exposure for me and if I can just get the call from Ireland, I don't think anything could top that."
(http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/pearce-eyes-traps-call-3101980.html)

DannyInvincible

08/05/2012, 3:11 AM

With Pearce expressing such positively Irish sentiment as that, Ian Harte must find it difficult to play in the same defence.

geysir

08/05/2012, 8:28 AM

He's a good talker, does a good job interview.

paul_oshea

09/05/2012, 7:33 AM

With Pearce expressing such positively Irish sentiment as that, Ian Harte must find it difficult to play in the same defence.

Oh How the irony must be lost on poor Ian, closer to "home", Ian.

elroy

09/05/2012, 9:36 PM

All seems good, must keep a closer eye out for this lad in the future. Centre half is likely to be one of our weakest areas in the coming years, something we havent had to worry about for well over 20 years.

Stuttgart88

09/05/2012, 9:39 PM

Pearce & Duffy are likely to press hard for a place next season. Both have great potential.

Olé Olé

09/05/2012, 10:02 PM

Very true. St. Ledger has been quite good for us since he's been a regular under Trap. But, he's been a championship player and, at times, not even a regular starter. However, there haven't been any really viable alternatives other than O'Dea and Delaney. Next season will be a lot more interesting in this regard because Pearce will most likely be a regular starter for Reading (unless McDermott really splashes the cash). Furthermore, Duffy has a chance to stake a claim in the Everton side and maybe we'll see Clark find his feet at centre-half also. Trap does tend to differentiate between international and club football quite a bit, but if Duffy, Pearce or Clark found themselves getting blooded there at club level and receiving the nod at international level, should they acquit themselves and earn Trap's trust then they could be looking at regular action under him.

Charlie Darwin

10/05/2012, 5:43 AM

Duffy and Clark are extremely unlikely to be playing centre half next season.

SwanVsDalton

10/05/2012, 8:22 AM

Duffy and Clark are extremely unlikely to be playing centre half next season.

Wouldn't rule it out in Clark's case. Cuellar's out of contract, Collins is tacitly for sale and Dunne would probably be flogged too if someone made a reasonable offer . Not much money for quality replacements and Clark's still being looked at for centre-half long term.

Olé Olé

10/05/2012, 10:33 AM

Duffy and Clark are extremely unlikely to be playing centre half next season.

I bordered on 'possibly' rather than 'extremely unlikely' and stand by that. Clark's versatility is another factor standing against him, but hopefully next season isn't just one season too early for him. For Duffy, Distin, Heitinga and Jagielka stand ahead of him and are all far more experienced. But David Weir has gotten a coaching job there and I'd hope he'll work in close contact with Duffy and injuries, suspension and lack of form could see him get a run in the side. He's clearly better than O'Dea and Delaney also.

gastric

08/11/2012, 6:44 AM

elroy

08/11/2012, 8:54 AM

Pearce being linked with Liverpool - maybe a bit of a beat up. Notice I didn't start a new thread as I knew this existed, as I set it up!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2229234/Liverpool-want-Alex-Pearce-replace-Jamie-Carragher.html

I wonder is this as reliable as the old rumour that Liverpool was looking at Glen Whelan.

Plus he doesnt seem to be getting his game at Reading at the moment either...

geysir

08/11/2012, 9:27 AM

I didn't know that Pearce was being frozen out of the Reading first team because of contract issues.

Maybe there's something to the transfer bid rumour or it's just a matter of adding 2+2+2, player in dispute + previous manger + needs a CH.

paul_oshea

08/11/2012, 9:46 AM

That would be 2 + 2 + 2.

geysir

08/11/2012, 10:04 AM

That would be 2 + 2 + 2.
It would be, if I was silly enough to hit the space bar as if it were a machine gun :)

Charlie Darwin

08/11/2012, 1:19 PM

geysir

08/11/2012, 3:28 PM

You can also surmise that he's being linked to Liverpool because of contract issues.
I thought I did give it a decent mention "player in dispute"

Charlie Darwin

08/11/2012, 3:50 PM

Yeah but you also said "maybe there's something to the transfer bid rumour." Madness!

geysir

08/11/2012, 4:07 PM

What do you use in a sentence to link to alternatives? Personally I like to use 'or',
in order to be articulate, like.

gastric

09/11/2012, 9:35 PM

The rumours about Liverpool continue. While I remain sceptical, where there is smoke....

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/281481/No-end-in-sight-to-Alex-Pearce-s-contract-deadlock-at-Reading/

gastric

01/12/2012, 10:02 PM

Was on the bench for the game against Utd, possibly the wages issue has been resolved. Would be good to see him and Morrison at the back for Reading.

elroy

02/12/2012, 2:05 PM

God knows they need him. Conceded 27 in 14 games - somehow thats not quite the worst in the league - but they are atrocious at the back.