http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/football/readingfc/s/2051612_reading_fc_move_in_for_brendan_rodgersNot sure if anyone else has put this up...
Reading FC move in for Brendan Rodgers
By Nick Ive
May 29, 2009
Reading are set to test Watford’s resolve this weekend by making an approach for Brendan Rodgers.
Royals’ director of football Nick Hammond has spent the last couple of weeks sifting through around 100 applications for the vacant manager’s job following Steve Coppell’s decision to walk away after five-and-a-half years at the helm.
I understand Hammond has now drawn up a short-list of candidates and Rodgers is the favoured choice. Watford do not want to lose 36-year-old Rodgers, who started his coaching career at Reading, as he has worked wonders at Vicarage Road since taking over the reins last November.
The Hornets were 21st in the Championship table when Rodgers was appointed their boss, but he lifted them as high as 13th. That form would have seen Watford finish in the play-offs had Rodgers been in charge from the start of the season and been able to reproduce it.
Rodgers has a 12-month rolling contract with the Hertfordshire club so Reading would have to pay in the region of £500,000 compensation to land him.
Hornets chairman Jimmy Russo is likely to resist an initial approach from Royals but may find it impossible to keep hold of Rodgers, who still lives in Reading. Although Rodgers has not asked for a move and is more than happy at Watford, he has never hid his desire to return to Royals one day.
He was initially brought over to the club from Ballymena as a teenager. He never made a first-team appearance at Elm Park as his professional playing career was cut short by injury at the age of 20.
But he returned to play a major role in the foundation of Reading’s Academy.
He went on to be appointed Academy manager before being head-hunted by Jose Mourinho at Chelsea.
After working with the youth team at Stamford Bridge, he was promoted to reserve-team boss where he worked with world-class players Andriy Shevchenko, Didier Drogba and Ricardo Carvalho.
If a move for Rodgers falls through then Hammond will begin the process of opening talks with the next contender.
Exeter’s Paul Tisdale is a highly-rated contender, while Preston’s Alan Irvine has been heavily linked with the job.
But Preston chairman Derek Shaw said: “Alan is under contract and I don’t want to get sucked into talking about speculation.”
Steve Cotterill, Alan Curbishley, Glenn Hoddle, Paul Ince and Aidy Boothroyd are all thought to be interested in the post.
