Fans have been left divided with Reading reportedly on the verge of appointment as a deal is agreed with manager Ruben Selles.
The ex-Southampton boss is now expected take charge of the Royals in a bid to produce an immediate attempt to return to the Championship following relegation last season.
Selles, 40, has been in discussions this week about becoming the successor of Paul Ince, who was fired in April and Noel Hunt finished the season as interim manager.
Ruben Selles is #ReadingFC bound, say The Telegraph.https://t.co/SAuRqmBIWJ
— The Tilehurst End (@TheTilehurstEnd) June 21, 2023
The Telegraph state that the deal is still in the paperwork phase before any announcement is made. The FA granted him a work permit when he joined St Mary’s.
Selles picked up two wins in his time at the club ad also produced a memorable performance at Arsenal, but two late goals resulted in a 3-3 draw.
Selles expressed his disappointment after his side were relegated, stating that he was unable to improve the results since taking over for Nathan Jones in February.
“You saw an identity, you saw a team that wants to play together,” he said. “I tried to put everything every time with this sort of mentality and in that part I did my best and that’s the reality.”
Selles is joining a club that is under a dark cloud right now, facing a potential points deduction for a second time in 18 months. The club has been accused of failing to pay its players in full and on time on three occasions during the last season. This was for the wage bills due in October, November, and April.
Dai Yongge, the owner of Reading, has been charged as well with causing it to violate EFL regulations.
Yakou Meite, the former club captain who refused to sign a new deal, has now departed while George Puscas has converted his loan agreement with Genoa into an permanent contract.
This news comes on the same day supporter groups have united to launch a pressure group against club owner Mr Dai Yongge in a call for a change in ownership.
A statement released by the pressure group reads: “The move follows news that Reading FC have received another set of EFL charges, with owner Yongge Dai personally cited for breaching regulations relating to unpaid wages and wider club funding mismanagement. This is alongside a further listing on the EFL embargo reporting service for non-payment of loan wages.
“It caps a desperate period for the recently relegated Royals, who are currently without a manager or enough senior players contracted to field a team next season. With pre-season due to start in a matter of weeks, the fan group collective is now calling for Yongge Dai to sell the club before any more damage can be done.”
Group spokesperson Nick Houlton said: “Despite his best intentions, Mr Dai’s stewardship of Reading Football Club has been an unmitigated disaster. His reign has seen excruciating financial losses and a hat-trick of relegations as the academy and both men’s and women’s teams suffered relegation.
“In spite of this, Reading FC fans remained supportive of Mr Dai, with many seeing relegation as a chance to reset and follow in the footsteps of the likes of Nottingham Forest, Leicester City and Sheffield United in recent years, who all bounced back from third-tier football to enjoy Premier League success.”
“However, the latest round of charges and the potential for points deductions for the third season in a row – coupled with the apparent collapse of the hugely popular move to appoint Chris Wilder – has destroyed what little faith remained in the Reading FC owner and CEO Dayong Pang.”
“We are now calling for Mr Dai to sell the club at the earliest opportunity and give Reading FC the chance to follow in the footsteps of Forest, Leicester and Sheffield United – rather than KSV Roeselare and Beijing Renhe.”
“We know this is an unsettling time for other staff that work at Reading FC, and we are fully with them. Our focus is on seeing Mr Dai and Dayong Pang move on from the club.”
Fans were divided with Reading on the verge of appointment as a deal is agreed with manager Ruben Selles…
@DancesWithYaks: Did the powers that be think ‘Sell before we Dai’ was a plea to appoint Selles? #readingfc
@lambeyyy1871: Absolutely fucking gutted with Ruben Selles, gotta back him tho. Get his players in and hopefully on the up. But we need #DaiOut #readingfc
@TED247: Ruben Selles has a point to prove, I don’t think he’ll be as bad as people think, but we need experience atm so hard one to call #readingfc
@tomlight93: Nobody was going to turn Southampton around. Jones did an outstanding job at Luton and failed there, so I don’t think we can knock Selles until we’ve played a few games under him. He oversaw a Saints win at Chelsea and draws with Arsenal, Man Utd, Liverpool and Spurs. #readingfc
@RustyRoyal: Takes some serious doing to go from having Chris Wilder in the bag to appointing a former chief data analyst in Norwegian football. From the #Saintsfc fans I’ve spoken too, Ruben Selles looks the part and that’s about it. Stinks of desperation from all. #ReadingFC
@zPhaseDx: While Selles feels like a step down compared to Wilder, I think I would have taken anyone recently linked to us over more of Paul “it’s not my fault I’m just the manager” Ince. It’s a positive step, even if it isn’t the one we hoped for. #readingfc
@ianandy62: Has to be a positive that Selles is a fitness coach seeing that over the last few seasons we’ve had a squad with more injuries than seen in a year by A and E at the Royals Berks #readingfc
@DeanBennett1993: As soon as Selles was offered the job he was always accepting it. we have no choice but to back him now and focus all the energy on getting Dai and Pang out the club . Let’s hope Selles works out! Even if he does it doesn’t make his appointment right . #readingfc
@dinglouis_: I hope I’m wrong but I really don’t think Selles is the manager we need right now. Surely in the position we’re in we need someone experienced not someone who’s been managing for 4 months with an 11% win record. Trying not to read too much into his Southampton spell given the position they were in when he took over & hoping we’ve got a good young coach but not convinced. Got no choice but to back him though & hope he can prove us wrong!
@MikeyM1871: I must be the only one who has no issue with Selles 😂 there is a lot worse out there! If anything he will struggle as we wont have the calibre of player required for his coaching style #Readingfc
@alexgstone15: Ruben Selles barmy army! #readingfc
@StevenK37506094: Respect to Selles for taking on the @ReadingFC job. Many wouldn’t of bothered. #readingfc
@PaulFrankfurt71: Happy with Selles. Clearly driven to succeed, fitness and data background plus title experience in Denmark plus European experience too. Could go wrong of course but so could anyone. He forms part of the team, so he gets my support. #readingfc
@thesimpsonRFC: Selles will be gone by Christmas when #readingfc are inevitably struggling in mid table to get results
@SouthamptonPage: I was happy to see him leave but I think he could be a great appointment for you, I can see why it’s a disappointing situation but I think he will come good. He’s a good guy and hopefully for your sake he comes in and does well.
@Steviep1871: Excellent news, the rebuild starts here
@hrryjnes: We’ve got super Ruben Sellessssss, he’s knows exactly what we needdddd #readingfc
@iJC106: I wanted an experienced manager, and in typical #ReadingFC fashion, we’ve done the opposite of what the majority of fans want, but we have to back Ruben Selles now and see what happens. Let’s hope new signings follow soon, but the point still remains. #SellBeforeWeDai
@dingaidan_: Selles’ record is beyond awful, but have to respect anyone that would sign a contract with this basketcase of a club. Let’s try and get behind him #readingfc
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