“It would be no different because we’ve got eight first-team players out,” said the former Manchester United skipper, who was sacked on Tuesday with Reading languishing 22nd in the division.
What hope, then, for Noel Hunt? The former Royals striker, 40, has been promoted from his role as Under-21 manager with a brief to restore sagging belief and raise spirits sufficiently to win two of Reading’s final four games.
It will not be easy. A long-mooted six-point deduction for breaching the terms of an agreed business with the EFL was finally imposed a fortnight ago, plunging the Royals from a position of relative safety to the thick of a relegation dogfight.
Reading, though, were already tumbling before sanctions intervened. The Berkshire side had won just two of their last 17 matches ahead of yesterday’s clash with Burnley, and none at all since the end of February. Since the turn of the year, only Blackpool and QPR have collected fewer points.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة April 16, 2023 من The Football League Paper.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة April 16, 2023 من The Football League Paper.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
FUMING GRANT'S BLAST PAYS OFF
CHOICE words from Grant McCann at half-time did the trick as Doncaster Rovers came back to secure a point against classy Notts County.
BOSS MARTI'S ON A MISSION TO RESCUE R'S ALL OVER AGAIN
ARTI Cifuentes proved he was up for a challenge when he took the manager’s job at QPR just over a year ago.
HUSTLE FROM RUSSELL NETS DERBY SPOILS
HEAD coach Darrell Clarke praised goalscorer Jon Russell as his Barnsley side earned all three points in a home victory over South Yorkshire rivals Rotherham United.
DAVIES AGONY AS BLUES BLOW IT
ADEJECTED Chris Davies gave a bleak assessment of his Birmingham City side’s draw against Northampton Town.
WARNOCK: ONLY A GAME? IT'S LIFE OR DEATH IN SHEFFIELD!
JUST another game? Don’t pull that one on Neil Warnock, a Sheffield native, boyhood Blade and managerial veteran of nine Steel City derbies.
BISHOP AT THE HEART OF POMPEY WIN
COLBY Bishop’s spectacular return after heart surgery was a well-kept secret, said Portsmouth manager John Mousinho.
ACE VAKOUN CLEANS UP FOR THE HORNETS
VAKOUN Bayo took the plaudits once more after his goal sunk Oxford on Friday.
ANDI'S AT DOUBLE TO SPARK AWAY JOY
BLACKBURN Rovers boss John Eustace believes his team gave a text-book performance to get a first away win of the league season at Cardiff.
COV CATCH BLACK CATS NAPPING
SUNDERLAND head coach Regis le Bris was frustrated his players couldn’t build on two moments of first half magic that should have seen off managerless Coventry City at the Stadium of Light.
FARKE: WE HAVE THE WINNING MENTALITY TO STAY COURSE
Pressure mounts on Hoops manager