Reading’s Irish stars

Reading’s successful start to the Football League Championship is in most part due to the form of their young Irish stars.

Kevin Doyle, Shane Long, Stephen Hunt and Noel Hunt have all found the net for the Royals this season. So far 28 of Reading’s 44 goals have come from the boot of an Irish national.

The most prolific of all Reading’s scorers has been Kevin Doyle, who has rediscovered the form he showed in 2006/2007.

The Royals surprised everyone that year by finishing eighth in their first season in the Premiership. Their top half of the table finish was due in part to Doyle’s 13 league goals.

Doyle has already matched that tally this season. His goals, along with strike partner Noel Hunt, have taken Reading to third in the Championship.

Noel is the lesser known brother of enigmatic winger Stephen and his six goals thus far are impressive when you consider only 16 games have been played.

Despite his club form, Noel Hunt seems unlikely to feature in Giovanni Trapattoni’s plans at international level. Kevin Doyle, Stephen Hunt and to a lesser extent Shane Long are now all established players inside the Republic camp. Noel Hunt, along with Rory Delap, will be disappointed they missed out on making the squad for the friendly against Poland tomorrow night.

Reading’s youngest talent Shane Long will look at tomorrow night’s game against Poland as another chance to impress. Long, who has been tipped as the next Robbie Keane, has bagged three goals in just eight international appearances.

Most of Long’s appearances for Reading and Ireland have come from the bench.

Both Doyle and Stephen Hunt were subject to intense speculation during the pre-season transfer window.

Aston Villa and Everton were two of the top flight teams interested in the services of the two Irish internationals.

Reading fans were pleased to hear Doyle announce that he was signing an extension to his current contract. The three year extension was obviously intended to end interest in Doyle before the opening of the January transfer window.

At least, that is what Kevin himself maintained.

“The club and I didn’t want uncertainty in January. We wanted to clear things up now and then just try to get back into the Premiership in what is a massive season for us,” said Doyle.

However when you consider the extra value this will add to Doyle when the big dogs of the Premier League come sniffing in January, the new contract may be nothing more than a safety buffer for Reading.

Both Doyle and Hunt will be tempted by the lure of Premiership football in January. It will also be hard for Reading to turn down the potential big money offers that the likes of Everton and Aston Villa are willing to pay.

But both players should seriously consider whether they will be content with substitute appearances at another club. Staying at Reading and pushing for promotion will be better career moves in the long run.

If one considers the minimal amount the club paid for the pair and the millions the two are worth now, Reading win either way.

Steve Coppell’s Irish scouting has to be commended. To unearth gems like Doyle, Hunt and Long, sign them for pittance and turn them into household names can only be good news for the Irish team.