News and Views
Positive Performance As Gomes Gets His First Win
12 January 2019
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Any doubts about the positive impact of Jose Gomes on Reading Football Club were dispelled by this result, and more significantly, by this performance. Bolstered by the signing of two promising young midfield players (Ovie Ejaria and Lewis Baker) on loan, Reading took control of the game from the kick off and outplayed a strong Forest side in every department. They played with an energy and enthusiasm which has been noticeably absent for a very long time. As a team they were unrecognisable from the group of players which has so frequently failed to deliver this season. Jose Gomez clearly has many attributes which indicate he will be successful, but from what I can see, there is one fundamental difference from his recent predecessors. He simply expects more from his players. He is confident, positive, personable and knowledgeable, but I suspect also, behind the scenes. Single- minded and utterly ruthless when it comes to the way he manages his squad. Already several players have gone and it would appear there are more on their way soon.
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Downward Spiral Gathers Pace Under Gomes
01 January 2019
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Matters came to head this afternoon when Reading, in front of their own fans were humiliated by a useful, but nevertheless, mid table Championship side. You do not have to be genius to work out there are significant problems at Reading Football Club on and off the pitch, and not just this season. The underlying issue is that certain individuals within the hierarchy of the club with insufficient knowledge and understanding of the game are making decisions which are clearly in the long term not going to take the club in the right direction. The debate in the media typifies the absurdity of the situation the club now finds itself in. Clearly in November they felt the problem was the manager. Newly appointed Chief Executive Nigel Howe made his mark immediately. Paul Clement was blamed and then sacked for not producing the desirable results, ironically after his team had just begun to show signs of improvement.
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Mixed Emotions As Middlesbrough Win - Report
23 December 2018
By Hob Nob Anyone?
It was a day of mixed emotions for Reading fans as they watched their team frustratingly lose a game in which their performance deserved at least a point. A relatively small crowd found their voices as The Royals young team found their feet and dominated the second half of game they might easily have won. A typically physical and unimaginative Tony Pulis side, aided by some dubious refereeing, kept Reading at bay, and then took advantage of a defensive lapse late in the game to snatch all three points. Results elsewhere went Reading's way keeping them out of the bottom three. Shortly after the final whistle news broke of the appointment of Jose Gomes as the new manager rendering any analysis of Scott Marshall's recent run of one point from three games irrelevant.
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Gomes Confirmed As Manager - Gibbs, Beasant Sacked
22 December 2018
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Reading confirmed the arrival of Jose Gomes as first team manager this evening. Gomes was widely expected to be announced as Paul Clement's replacement during the week but his arrival was delayed while Reading agreed compensation with his previous club Portuguese side Rio Ave. There remains a big mystery on why Reading were so set on Gomes - and he leaves his previous club without a win in five matches. Gomes has struggled to hold down any first team managers job for any length of time and has a very non-descript record as he comes to Reading. Gomes was announced immediately after Scott Marshall took charge of the Royals for the last time as they were beaten 0-1 at home by Middlesbrough.
Marshall will now return to the Under 23 team where he has enjoyed huge success as manager. His record as caretaker will show a single point from three league games and he passes control over to Gomes, with Reading out of the relegation positions only on goal difference. However the defeat against Middlesbrough was harsh on the Royals as another goal late in the game denied Reading at least a point. With further injuries to what might have been his first choice eleven, Marshall put more faith in his young players. Gabriel Osho stepped up into the centre of defence and made a very impressive debut as Reading showed pace, and confidence to start attacking moves out of defence.
Middlesbrough came to Reading as a team chasing promotion but it was the home side that looked the better side in the first half. It was only after the break that Middlesbrough started to look dangerous. After failing to trouble the Royals in the first half the late goal almost felt inevitable again - such is the luck of a side at the wrong end of the table. Middlesbrough's 77th minute winner could have been followed up by another as Reading faded out when they had looked good to get something out of the game earlier on.
Shortly after Gomes was confirmed as manager, the club confirmed that assistant managers and coaches Nigel Gibbs and Karl Halabi had been sacked. Goalkeeping coach Dave Beasant also has left the club as Jose Gomes brings in his new staff. Gibbs spent seven years at Reading from 2006 and only returned earlier this year to join Paul Clement. It is very disappointing to see the club immediately dispose of his services. Dave Beasant had been with the club for over 3 years and had done excellent recent work with Jaakkola. With the recent return of Nigel Howe, it is huge changes at all levels of management at the club and all the way down to the coaching staff.
Gomes leaves Rio Ave after winning 5 of his 16 games in charge, which is better than the 1 out of 13 games he won while manager of Baniyas in Abu Dhabi. Nigel Howe however is confident in his record: "He brings new energy, excitement and impetus to Reading and, importantly, he boasts a reputation of creating winning teams with an exciting brand of football. We have been able to secure the services of a manager with a very impressive reputation in his native Portugal."
It is a big step into the unknown with the new management team - and no one knows which direction we might be heading. What seems certain is that Gomes has a lot to prove to the Reading fans and will have to get off to a good start. Reading travel to Millwall on Boxing Day to play the team one place below them in the table in what should be an interesting introduction to life in the Championship for Gomes. The simple fact is that if Reading are defeated they will be in huge trouble in the bottom three and Gomes will have an epic job ahead of him to save his new club dropping into League One.