The 2016-17 campaign of the Sky Bet Championship is shaping up in a spectacular manner with the top sides in the second tier of English football leaving no stone unturned to earn the ticket to the Premier League. Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion might be the two sides who are favourites to claim a direct promotion, Reading are an outfit who are trying to take marauding steps in order to ensure that the top two teams are given a run for the money in the coming months.
The Royals have brought a significant stature after a 17th-place finish last term, which implies that they have excelled tremendously under the tutelage of their gaffer in the shape of Jaap Stam. The 44-year-old managed to cultivate four wins from six games in the month of January and has thus bagged the award of ‘The Manager of the Month’ for the preceding month in the second tier. Whilst his side’s good run of form under his guardianship, the wins comprised of victories against Bristol City, Fulham, Cardiff City and Birmingham City.
The most intriguing game was undoubtedly the way Reading defied the odds and came back in the final 20 minutes against Birmingham City despite being a couple of goals down to clinch a 3-2 win. The former Ajax’s assistant manager has been at the core of everything: taking bold decisions in forking out his starting line-up, shouting at the top of the lungs to issue instructions from the sides, beating the opponents’ managers tactically more often than not and making shrewd substitutions to turn the tempo of the game in their favour.
What makes him a commendable manager is his knack to constantly work on group cohesiveness and emphasising that it is not him alone but the efforts of the entire unit as to why Reading are being absolutely sensational so far this season.
Stam has created quite a stir ever since he set his feet to the Madejski Stadium. The numbers are the testamentary evidence in his favour, his side has been courageous, they keep possession in check and move the ball forward with intent and most importantly, have developed a knack to build the game right from the back.
His arrival has brought a breeze of revolution which was so very wanted at the Berkshire-based club and it is no brainer to underline that he is playing an instrumental role in helping Reading get to their target of Premier League football.
