Fulham

Reading’s rove for Rosenior could prove the deal of this summer

By Matthew Day ⋅ September 10, 2007 ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Reading might have had a quiet summer, but their deadline day signing of Liam Rosenior from Fulham could prove to be one of the shrewdest of the window.

Just 23, Rosenior still has much to learn as a defender and the former England under-21 international must be held partially accountable for Fulham’s poor recent defensive record, including the 60 goals conceded last season. Yet his burgeoning talent was patent and the Fulham support saw his vast potential while warming to his enthusiasm and passion.

Rosenior started every single Premier League match last season and was part of the national under-21 squad in the summer that reached the semi-finals before losing to Holland in a penalty shoot-out, in which the former Bristol City right-back scored twice.

Steve Coppell undoubtedly has an eye for young talent and Rosenior’s exemplary attitude, work rate, and willingness to develop his game has impressed the Royals manager suitably to ensure a deal was completed on the final day of August. Fulham manager Lawrie Sanchez, perhaps somewhat prematurely, decided to dispense with Rosenior without using him at all during the opening rounds of the 2007/8 season and agreed a swap deal which saw the enigmatic Seol Ki-Hyeon arrive in West London, while the Whites also received a fee in the region of £1m, though a substantial percentage of that will head to Rosenior’s old club Bristol City.

Rosenior’s ultimate aim is to replace Gary Neville in the England team, and he has the potential to do so

Dismissing the nominal sum attained, the swap deal is a surprising one from Fulham’s perspective. A young, budding defender left and in came a 28-year-old winger who has largely frustrated, rather than impressed, supporters at his two previous clubs – Wolves and Reading – with infuriating inconsistency and a seeming lack of effort and interest at times, especially if things weren’t going right for his side.

Following completion of the transfer, the statement from Reading director of football Nick Hammond was telling. He first praised the latest import, revealing his pleasure at “signing a very talented England Under-21 international who has significant Premier league experience but is also still only 23-year-old.” Hammond then aimed a thinly veiled attack at the departing attacking midfielder, “Seol’s impact on the team was very significant in the early months of last season. He played an important role in establishing us in the Premier league during those important opening weeks,” referring to Seol’s failure to maintain his good form beyond the opening several weeks.

The South Korean endured similar problems at Wolves and was, in fact, warned before the start of last season that he would need greater consistency in his performances after completing a move to the Madjeski Stadium. When they were not forthcoming, Coppell lost patience and he and Seol clashed when the former Antwerp player was angry at not playing regularly. “He felt he should have been playing every game,” Coppell stated. “Our relationship was affected by that and it became fairly obvious I think, from the end of last season, that he wanted to move on.”

Fulham’s objective is to now try to get the most from Seol on a regular basis. He is unquestionably talented, and can influence and change a game at any given moment, but with a player’s peak generally accepted to be between the ages of 26 and 30, Seol appears to be running out of time to make an impression on English shores. It is the opposite for Rosenior who, with the right coaching, support and first-team opportunities, can become a central part of Reading’s defence. His ultimate aim is to replace Gary Neville in the England team, and he has the potential to do so. So have Fulham lost a future defensive gem?

Rosenior to become an England regular? Share your views by leaving a comment below.

Tags: Liam Rosenior, Reading

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