Reading have appointed the former Manchester United and PSV Eindhoven defender Jaap Stam as the club’s new manager. The 43-year-old has agreed an initial two-year contract at the Madejski Stadium. The Championship club sacked Brian McDermott at the end of the season following a disappointing campaign, in which they finished 17th.
The job will be Stam’s first in charge of a senior team, after spells as assistant and reserve-team manager at Ajax over the last three years. The Dutchman also becomes Reading’s first non-British manager.
“As a player I wanted to win as many trophies as I could and as a manager I have the same ambition,” said Stam. “I am going to do that with Reading and I am very happy to do that with this club. Hopefully we can get to the Premier League with Reading.”
Stam won 67 caps for Holland during a 15-year playing career which finished in his native homeland with Ajax.
Reading’s chief executive Nigel Howe, speaking to the club website, said: “I am delighted to welcome Jaap to Reading. He was the first choice amongst a vast number of applicants interested in the position and we are thrilled that we have managed to secure the signature of a manager with such an abundance of experience.”
Fellow Dutch duo Andries Ulderink and Said Bakkati are set to join Stam at Madejski Stadium as part of his new-look coaching team – having both worked with Stam as coaches at Ajax. First-team coaches Steven Reid and Dave Beasant will both remain in their positions at the club and will form part of Stam’s first-team coaching staff.
