Alex McCarthy....

[TBM]

Why exactly did he chose to go to QPR?

He's played what, 1 game for them and if they were to go down he'll be back in the same position he was for us with the disadvantage of not playing, hence not being on the radar of other Premier League sides.

Such a waste. I'd have him back in a heart beat

[linkenholtroyal]

wemay well have him back if federici doesnt sign at the end of the season....

[Sanguine]

No sympathy for the guy whatsoever.

[Coppelled_Streets]

The club needed to sell and he wanted to go. With Feds looking likely to leave in the summer, the goalkeeping situation here looks a little worrying. Clarke will need to pull a rabbit out of a hat if we're to bring anyone half decent in on a tight budget.

[tidus_mi2]

The club needed to sell and he wanted to go. With Feds looking likely to leave in the summer, the goalkeeping situation here looks a little worrying. Clarke will need to pull a rabbit out of a hat if we're to bring anyone half decent in on a tight budget.

Could always give Lincoln a go, he pulled off some good saves in the Arsenal U21 game, does anyone attend the U21 games regularly enough to comment on whether he could cut it in the Championship?

That or rely on Andersen if we're keeping him, he still hasn't signed a new contract either.

[TBM]

The club needed to sell and he wanted to go.

But he must have been promised 1st team football there, seems strange his one and only appearance for them was when Green was injured. Why would you (especially being a goalkeeper) join a team to sit on their bench - he would have been better off going to a top end Championship team

[SCIAG]

Could always give Lincoln a go, he pulled off some good saves in the Arsenal U21 game, does anyone attend the U21 games regularly enough to comment on whether he could cut it in the Championship?

I've seen Lincoln play about 12 times, Henly and Ward 7 or 8 (all over several years mind). Although all three look good and Henly in particular has incredible distribution, I don't find it easy to judge goalkeepers at that level if I'm honest. Andersen looked amazing at that age, but I wasn't convinced by McCarthy until he broke into the first team. So I guess my answer to your question is "no"...

Answering the OP - he thought he could displace Green, but not Mignolet. In retrospect, a terrible decision made for the right reasons. He should have gone to Liverpool, he'd quite possibly be their #1 and England's #2.

[Sutekh]

Presuming Liverpool wanted him of course.

I expect Reading took note he was a saleable asset and that there was some interest so NA gave the first choice keeper decision to Feds in turn making Alex's decision easier.

[Royalcop]

Why would you (especially being a goalkeeper) join a team to sit on their bench

£££££££££££££ from 'arry (quite possibly delivered via brown envelope in a deserted car park). Given his jewellery business and relationship with a TOWIE 'star', McCarthy strikes me as being from the more asinine end of the pro footballer spectrum and therefore will be attracted to the gaudy, vacuous bling of the PL, even at the expense of his playing career. Joke will be on him if QPR get relegated straight into the conference.

[Sanguine]

185 appearances in Jamie Ashdown's 15-year football career. Stuart Taylor is the same age as Ashdown, and has 92 career appearances, in 16 years. Hoping Alex doesn't become a third keeper with Reading on his CV to waste their career.

McCarthy's problem is no consistent playing time to fall back on. One full season at Yeovil, and one at Reading is all he has to show for 8 years in the game. At 25 he should be playing regularly.

Jack Butland another one. 35 league games on loan in 2.5 seasons since signing for Stoke. At least he has age on his side.

[gazzer, loyal royal]

McCarthy has openly said he turned down Liverpool as he thought he would have a better chance of being QPRs number one. As stated above, he would have actually had a go at becoming Liverpools number one.

He only had one year left on his contract too, so it was cash in or let him leave on a free

[Coppelled_Streets]

The club needed to sell and he wanted to go.

But he must have been promised 1st team football there, seems strange his one and only appearance for them was when Green was injured. Why would you (especially being a goalkeeper) join a team to sit on their bench - he would have been better off going to a top end Championship team

Money, and no top end Championship team could afford the fee QPR paid tbf.

[linkenholtroyal]

what do you think it would cost to get him back if federici leaves and qpr get relegated, i reckon about 1 million

[IceIceGylfi]

Federici will go to Bournemouth on a Bosman or a free. They need a keeper as Camp is out of contract and Boruc's loan expires., and he is Premier League quality apparently.

[Royalcop]

what do you think it would cost to get him back if federici leaves and qpr get relegated, i reckon about 1 million

Depends what happens with Rob Green - he might be bought by a Prem club with McCarthy taking the number one slot. It also depends on if QPR are expelled from the league on relegation.

[tmesis]

Why exactly did he chose to go to QPR?

He's played what, 1 game for them and if they were to go down he'll be back in the same position he was for us with the disadvantage of not playing, hence not being on the radar of other Premier League sides.

Such a waste. I'd have him back in a heart beat

His agent will have got another couple of grand a week out of his cut, so it's not difficult to see why his professional advice said going to QPR was the best option.

[SCIAG]

Federici will go to Bournemouth on a Bosman or a free.

Either those are the same thing, or you're suggesting we'd give Federici a new contract and then allow him to leave for nothing anyway...

[SydenhamRoyal]

what do you think it would cost to get him back if federici leaves and qpr get relegated, i reckon about 1 million

Depends what happens with Rob Green - he might be bought by a Prem club with McCarthy taking the number one slot. It also depends on if QPR are expelled from the league on relegation.

Being slightly technical (and possibly completely wrong) but I don't think QPR can be expelled from the league on relegation from the Premier League, I think it is a question of whether the Football League will admit them.

[Nameless]

I think the chain is that QPR owe huge amounts to the FL as a result of their FFP breaches. They cannot rejoin the FL with those fines outstanding. Therefore if they are relegated and refuse to pay the fine they exclude themselves. They aren't expelled, they simply don't meet the criteria for joining.

[Elm Park Kid]

I feel for Ben Hamer at Leicester. Has a great first game for them then they bring in Schwarzer and he's not even on the bench.