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Reading FC are speaking to Dutch legend Jaap Stam about becoming the new manager.
According to strong reports in the media in Holland, former Manchester United defender Stam may replace Brian McDermott as head coach for the 2016/17 season.
Reports in Holland claim Jaap Stam has been in London to meet with #readingfc to hold talks about becoming head coach. Wow!
— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) May 27, 2016
The talks were with Brian Tevreden, who obviously knows Stam well from his Ajax days. #readingfc
— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) May 27, 2016
Initial thoughts on this is there is no smoke without fire - really strong links over in Holland from respected media outlets. #readingfc
— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) May 27, 2016
Would Jaap take the job?
New Technical Director, Brian Tevreden, knows him well from his Ajax days but you can't imagine the talks going well.
I'm sure even IF Stam held talks with the club, he'd have run a mile as soon as the ownership structure was explained.
— The Tilehurst End (@TheTilehurstEnd) May 27, 2016
'Jaap it's easy, three co-owners all living far away, one chief exec who works below two co-chairman, only one of whom actually has shares.'
— The Tilehurst End (@TheTilehurstEnd) May 27, 2016
'Then you've just got the Technical Director, Academy head plus another man's coaches that we can't afford to sack. All good?'
— The Tilehurst End (@TheTilehurstEnd) May 27, 2016
Not all good. Sure, the club has a top-of-the-range academy and is developing a new training ground, with Royal Elm Park sure to be popular once completed, but the club is on rocky ground.
The squad is unbalanced, the hierarchy is rickety and unsettled and the owners are half way across the world with a host of 'advisors' required because of their lack of football knowledge. It doesn't amount to the club being a good STAMping (not sorry) ground for a first-time manager.
However, Stam has said that he is keen to start a job lower down the football pyramid so he can build something. As reported in GetReading, he said:
"I do not think you have to start as a trainer necessarily in the Netherlands," said the former United centre-back.
"Why could you not start abroad? That may not immediately be in the Premier League, it could be in the Championship or League One.
"There are big clubs in between, where you can really start building something. I have already discussed this at home and the family wants it - if it comes to that.
"It’s not that I do not want to work in the Netherlands but going abroad is my preference."
"Ajax wanted me to stay at the club but they know my ambition.
"I want to develop myself and go to a team in England, I was at Ajax for two years and it was great fun and beautiful. But I’m ready now to manage a first team."
Would Reading fans want him?
With everything that's going on at the club at the moment, do Reading fans really want the club to take another risk on a manager? Stam is well-respected and has served on the backroom staff teams of world-reknowned clubs like Manchester United and Ajax, but that doesn't mean that he will be a successful manager in an increasingly competitive Championship.
Take a look at Champions League winning centre back Sami Hyypia's time in the Championship with Brighton for an example of how name doesn't equal good manager. 26 games managed, 6 wins, 10 draws, 10 losses.
It could work out that Stam is the best manager we've had since Sir Steve Coppell and completely turns the club around; or he could be the next Brendan Rodgers and flail at a club in transition.
The other option is that this is all a load of rubbish and won't even happen. Or could it?