Karacan: McAnuff's a brilliant captain

Reading midfielder Jem Karacan has followed up Brian McDermott's praise for captain Jobi McAnuff by alson lauding his influence on and off the pitch.

The 23-year old Turkish midfielder has been one of the most consistent performances for the Royals this season, forming a formidable partnership with Mikele Leigertwood. McAnuff has also broken into a rich vein of form in recent games, putting in a man-of-the-match performance against Blackpool last week.

Karacan told the official RFC site: 'He takes the huddle before the game, and it's a little gee up before kick-off to think about what we've got to do and what's at stake. It definitely gives you a boost. To be honest I can't believe he's not played in the Premier League already - he's been brilliant for us.'

'He's been a brilliant captain this season and he's a quality player, he's shown in the last few games how good he is - he got a couple of assists last Saturday and was great. Growing up I knew him at Wimbledon and hopefully this season he can get up there to the Premier League. It's brilliant to have someone of Jobi's experience in and around the place at the moment.'

McAnuff and the Reading squad will now prepare for tomorrow's crucial game at West Ham. The Hammers are one of McAnuff's former clubs and will be keen to make an impact in such a crucial game for both sides.

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