Official: Reading announce sacking of manager Jaap Stam after one win in 18 games

Faced with a run of one win in the last 18 games, Reading sacked Jaap Stam today, as per a report from The Telegraph.

The official statement from the Royals said, “Reading Football Club announce that Jaap Stam has left his position as manager of the club with immediate effect.

“Majority shareholders, Mr Yongge Dai and Ms Xiu Li Dai, had wanted to give Jaap every opportunity to turn around what has been a difficult and challenging Championship campaign.

“Jaap has not wavered in the time, effort and sheer determination he has put in to try to steer the team away from the position we find ourselves in. However, after careful consideration, the decision has been made that a change is now necessary.

“We would like to thank Jaap for his hard work and commitment to the club, in particular noting what he achieved in a memorable first season in club management, and we wish him the very best of luck in his future endeavours.”

Stam took Reading to the play-off final last season where only a missed penalty kick prevented them from returning to the Premier League.

However, this season, the Royals tumbled toward relegation. With games fast running out and the club sitting just three points above the bottom three, the board decided to act.

Football is littered with teams which respond positively to a change at the helm, and Reading’s owners are hoping for that to happen in this instance.

The net will be cast far and wide in the search for a replacement, with bookmakers immediately installed former Swansea City boss Paul Clement as favourite.

There are plenty of experienced unemployed coaches in the mix, with former England coach Steve McLaren high on the list alongside ex-Watford coach Marco Silva.

Reading’s situation requires experience of the Championship and the fans hope, a seasoned winner in relegation battles.

Some like Mark Warburton, formerly of Brentford and Nottingham Forest, ticks the boxes while Nigel Pearson, who led Leicester to the Premier League, is a more traditional football man. Dubious incidents with the media may preclude his appointment.

Will Reading’s owners follow that well-trodden path or take an alternative route, making a hipster appointment in Graham Potter whose Ostersunds side won at Arsenal recently.

Whoever takes over, the club needs an immediate turnaround in results or next season will be spent in League One.