I wrote this article for Sport First on 27/7/2003. They printed it with only minor edits (which made a pleasant change!).
There's a point each summer when people start returning from their holidays whistling a catchy continental tune. Radio stations play it, people buy it, and another group of one-hit wonders appear on "Top of the Pops". Only a few months later, those who bought it wondered why they bothered. And if you can find Ottawan in your record collection, then I'm talking to you.
The problem is that football managers seem to suffer from the same disease. Reading have recently spent a week in Sweden, with the usual mixture of team-bonding, hotel fire scares, plentiful japes and disappointing results in gentle run-outs against teams who would struggle in Ryman 2.
And we've also returned with tales of a 17-year-old sensation. Midfielder Colo Halit played brilliantly against Reading, has supposedly had a trial with Manchester United and has been watched by Ajax. All I can say is that if he's still with IK Brage in a regionalised Swedish second division, then the last two clubs must have rejected him. Will we take the plunge instead? Well, I can't answer that but I can tell you what has happened in the past.
Southern League Reading were one of the first clubs to make a foreign tour, with a five-game visit to Italy in May 1913. We beat the Italian champions Pro Vercelli 6-0, we beat Milan 5-0 and to round things off we beat the Italian national side 2-0. (Could I just repeat one of those results, please? - Milan 0 Reading 5!) But we also spotted a local hero named Attilio Fresia, described as one of the most skilful players in Italy. Six months later he was in Reading, the first Italian to play in English football. Not too long after the initial fuss had died down, he was described in the local press as "almost useless". A few months later, after a brief spell with Croydon Common, he returned home.
And there's more - five years ago Reading visited Holland. Had we learnt from history? Of course not! The day before the start of our League season, we signed two Dutch players - goalkeeper Peter van der Kwaak and centre-back Elroy Kromheer. Just to compound the error, manager Tommy Burns threw them straight into the side before they'd even met their team-mates. The first own goal came 49 minutes later.... Between them they played 15 League games, with the lowlight being a Kromheer-inspired 6-0 home defeat to Bristol Rovers. Both players are now in Dutch amateur football.
After 130-plus years of mediocrity, there's a new feel at Reading. People are starting to take note of the club and realise that we are serious challengers for a Premiership place. But we're still perfectly capable of midsummer madness. If we make this signing, I just know that it will all end in tears.
Disclaimer - If Colo Halit does turn out to be the next Pele, then please assume that I was just trying to stop any other clubs looking at him.
Footnote added December 2003 - Colo Halit was invited to West Ham United for a week's training. Watch this space....
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