22 December 2018
By Hob Nob Anyone?
Reading confirmed the arrival of Jose Gomes as first team manager this evening. Gomes was widely expected to be announced as Paul Clement's replacement during the week but his arrival was delayed while Reading agreed compensation with his previous club Portuguese side Rio Ave. There remains a big mystery on why Reading were so set on Gomes - and he leaves his previous club without a win in five matches. Gomes has struggled to hold down any first team managers job for any length of time and has a very non-descript record as he comes to Reading. Gomes was announced immediately after Scott Marshall took charge of the Royals for the last time as they were beaten 0-1 at home by Middlesbrough.
Marshall will now return to the Under 23 team where he has enjoyed huge success as manager. His record as caretaker will show a single point from three league games and he passes control over to Gomes, with Reading out of the relegation positions only on goal difference. However the defeat against Middlesbrough was harsh on the Royals as another goal late in the game denied Reading at least a point. With further injuries to what might have been his first choice eleven, Marshall put more faith in his young players. Gabriel Osho stepped up into the centre of defence and made a very impressive debut as Reading showed pace, and confidence to start attacking moves out of defence.
Middlesbrough came to Reading as a team chasing promotion but it was the home side that looked the better side in the first half. It was only after the break that Middlesbrough started to look dangerous. After failing to trouble the Royals in the first half the late goal almost felt inevitable again - such is the luck of a side at the wrong end of the table. Middlesbrough's 77th minute winner could have been followed up by another as Reading faded out when they had looked good to get something out of the game earlier on.
Shortly after Gomes was confirmed as manager, the club confirmed that assistant managers and coaches Nigel Gibbs and Karl Halabi had been sacked. Goalkeeping coach Dave Beasant also has left the club as Jose Gomes brings in his new staff. Gibbs spent seven years at Reading from 2006 and only returned earlier this year to join Paul Clement. It is very disappointing to see the club immediately dispose of his services. Dave Beasant had been with the club for over 3 years and had done excellent recent work with Jaakkola. With the recent return of Nigel Howe, it is huge changes at all levels of management at the club and all the way down to the coaching staff.
Gomes leaves Rio Ave after winning 5 of his 16 games in charge, which is better than the 1 out of 13 games he won while manager of Baniyas in Abu Dhabi. Nigel Howe however is confident in his record: "He brings new energy, excitement and impetus to Reading and, importantly, he boasts a reputation of creating winning teams with an exciting brand of football. We have been able to secure the services of a manager with a very impressive reputation in his native Portugal."
It is a big step into the unknown with the new management team - and no one knows which direction we might be heading. What seems certain is that Gomes has a lot to prove to the Reading fans and will have to get off to a good start. Reading travel to Millwall on Boxing Day to play the team one place below them in the table in what should be an interesting introduction to life in the Championship for Gomes. The simple fact is that if Reading are defeated they will be in huge trouble in the bottom three and Gomes will have an epic job ahead of him to save his new club dropping into League One.
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