Reading FC co-owners Rob Couhig and Todd Trosclair have defended manager Leam Richardson following questions about his style of play, which some supporters have occasionally described as negative despite generally solid results.
Speaking in a Q&A session with fans, Couhig emphasised his confidence in Richardson, who has guided the club to improved performances compared with last season.
“Do I think Leam is the right guy? I’m the guy who selected him, of course I think he’s the right guy,” Couhig said. “Where we are today compared to where we were a year ago we’re further up the table and have done better on the pitch. I’m not going to knock what happened at the beginning of the season but he has been there and digging out of that hole. It’s a long way to go until we get there (the play-offs), but I think he is absolutely the right guy and we selected him because we needed somebody who was mature and strong enough to talk to us about what they want.”
Couhig also stressed the club’s ambitions, saying: “The reason we are here is to produce winning football and get this club promoted. Anything else is not meeting our expectations. Do I think we’re going to get promoted? Absolutely. It’s a long season and we’ve had things happen like they have to the other 23 teams.”
He addressed perceptions about attendances, insisting that Reading’s figures remain steady: “Anybody who says our attendances are down hasn’t looked at the statistics. If you look at them, our attendances are where they were last year and going up and our best games for attendances are ahead of us so we’re going to do fine on that. I’m good with where we are.”
Trosclair added that entertainment value remains important to supporters, but winning is the priority. “Entertainment value is very important to the fans. We want to win and we’re going to win, it’s just a matter of time,” he said.
The Royals are currently just outside the play-off places before they welcome fellow top six chasers Plymouth Argyle to the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday.
