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According to the Daily Telegraph, Reading have their man to replace Jaap Stam... almost. Paul Clement, who most recently took charge of Swansea City in the Premier League, is set to agree a deal with the club to become the new manager. The 46 year-old is currently on holiday in the United States, but is reportedly about to return to the United Kingdom in order to accept the offer of a job in the Mad Stad hot-seat.
The Telegraph claim, using that most generic of phrases:
“It is understood Clement’s appointment could be confirmed in the next 24 hours.”
Was a pleasure today to meet Sean McVay, Head Coach of the Los Angeles Rams @RamsNFL pic.twitter.com/cc5VNZpzFm
— Paul Clement (@PaulClement1972) March 22, 2018
Clement previously worked with Reading’s Chief Executive Ron Gourlay at Chelsea, so that’s presumably a factor in the decision to appoint him at RG2. He replaced one Brendan Rodgers as the Blues’ reserve team boss, later working as an assistant to Guus Hiddink and Carlo Ancelotti.
After leaving Stamford Bridge, he took up similar roles at Blackburn Rovers, Paris Saint Germain, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich - the latter coming after an eight month spell at Derby County. That was his first (and only, so far) experience of Championship football - he guided the Rams to a play-off spot by February 2016, but was abruptly sacked, despite a win rate of 42.4%.
In January 2017, he was given his first crack of the whip in the Premier League, giving Swansea City a short-term boost to secure their top-flight status. Despite that initial success, the Swans were, well, not very good this season - Clement was sacked in December with his team rock bottom of the table.
Reading fans will of course be hoping that Clement can repeat his short-term impact at the Liberty Stadium.