BRIAN McDERMOTT has today been sacked as Reading manager.
The 55-year-old was surprisingly relieved of his duties just hours after reports emerged linking the club with a move for former Manchester United and Netherlands defender Jaap Stam.
It is suggested officials have been talking with Stam, who has recently been on the coaching staff at Dutch giants Ajax, about possibly taking on the reigns at Madejski Stadium.
He left the Amsterdam ArenA at the end of last season in order to try and pursue a career in management.
The shock sacking of McDermott, therefore, is only likely to fuel the flames on such claims, but the club say “a rigorous recruitment process” is now underway to find his successor.
A statement released by the Royals said: “After careful consideration, the board of Reading Football Club have taken the difficult decision to relieve manager Brian McDermott of his duties.
“We would like to sincerely thank Brian for all his hard work since his return to the club in December 2015 and wish him well in his future career.
“The board of Reading Football Club will now undertake a rigorous recruitment process over the next few weeks to identify the right man to lead this club forward and into the 2016/17 season.
“The club will make a further announcement to our supporters in due course.”
McDermott returned to Madejski Stadium for a second stint as manager back in December, replacing Steve Clarke – who was also axed by the Thai owners after results began to dip, although asking to speak with Championship rivals Fulham about their managerial vacancy at the time did not help his cause.
But he was unable to change Reading’s fortunes, and a season which at one point saw the team sitting second in the table would end in disappointment and with a 17th place finish.
Despite taking Royals to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, McDermott would win nine of his 30 games in charge, drawing eight and losing 13.
Six of the last seven games would end in defeat, and it appears the manager has now paid the price for a poor run of results.
