Things aren’t going the way they were supposed to at Reading this season. What was meant to be a fight for promotion is turning more into a battle to stay in the Championship, and Jaap Stam has naturally come under question.
There’s been repeated claims the Reading manager could be out of a job soon, and those claims have made waves in the Dutch media.
As they often do, De Telegraaf have come out fighting for their compatriot, and whilst they can’t deny how poorly things have gone this season, the Dutch newspaper suggest investment has been as big a problem as any management issues.
De Telegraaf state: ‘It was clear in advance that it would be difficult to exceed the performance of his first year. Also because the Reading budget cannot compete with that of clubs such as Wolverhampton Wanderers. For the last year and a half, this club has been led by the wealthy Chinese investment company Fosun International and is rapidly heading for promotion to the Premier League.’
Whilst Reading can’t compete financially with Wolves, more was still expected.
The club’s technical director Brian Tevreden is quoted as saying, after the play-off loss to Huddersfield Town: “When I came to Reading, I drew up a three-year plan. In our first 
year we wanted to finish in the top ten, then with the first six and then the championship.”
It’s pointed out Tevreden ‘does not appear to be on track’ with those aims.
De Telegraaf say Stam’s representatives have ‘heard nothing about an upcoming resignation’, and whilst it’s stated the English tabloids ‘hold Stam responsible for the sporting misery’, some in the Netherlands clearly feel there’s other forces at play.
