Former Reading FC manager Jaap Stam has admitted that he would ‘love to go back’ if the opportunity arose for him to work for the club again.
The Dutch manager was with the royals from 2016-2018 and had the club on the brink of a Premier League return in his first season in 2017 but had to suffer the heartbreak of a penalty shootout defeat in the Championship play-off final to Huddersfield Town.
However, his second campaign turned sour and after a horrid run of just one win in 18 games, Stam was sacked with Reading in 20th position in the Championship table.
Since his time at Reading, the former Manchester United player has managed PEC Zwolle, Feyenoord, FC Cincinnati and most recently his hometown amateur club DOS Kampen in the seventh tier of Dutch football.
Reflecting on his time at Reading, speaking to casinobeats.com, Stam said: “To be honest I can say that I loved the club when I worked there and I still follow them very much because I had a great time working over there.
“I got the opportunity to work over there to work in the Championship which is a great competition. Reading was a great club for myself and my family as well. We enjoyed working over there with the players and we had success.
“We turned things around over there and then unfortunately okay, you don’t make it to the Premier League, which was a shame. Then you go into a second season like you’re saying. And already months before you talk about what you need to do or what people need to bring in again to do the same thing or, or get close to doing the same thing.
“And then, you know, it’s difficult for the owners as well to bring certain players in to make that next step. But then you can’t make it.
“Towards the end of the season, we talked about it and then we came to the conclusion that it was better for us to part ways. And that’s how the decision was made, we made it together.”
Stam admitted that he still follows Reading’s results and is upset to see them playing in League One and suffering financial issues under current owner Dai Yongge.
He continued: “I feel sorry that it went with the club and that they went all the way down to League One because I think it’s a great club and that they have great fans.
“The area where the club is it’s great as well and I really think that with this club, you could make something beautiful out of it.
“But that’s not what happened and then I think that’s a shame because I said, you know, there’s a lot of times when we spoke about it, when we see them play and things were not going well, they said would you like to go back? I said, yeah if the opportunity was ever there, I would love to go back and work for them again if they would have me.
“But we all know how it works in football. I really enjoyed working for them.”
To read the full blog, visit: https://casinobeats.com/jaap-stam-interview/
