Ian Harte to Sunderland and possibly A.Reid

[Noelys Guitar]

Harte on "trial" at Sunderland. Sure to sign next week according to the more reliable internet sites. Also Sunderland have made a second bid for Andy Reid (one made last Jan). Reid is a premiership player without a doubt. Actually would love to see him playing in La Liga.

[theworm2345]

Would be great to see both of them there, it wouldn't be great for Stokes as Reid would either play left wing (where Stokes is usually playing) or maybe in the middle, though I'm fairly certain Keane is happy with the central midfield. Harte would be great as last week Russell Anderson and Danny Collins were both awful. The match is live on Saturday, hopefully at least one of them will be in the squad for it

[dr_peepee]

Sweet.... Had heard about Harte but the Reid thing was news to me. Hope it materialises. Chartlon would hope to cash in sooner rather than later if his head is turned. Gives them some time to use the cash from the sale to buy in replacements, rather than waiting and have him leave too late to replenish the squad.... Just wishfull thinking on my part though.

[Lionel Ritchie]

good for all concerned if it comes to pass.

[endabob1]

good for all concerned if it comes to pass.

Except Charlton clearly ;)

[joeSoap]

good for all concerned if it comes to pass.Don't see how really. Harte is a woeful defender that will be badly exposed by class premier standard players. Free kicks are his forte.

Reid is still fat. If Keane can knock him into shape, and that's a big if, then he would be a good signing alright.

[Dr. Ogba]

Don't see how really. Harte is a woeful defender that will be badly exposed by class premier standard players. Free kicks are his forte.

Reid is still fat. If Keane can knock him into shape, and that's a big if, then he would be a good signing alright.

Have you seen him play recently? Looked in decent shape on Friday and is currently playing week in-week out for Charlton...this fat thing is a bloody myth. I bet you think Richard Dunne is fat?

[joeSoap]

Richard Dunne was fat, and worked damn hard to get into the shape he's currently in. Perhaps Reid should go on the same programme.

[shakermaker1982]

Andy Reid is just big boned. If that is good enough for Eric Cartman then it's good enough for me. As long as he does the buisness on the pitch and puts a god shift in then he can be as big as he wants if you ask me. If it is starting to affect his games then he needs to act. He was always a big lad at Forest but nearly always lasted the full 90 and gave his all. Just a shame those around him didn't follow suit.

[monutdfc]

I'd be delighted if it happened as Keane is the man to buck up Reid, and get him into shape (Dowie would have done so too had he lasted at Charlton).

[Nailer77]

Have you seen him play recently? Looked in decent shape on Friday and is currently playing week in-week out for Charlton...this fat thing is a bloody myth. I bet you think Richard Dunne is fat?

Don't know if its myth as such, the lad definitely looks heavy, maybe not fat but not in the shape he should be. Some people have a heavy build and need to work a bit harder to keep in shape, Reid is one of them.

[qwertyui]

Lads Ian Harte is an awful defender! I hope to god that Keano doesnt sign him... that'll mean he'll keep harping on at stan until he's recalled to the irish squad. Reid on the other hand has a touch of class about him. A decent run of games to get him back to full fitness and he could have a BIG say for Irelands remaining qualifying games. ( i cudnt resist!!)

Any truth in the rumours Keano is trying to talk Alan Kernaghan into joining his Ireland B squad at sunderland?

[carloz]

Richard Dunne was fat, and worked damn hard to get into the shape he's currently in. Perhaps Reid should go on the same programme.
Why do people continuosly say this when talking about Reid. He is not fat. When he was with Spurs they did fitness test on all the players and he was the fitest at the club. Plus he looks in better shape now than he has all his career. He is unlucky in that he is essentially built on the ground and often looks bigger than he is

[Wolfie]

Why do people continuosly say this when talking about Reid. He is not fat. When he was with Spurs they did fitness test on all the players and he was the fitest at the club. Plus he looks in better shape now than he has all his career. He is unlucky in that he is essentially built on the ground and often looks bigger than he is

Any discussion on Andy Reid sooner or later reverts to how fat he is or otherwise. I seem to remember someone went to the trouble of calculating his Body Mass Index at one stage to settle the argument :D

Is this a football site or an on-line version bloody Weight Watchers?

(..........Cue a raft of weight related gags :) ;))

[Poor Student]

Does Roy Keane's transfer dealings remind you of someone playing Football Manager? The sheer turnover of players is insane.

[co. down green]

Andy Reid is just big boned. If that is good enough for Eric Cartman then it's good enough for me. As long as he does the buisness on the pitch and puts a god shift in then he can be as big as he wants if you ask me. If it is starting to affect his games then he needs to act. He was always a big lad at Forest but nearly always lasted the full 90 and gave his all. Just a shame those around him didn't follow suit.

They used to call Jan Molby ' big boned' ;)

[paul_oshea]

Does Roy Keane's transfer dealings remind you of someone playing Football Manager? The sheer turnover of players is insane.

I brought this up a while ago, he could almost field an 11 on the strikers he has already. There are some amount on the books now.

[gustavo]

Murphy
Cole
O'Donovan
Chopra
Yorke
Stokes
Connolly
John

just the 8!

[paul_oshea]

i said almost :D

[cavan_fan]

Murphy
ColeO'Donovan
Chopra
Yorke
Stokes
Connolly
John

just the 8!

Do you mean Andy Cole, I didnt know he had actually signed

[gustavo]

due to sign today:)

[paul_oshea]

who? get your nat king cole or andy reid?

[ken foree]

who? get your nat king cole or andy reid?

cole. and yorke's been playing holding midfield i believe.

