Believe it or not, it has now been over two weeks since Steve Coppell departed the Madejski Stadium in search of, well whatever it is he is in search of, and the Reading board continue to play their cards very close to their collective chests. The bookies favourite, for some time now, has been the current Watford manager, Brendan Rodgers, who has close ties to the Royals through his former position as youth team coach. However, with time passing rapidly and Director of Football Nick Hammond still foreseeing another two weeks before an appointment is made, we run through the contenders.
The Watford manager comes highly recommended by no less than Jose Mourinho and has been cagey when it comes to dicussing his chances for the Reading job. Poached by Mourinho for Chelsea’s youth team, he rose through the ranks to take charge of the reserves before being snapped up by Watford, where he has taken the relegation candidates to mid-table security.
Pros: Has the desired hunger and enthusiasm for the job, as well as wanting to prove himself as a manager. Good links in football and could potentially attract useful loan signings from Chelsea’s second string.
Cons: Yet to prove himself as a stand-alone manager and doesn’t possess the experience that a boss like Coppell had when he took over.
Out of work since resigning from West Ham last September, Curbishley has a wealth of experience of management at the top level and was even linked with the England job before the eventual appointment of everybody’s favourite fake flying Dutchman, Schteve McLaren. Well documented to have watched Reading’s final few home games of the season from the stands, it is reasonable to expect that he would have been unveiled by now, were he to be the chairman’s choice.
Pros: Has a proven track record of taking teams to the promised land and transforming them into solid top level teams. Look at what happened to Charlton after he left. Also did a decent job at the Hammers before resigning last year.
Cons: Would surely be looking to take over at a Premier League club after his recent managerial experience so would he drop down a division? His demands with regards to wages and transfer budgets may give Mr. Madejski vertigo as a man who doesn’t enjoy reaching into those deep pockets.
Son of Sir Alex and current manager of Peterborough United, Darren has tasted success in each of his two seasons in charge, with a promotion each time. At a club that is surely not well-enough equipped to challenge again, he may see the opportunity to manage the Royals to the Premier League as the perfect opportunity to make it three out of three.
Pros: Young, determined and with a fantastic set of genes, Ferguson seems to share the same magic touch as his father when it comes to football management. Two promotions in two full seasons suggests that he could be the man to take Reading back up a division.
Cons: As a man who last year admitted to attacking his wife, Ferguson may not fit in with the family image of the club. A lack of top-level experience may also count against the Scot.
Another up-and-coming young manager, Tisdale has also won back-to-back promotions, taking Exeter City back into the Football League from the wilderness of the Conference and then up another level to League One the following season. He has already cemented his place as one of Exeter’s greatest managers ever, but would the Reading job be too soon for the 36-year-old?
Pros: Sky Sports reported that his teams tend to play short, tidy football that would suit the ‘Reading way’ that Coppell had implemented at the club. His back-to-back promotions also show a hunger and desire for success, of a kind that Reading need.
Cons: His lack of experience means that the Reading role probably comes too soon for Tisdale. If Coppell struggled to control big egos, then could Tisdale be reasonably expected to do much better?
Out of work since leaving Charlton last year, Pardew has experience at both Premier League and Championship level. A former Reading manager, he also knows the club inside-out, having managed them for four years and getting the team promoted to the Championship. The circumstances in which he left though, may prevent a return for the man who left the Royals for West Ham United back in 2003.
Pros: Not being connected to a club, he would be cheap to appoint, which would please Sir John’s pockets. He went close to promotion to the top league with Reading before and would relish the challenge of a return.
Cons: The board could well have a mutiny on it’s hands should they pick Pardew. The fans despise him after he left in dubious circumstances and this bad blood could well sully the chances of a return.
Other Candidates
Also linked are Glenn Hoddle, Paul Ince, Steve Cotterill and more. The club have confirmed that they have recieved an unprecedented level of applications.
Personally, I think that Brendan Rodgers will be the eventual choice and would be quite pleased with that appointment, although I would be more excited by the appointment of Darren Ferguson due to his impressive achievements with Peterborough.
Who do you want? Vote below:
