Reading never do things the ordinary way. Despite calls for Veljko Paunovic to be sacked throughout the month of January, the Serb survived a run of eight consecutive defeats.
There was no club statement after the FA Cup exit at the hands of Kidderminster Harriers. No corner flag after the record 7-0 home defeat to Fulham.
No, confirmation of Paunovic’s departure was made after a brilliant 3-2 away win at Preston North End, the team’s first victory in 13 matches since the end of November.
The decision had been made before the game, but the bizarre timing of the announcement just about summed up the chaotic nature of the football club.
Everyone can agree that it was the right decision to relieve Paunovic of his duties and that it has been a long time coming. The team’s form under him looked unsalvageable for some time, they were conceding goals at a rate of knots and by some reports the players had lost faith in him.
There was only one direction that Reading were heading under Paunovic and that was to League One. His relationship with supporters had reached the point of no return and the longer he remained in the job, the more fractious, toxic and angry the fanbase became.
It means that his departure came as a huge relief for everyone involved. Fans remain rightly up in arms about other behind-the-scenes issues that continue to blight the football club, but Paunovic’s exit is a step in the right direction.
For the manager himself, you only need to watch his final interview after winning at Preston to see how he feels like a weight has been lifted. He had a friend from Spain in the stands to provide support, as his wife had become concerned for his mental health.
Time should be healer for Paunovic and I hope that once we are a year or two removed from his tenure, then the work he did will be fully appreciated.
If you are going to rightly criticise the way his time at the club end, you should also rightly praise how magnificently it began. 22 points from a possible 24 to open the 2020-21 season was the joint-best start to a Championship season and was even more remarkable as Paunovic had only taken his first in-person training session in the week before the first game.
Yes, Reading dropped off and lost their place in the top six but a seventh place finish was beyond anyone’s expectations before the campaign.
Paunovic was dealt a tougher hand than any of his predecessors – working through a pandemic, playing almost his entire first season in front of no supporters, dealing with constant restrictions in the transfer market and being handed a six-point deduction for things that happened before he even arrived at the club.
Ultimately he was too out of his depth to deal with all of these issues at the same time, but then what manager wouldn’t be?
It was never plain sailing (or rowing), but he was hard-working, proud and ultimately as frustrated as the rest of us. Go well, Pauno.
By Olly Allen