[DmanDmythDledge]

Great move for Andy Reid. One of our players that could be considered world class someday as far as I'm concerned.

[eirebhoy]

He had a good game in a friendly against a woeful Denmark team
I agree with your sarcasm in your first point but the above point is a bit silly. He was hardly making his debut against Denmark. We've had enough chances to see him by now. He could be the star player for someone like Everton. If Arteta and Cahill can, Reid certainly can.

[NeilMcD]

Reids problem has been fitness and I am not slagghing him but too many injuries etc. I think a year with Charlton playing centre mid is better than going to a premiership team where he is not playing or iis playing on the wing. I would rather a player playing at a slightly lower level but playing every week than going to a Premiership team and playing out of position.

[OwlsFan]

I wish he had been transferred away from Charlton before today :(

Andy will make it in the top flight if he can stay fit. I have no doubt about that.

[NeilMcD]

I am sensing an anti Dublin bias here Tuff.

[NeilMcD]

Fair enough typical culchies !!!

[livehead1]

Awful discrimination on this site. You should be banned for a week for such remarks. Or made to spend a month on Ealing Green's estate.

Within his locality should be enough

[dr_peepee]

Roll on Friday evening when the window closes and all this can be put to bed. I've been on the Sunderland message board allot lately and the speculation does your head in.

[NeilMcD]

Well Sunderland could certainly do with him in the centre as I have seen them now a few times and they have very little creativity. Reid would have been a better signing than Richardson who cost 5m. Pure madness.

[SunderlandBohs]

Great move for Andy Reid. One of our players that could be considered world class someday as far as I'm concerned.
Well Quinn & Keane did promise us world class stars. He'll do well along with the other world class stars with us like Dickson Etuhu & Greg Halford.:rolleyes: But all joking a side, with Whitehead out for the season a move for Reid is likely but I think the lad is happy at Charlton. As for Ian Harte, I think this could be a good move for him.

[0325422]

Awful discrimination on this site. You should be banned for a week for such remarks. Or made to spend a month on Ealing Green's estate.

maybe a night in moyross

[livehead1]

due to sign today:)

...That was 5 days ago?

What Happened?

[youngirish]

Also where did the Andy Reid link come from? I haven't seen or heard anything about Sunderland being interested in Reid.

[SunderlandBohs]

Some people just made it up.

[RogerMilla]

He has certainly got the ability and I agree, he needs to steer clear of injury, as they all do. But let's not get carried away just yet. There's a lot of dross in the Premier League, so comparing him to the likes of Arteta isn't really an argument in my book. Yes he can play to that standard, but he has a long way to go. The good thing is that he seems prepared to work to achieve it.

there is a massive andy reid fan club on this site , it would be understatement to say that some fellas consider him the new messiah , chuck norris and conan the destroyer all rolled into one. on the plus side i will say that was a great pass for keanes goal and i would like to see him do it competitively for us.

[eirebhoy]

The pass for Keane's goal against Israel wasn't bad. :)

[dr_peepee]

Very high brow EB! Now bring on the "Cross" punns....

[Sligo Hornet]

Andy Reid ( when on form) is one of those rare midfielders who, although not very quick or mobile, find time on the ball to deliver decisive passes.....very much in the Jan Molby mould ( he liked a pie or two as well! :D)

p.s. happy birthday Eirebhoy!

[paul_oshea]

quel age avez vous?

or something like that. happy BDay EB, hopefully the old adage is correct that with age you become wiser, and stop tipping scheisser players as the next big thing and stop having boners about crap players everytime they do something half decent :D

[Stuttgart88]

I think as he gets really old he'll stop having boners altogether (so I'm told).

Happy birthday eb.

[youngirish]

Happy birthday EB. A year older, a year wiser, you will soon have all that optimism that you regularly display on these boards sucked out of you by the progression of time. Trust me it happens.

[livehead1]

Happy 50th

[eirebhoy]

Jaysus, who sussed that one? :D Thanks all. I've a mix of a hangover and a cold today though and there's a very important game of football being played tonight.

[livehead1]

Jaysus, who sussed that one? :D Thanks all. I've a mix of a hangover and a cold today though and there's a very important game of football being played tonight.

Bristol City v Man City?

[eirebhoy]

That's the one. ;)

Anyway, Harte signed for Sunderland today.

[NeilMcD]

Sunderland have completed the signing of former Leeds defender Ian Harte.

The 29-year-old joins Roy Keane's squad as a free agent, on a one-year contract.

Black Cats boss Keane said: "I've played alongside Ian and I know the qualities he can bring to our club. You need a big squad in the Premier League and he will add strength to ours."

Harte, a former Republic of Ireland team-mate of Keane, spent nine years at Elland Road during which time the Yorkshire club reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.

He said: "It's great to be back in the Premier League and I'm raring to go, I want to get playing as soon as possible.

"This is a good opportunity for me at a massive club like Sunderland, and there are plenty of Irish lads here to make me feel welcome."

Harte, who moved to Levante in Spain on a free transfer in 2004, trained with Sunderland last week in a bid to impress Keane after being released by the La Liga club.

Harte, a left-back known for taking free-kicks and penalties, has won 64 caps for Ireland, scoring 11 times.

He could play some part in tomorrow's reserve game between Sunderland and Newcastle at the Stadium of Light (7pm).

Harte is Sunderland's 10th signing since they won promotion to the Premier League.

[Stuttgart88]

Who was it that was saying Keane was a much better manager than Mick, by citing an appalling run of results upon promotion as example? How does a 3-0 defeat by Luton stack up then? Not bad against a 3-1 defeat by Morecambe I suppose!