Reading gaffer Ruben Selles has admitted that off-field issues are affecting his side as supporters have been locked in a long-running battle with current owner Dai Yongge to get him to sell the club.
Despite having six points deducted in total for financial issues this season, the Berkshire club sit in 18th position in League One, seven points above the drop zone.
Yongge riled the fans up even more last week when he announced his plan to sell the Bearwood Park training ground that the Royals currently use. Fellow League One side Wycombe Wanderers are hoping to conclude the purchase of the Category 1 facility in the near future, although this has since been put on hold.
Despite the problems the club are facing, they ran out 4-0 winners on Saturday against Cambridge United, with four different goalscorers. Top scorer Sam Smith got himself on the scoresheet once more, followed by goals from Femi Azeez, Lewis Wing and Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan.
The former Premier League side have struggled with conceding goals. First-choice goalkeeper David Button has just eight clean sheets from 36 appearances this term while having conceded 54 goals. However, safety is the only goal for Selles this season.
There is some good news, though, as a North American group have stepped forward to enter talks to buy Ruben Selles’ side, according to reports prior to the weekend’s result against Cambridge.
Speaking to Reading Today, Selles admitted that last week’s news has started to affect his side:
“My reaction is the same. It’s arriving to a point where I told you a couple of weeks ago that we can’t cope with those things anymore.
“We passed the time where people talk about the pep talks and control the controllables and focus on your thing.
“There has been too much around us and at some point, it needs to stop.
“We cannot continue coping with the chaos and uncertainty that is making people leave us.
“Someone from the medical staff this week asked to go to another club because people want to feel safe and we are not making our people feel safe.”
The Reading boss also paid tribute to his staff during what has been a trying time for them:
“The only thing we have right now is the football bubble we have created together with the fans, together with the players and we are asking for calmness around us. Nothing more.
“There has been a lot of chaos on Thursday and Friday but somehow we managed to be focused on the game and preparing in the proper way and getting a victory that was important.”
The Royals face two tough games across the easter period as they head to Northampton Town before hosting promotion-chasers Bolton Wanderers. Two victories in these gruelling fixtures would all but confirm survival in England’s third tier.
Writer’s View
There isn’t much more to be said that hasn’t already been said. Reading needs selling, and fast. The North American group’s bid will hopefully come to fruition and won’t fall through as it did with the Swiss consortium just before Christmas.
As a club, the Royals need to catch a break and be given some stability. Selles and his players have been unbelievable this season amid what has been nothing short of a crisis on and off the pitch. Should the Spaniard manage to keep Reading in the division, which now seems likely, he will undoubtedly be in with a shout for Manager of the Season.
