Reading managerNigel Adkins has been sacked last night after 20 months at the Championshipclub. Adkins, 49, was the Southampton manager until January 2013; he wasappointed as the Royals manager in March 2013, and the heavy 6-1 loss away toBirmingham on Saturday was his last game in charge of the club. Priorto Southampton, he was the manager of Scunthorpe.
TheRoyals have been on a poor run this season; after nearly clinching aplay-off place last season, and finishing an agonising 7th place inthe league, they have been in poor form losing nine out of their last fifteengames.
Adkinsmanagerial record at Reading was poor, compared to his former clubs-Southampton and Scunthorpe. He only won 29 out of his 80 matches atReading, giving him a win percentage of 36%.
His staffhave followed him out the door at the Madejski, with assistant manager AndyCrosby and coach Dean Wilkins those axed.
Adkins,took the job at Reading two months after he was sacked as manager ofSouthampton, after guiding them into the Premier league with back-to-backpromotions from League One. Southampton are now high 5th in thePremier league!
However, Adkins,the former Wigan Athletic goalkeeper, was unable to keep the Royals up last season,and now a year and a half later, they have plummeted to a disappointing 16thplace in the Championship.
Reading were in good form at the start of theseason winning four out of their first seven matches. That form slumped,and they are now on a barren run, which culminated in the thrashing at St.Andrews, on Saturday. In the end the fans were calling for his head whichultimately cost him his job.
AfterReading’s change in ownership in September this year and decision to sell theirover 30 players, they are now concentrating on bringing players through theyouth.
The youth team had a stellar 2014, winning the Premier LeagueYouth Cup and perhaps the team is in a time of transition with a lot ofpromising youngsters coming through the ranks, as opposed to theunder-performing senior first team players.
Good luckto Steve Clarke, ex West Bromwich Albion head coach, who has just been promotedas Reading’s new manager.
