Pearce is a Sidwell fan
11 Sep 2006 - 11:10:40
Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce has admitted that he tried to sign Reading midfielder Steve Sidwell in the summer.
Pearce failed to lure the former Arsenal trainee to Eastlands despite offering the Royals £2million for the 23-year-old's services, but may revive his interest in the player when the transfer window reopens in January.
"I did my homework on him, I think he's a good player," Pearce told the Manchester Evening News. "I made a bid for him and I was hopeful that he'd come here.
"But it shows how highly Reading rate him that they wouldn't let him come even though he's in the last year of his contract."
Pearce is looking forward to Monday's Premiership clash against the newly-promoted Royals, adding: "They're a very good footballing side.
"They want to play the game in the right manner and they showed against Middlesbrough, when they were two goals down, that they're not prepared to go under without a fight.
"They're my local side so I know a lot about them, I know their strengths and weaknesses. Steve Coppell has done a fine job there and I think he's gone about their arrival in the Premiership in the right manner.
"Some of the Reading team have been together for a long time and they were most impressive last season when to all intents and purposes they had the Championship sewn up by Christmas.
"They set out the foundations of a Premiership side before they were in the top-flight and that's a credit to their owner."