Reading FC Technical Director Talks Spending Plans

When Reading's Director of Football Nick Hammond left the club for West Brom, many of us feared the worst. After all, we were losing a man who'd been a big figure behind the scenes during the club's glory years, not to mention someone who somehow managed to get £3.5m for Ibrahima Sonko and £5.5m for Matt Mills.

The man to take his place was Dutchman Brian Tevreden, who's already earned himself a warm place in the hearts of many Reading fans with his approachable nature both in the regular media, and via social media. Now the man who helped bring Jaap Stam to the club has been speaking to Get Reading about what comes next for the club following play-off heartbreak. Chief among the questions many Royals fans have is about what kind of spending power our new Chinese owners have and on that front it's a cautious thumbs up from the club's Technical Director.

"We want to go to the next level.

We have new owners who are willing to support. They are not people who will spend stupid money, but they will spend wisely which is what I support.

People see we have new Chinese owners and they think the can ask for big deals, it’s not going to happen.

But they are willing to support us getting to the next level and I’m happy with that."

So that's pretty good news, unless you were hoping for an Abramovich style revolution that is. We're now in a post-parachute payment world, which means we'll have an even harder job to try and balance the books and pass FFP rules. Those rules dictate that we'll be permitted to lose a maximum of £39m over a three-season period, a feat that sounds easy until you consider that the club lost about £15m in 2015/16 even with £10m coming from the Premier League....

Regardless, Tevreden has done a sound job so far and for those worried he might jump ship, he certainly sounds a happy man in Berkshire and one who's going to keep being open with the fanbase.

"I try to be as open as I can with the fans - it’s how I am as a person.

Just because I have this position doesn’t mean I need to be different. I will talk to anyone at the stadium or at the training ground.

It’s always good to have a relationship with the fans.

They didn’t know who I was when I came in but they have been great with me and I want to give them something back.

We are doing well right now but we have to keep working hard. I’m never satisfied."

There's a few other nice bits and pieces from Brian over at Get Reading, including what his favourite moment was of the season, so head over there to find out.

So what do you make of those quotes folks? Happy we're going for sensible controlled investment, or a little underwhelmed we're not talking of bigger things?