Reading appointed Paul Clement as their new boss yesterday and the former Swansea manager wasted no time in declaring that his experience with the Welsh club will be put to good use in Berkshire.
“It’s a great opportunity at a club I’ve always respected in my years in coaching,” he said.
The man who shot to prominence as Carlo Ancelotti’s assistant at Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, oversaw a dramatic turnaround in fortunes. Two away wins in his first three games in charge – including one at Anfield – is the sort of impact Reading hope to see.
“This is a club that’s always been competitive at this level,” he said. “The ambition in the immediate term is to secure the club in the Championship.
“Beyond that, there’s a lot of ambition to take this club back into the Premier League after it came so close last season. My ambition is to coach at that level again.
“But, the focus has to be on the next eight games.”
His first game in charge of the Royals is sure to an emotionally-charged affair for Clement. Queens Park Rangers are the visitors to the Madejski Stadium, and Clement’s late father Dave, was an accomplished servant of the club, making over 500 appearances for the R’s between 1965 and 1979.
Reading reacted quickly to the departure of Jaap Stam as coach, bringing Clement in within 48 hours of the Dutchman’s dismissal. Clement himself was in California and cut short a holiday to return to action.
The international break affords him some time to familiarise himself with the squad and he is under no illusions about Reading’s situation. The former PE teacher knows the club needs to pull together and that includes the fans.
With the relegation battle proving more unpredictable as the promotion race, Clement will need all the help he can get to reach safety.