JAAP STAM says it will take time for his returning injured players to start producing the form of last season.
Reading have struggled with a lengthy injury list all season, but that is set to ease in the next couple of weeks with Liam Kelly, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and Joey van den Berg in contention to face Birmingham City on Saturday.
Longer term absentees in Roy Beerens and Garath McCleary have also made their first team returns while Jordan Obita and Callum Harriott are closing in on full training.
McCleary spent most of last season playing through the pain barrier but finally underwent surgery over the summer.
But Stam has warned it won’t be as simple as throwing them straight back into action, citing McCleary’s below par display against Millwall as an example.
“GMac is getting close, but it is not easy because being fit doesn’t mean that you can play 90 minutes,” explained the boss.
“You’ve seen that with McCleary. He started against Millwall but still was not really up to the standards that he can and needs to bring.
“That takes time as well.
“By getting those players back into the squad is a good thing but it doesn’t mean that they are straightaway at the top of their ability.
“But it looks good that players are coming back into the squad, which eventually makes us stronger.”
Also missing this weekend are Yann Kermorgant and John Swift with the latter picking up a hamstring strain in defeat to Preston North End last weekend, which will rule him out for four weeks.
