Reading SACK manager Veljko Paunovic and appoint Paul Ince as interim boss

Reading SACK manager Veljko Paunovic despite winning for the first time in 13 games against Preston… with former England captain Paul Ince taking interim charge

Reading have sacked Veljko Paunovic with the club 21st in the Championship
The decision comes despite the Royals winning 3-2 at Preston this afternoon
The victory at Deepdale ended the club’s 12-game winless run in all competitions
Paul Ince will take interim charge alongside academy director Michael Gilkes

By Olly Allen For Mailonline

Reading have sacked manager Veljko Paunovic, despite winning 3-2 against Preston this afternoon.

Former England captain Paul Ince – whose son Tom is currently on loan with the Royals – will take interim charge along with Reading academy director Michael Gilkes.

Paunovic was appointed in August 2020 and led the club to a seventh-place finish in his first season in charge.

Veljko Paunovic has been sacked as Reading manager despite beating Preston this afternoon

However, Reading have struggled this season – not helped by a six-point deduction for breaching the EFL’s profitability and sustainability rules – and the Serbian leaves with the club 21st in the Championship table, five points above the relegation zone.

The Royals went into the trip to Deepdale without a win in their last 12 matches – a run that included an FA Cup exit at the hands of non-league Kidderminster Harriers and a record 7-0 home defeat to Fulham.

Supporter frustrations have grown in recent weeks, with protests before and after Reading’s 3-2 defeat to Coventry last weekend.

Angry fans then surrounded the team bus following the 0-0 draw against relegation rivals Peterborough on Wednesday evening.

Paunovic’s final game in charge was a 3-2 away win at Preston on Saturday afternoon

Chief Executive Dayong Pang confirmed that the decision to relieve Paunovic of his duties was made on Friday morning.

Incoming interim boss Ince has not been in the dugout since leaving Blackpool in January 2014.

The former England international has also had spells in charge of Macclesfield Town, MK Dons, Blackburn Rovers and Notts County, but has moved to punditry work in recent years.

Fellow interim coach Michael Gilkes is a club legend, having made 487 appearances for the Royals as a player. He has been academy director since December 2019.

Ince and Gilkes will take charge of Reading for the first time when they host Birmingham City on Tuesday evening.

Former England captain Paul Ince will take interim charge along with Michael Gilkes

Reading supporters stormed onto the pitch in protest after losing to Coventry last week

READING’S STATEMENT IN FULL

Reading Football Club can confirm that the contract of first team manager Veljko Paunović has been terminated by mutual consent.

The Serbian was appointed as manager of the Royals in late August 2020 and without fans in the stands to support him or his side, we sustained a push for promotion for much of his maiden campaign in the Championship – only for our play-off hopes to fade in the final few weeks of 2020-21.

This season, somewhat understandably, has proven more difficult – having to help lead the club through strict transfer embargo restrictions and contract limitations, an injury crisis like never before seen at our club, a global pandemic and the challenge of a six-point deduction imposed by the EFL.

For these reasons, owner Mr Dai Yongge wanted to afford Veljko time to turn around a poor recent run of results that now sees us in a battle for second tier survival. However, with nearly a third of the season still remaining and every point now vital in our bid to retain Championship status, the decision has been mutually agreed to make a change.

Chief Executive, Mr Dayong Pang, said: ‘I met in person with Pauno yesterday morning and I would like to personally thank him for his commitment and dedication to our club during his time as first team manager – but also his professionalism throughout what have been undeniably challenging circumstances this season. Everyone at Reading Football Club would like to wish Veljko the very best of luck in his future career.

‘The board and I will now work diligently to identify the right candidate to take this club forward. This work will be done quickly but without undue haste as we fully appreciate the importance of our decision to appoint a new manager at this crucial stage of the campaign.’

Former England captain Paul Ince, father to Royals loanee Tom Ince, has been appointed to take charge of first team affairs on an interim basis alongside Academy Manager Michael Gilkes, while we embark on the thorough search for a new permanent manager.

The club will make no additional comment at this time but will provide further updates as soon as possible.

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