News and Views
Noel Hunt Immediately Replaces Selles
06 December 2024
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Noel Hunt has immediately been appointed as Reading FC's new first team manager after Ruben Selles left for Championship strugglers Hull City. As soon as Selles was out of the door, Hunt signed a two and a half year contract to keep him as manager until the summer of 2027. This time around the Royals avoided the usual weeks of speculation and had clearly already made arrangements for Hunt to step in well before Selles move to Hull was made official. Hunt is a natural appointment for the club, moving into the role from his
previous job as Under 21 team manager and is already being a very familiar face at Reading FC after his playing days as a striker for the Royals. Hunt was also caretaker manager at the end of the 2023/2024 season after
Paul Ince was sacked, and oversaw five matches as team manager which included three draws and two defeats.
After retiring from a long and successful playing career which included spells at Dundee United, Reading, Leeds, Ipswich, Portsmouth and Wigan he took his coaching qualifications and was assistant manager at Swindon Town and Doncaster Rovers. Nearly three years ago he came back to the club where he played his best football to manage Reading's under 21s. Reading have relied on their academy players stepping up into the first team in recent seasons, and there is no one that knows them better than Noel Hunt.
Noel will take charge of the Royals for tomorrow's visit to Wycombe Wanderers in the League and will be hoping to continue Reading's good form that has been them move into the play-off positions.
Discussion On This Story:
Pepe the Horseman
SCIAG
Hunt is a very good coach. When you watch him leading warm-ups, it's clear he has a good relationship with the players. He's enthusiastic while also being serious. Gives players good tips on how to use their bodies or what to do with their first touch.
I don't think he's got a tactical bone in his body. Some of this is maybe that young players aren't as good at following tactical plans, although we've had well-drilled young teams in the past. And this season the U21s have been just as starved of players as the first team, often playing with no recognised striker and a midfielder at right-back out of necessity. And I thought he seemed out-of-his-depth last time he had the job - much like Marshall and Kuhl (both of whom I'd say were better tactically but not as good man-to-man).
Tactical strengths: he loudly says the right things defensively. Weaknesses: build up and breaking teams down. In fairness, he'll have better midfield options now, and Smith is obviously much better than Wareham.
Beggars can't be choosers, he was the obvious choice, and plenty of such gambles have paid off for other clubs. Heck, Pardew and McDermott both made the same leap. But I'm pessimistic.
Best of luck to him, Royals legend either way.
Snowflake Royal
Yeah. Legend is bandied about too much. Not for me.
Good luck to him. Hugely enthusiastic, lovely seeming guy. Not sure how thoughtful he is. We'll see how he does, he's got a good, tight, well motivated squad in good form, so it's a far better time to take over than it was when Ince left.
Should be a free hit first game. The derby element adds a bit more pressure though.
Snowflake Royal
We've got 30 points. Safety has been 45, 46 and 41 the last three seasons.
Noel has 29 games to win 15 points. Even with a points deduction he barely needs a point a game.
The only goals we have right now are survive in L1 until we get a new owner and keep building the squad and young player's experience.
Clyde1998
Noel will have a good understanding with a lot of the younger players and should be able to adapt to the role very quickly. He seems to have done a very good job with the U21s, so hopefully he's learned a lot from that.
Only concern at this point is the lack of serious coaching staff to back him up, as I imagine certain staff will need to remain with the U21s.
Armadillo Roadkill
Whoever gave Hunt a three year contract won't be here with new owners. So they have nothing to lose.
It's all just part of the madness of running a football club on a week by week basis.
Good luck to him, obviously.
Snowflake Royal
1) He maintains form close to, or better than Selles had for the rest of.the season.
2) No takeover goes through, and Limbo continues into next season.
A new owner is highly unlikely to leave the incumbent in place unless they're maintaining about top 8. If we fade into midtable, which is still actually perfectly fine under the circumstances, but isn’t going stop a newbie from wanting their own team in.
Snowflake Royal
Does Dorsett stay LB or go CB?
If he does go CB, who goes LB?
Who is reserve LB?
Does Holzman, Dean or Kanu go CB?
Where is Jon Clarke at? He was at one time a promising CB/LB? How is East doing?
Walsall is the perfect opportunity to work on this.
Fezza
If Garcia goes it frankly isn't the end of the world, Bindon would be a shame - however he's cearly far too good for this level and we have plently of centre backs.
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