9:20am Friday 10th July 2009
By Frank Smith
Watford will decide today (Friday) if they will report Reading to the Football League after former manager Brendan Rodgers’ comments that Hornets’ talisman Tommy Smith wants to join him at the Madejski Stadium.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Rodgers, who became Royals’ boss on June 4, stated he would love to sign Smith and that the forward also wants to play for him once more.
However, Reading have not submitted another bid since last week’s £750,000 offer was rejected and described as “derisory” by Watford chairman Jimmy Russo.
Both Russo and Rodgers’ replacement Malky Mackay have questioned how Reading would know of Smith’s plans as it is against Football League rules to speak to a player under contract without his parent club’s permission.
Yesterday (Thursday), Watford confirmed they will make their decision on whether to report their Championship rivals to the authorities today.
Mackay, who was first-team coach under Rodgers, said: “I do not know how he [Rodgers] can know that [Smith’s intentions] because the club haven’t given Reading permission to speak with the player and Tommy has absolutely not come to me and asked to leave the club, so I do not understand it.”
Russo enjoyed a good relationship with Rodgers until the Northern Irishman’s decision to return to Reading, where he was a player and a coach for more than ten years.
But in a statement released by Watford on Wednesday night, Russo said: “I am somewhat disturbed as to how Brendan knows Tommy’s future intentions.
“His comments are not very respectful to the fans and the staff at Watford Football Club and he must not forget that Watford gave him his first managerial opportunity.”
He added: “Unless we receive the appropriate valuation for Tommy, through the correct channels, then we intend to keep the player at the club, this I can guarantee 100 per cent.”
A £1.8m bid was accepted from Sheffield United last week but the Watford Observer understands Smith is not keen on moving his family from their home in Berkhamsted.
Mackay rates Smith as one of the top three players in the Championship after being his team-mate, coach and manager.
The former Celtic defender used Kevin Doyle’s £6.5m transfer from Reading to Wolves to show that, in his opinion, Smith’s £1.8m price tag is more than justified considering Doyle scored just one more goal than the Watford man last season.
Asked if Rodgers’ comments on Smith disappointed him, Mackay said: “It is not something which I take much notice of and managers and other clubs can discuss what they want, to be honest.
“Myself, I have no comment to make on other players until I have them signed and they are sitting in front of you in a press conference.
“It is different if you are talking about someone like Cristiano Ronaldo or someone clearly not in your market place but if the player is in your market then it is disrespectful.”
He confirmed Smith was likely to feature tomorrow (Saturday) against Boreham Wood and reiterated Russo’s view that if the £1.8m valuation is not met, then the forward will stay.
Mackay stated Smith has returned to pre-season in excellent shape and said constant speculation will not affect the 29-year-old “at all”.
Mackay said: “He is an experienced professional and his professionalism is never going to be affected by stuff like this.
“I have known him very well for years and his level of training has not altered one iota.”
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