‘Nice Tag Has Got To Go, It's Time To Be Nasty!'

MARK Bowen comes across as a genuinely nice guy, but he’s determined to make Reading nasty.

- John Lyons

Appointed manager a couple of weeks ago, the Welshman is starting to win over the doubters after his switch from being the Royals’ sporting director.

A last-gasp win on his home debut as boss against high-flying Preston – which helped Reading clamber out of the relegation zone – was the perfect start last weekend and Tuesday night’s 2-2 draw at in-form QPR provided further proof that Bowen can cut the mustard.

While he appears a calm presence on the touchline, there is little doubting the 55-year-old’s passion when he talks football.

He is convinced that he will get Reading climbing the Championship table before long – and their opponents had better watch out.

“I’ve tweaked the way we play in terms of trying to be a little bit more direct, a little bit more on the front foot,” he explained.

“I want us to play games where it’s a battle for every team to play against us. I hate that label that if you play Reading Football Club, it’s going to be a nice game of football.

Talent “Well, excuse me, sod that, I want us to be really hard to beat, I want us to be nasty and if we get that right, the quality that we’ve got in the team will take over and we’ll be a better side and get more points.

“I, the team and my staff have got ambitions not to just be okay. We’ll push up this league mate because we’re too good not to.

“If we get things right off the ball, with our ability anything is possible.”

Indeed, Bowen does have quality players at his disposal. John Swift, 24, is a talented midfielder who can make the Royals tick, while Liverpool loanee Ovie Ejaria, 21, has skill in abundance.

The latter was in devastating form in the first half at QPR and it was his delicious through ball that gave Romanian striker George Puscas the chance to score Reading’s first equalizer of the night.