They are currently in serious danger, though, as survival is not assured and there may be a further suspended two-point reduction.
Some of their top players, such Harvey Knibbs, Sam Smith, Lewis Wing, and Femi Azeez—the latter of whom has a contract that expires at the end of this season—will likely leave if they do fall short.
Ruben Selles’ time at Reading FC so far
Selles’ tenure at the Select Car Leasing Stadium got off to a rough start, but a very eventful summer didn’t exactly help, as a team rebuild was ongoing in the early going of the season.
Having spent a significant portion of the season in the drop zone, the former Southampton manager most likely would have been fired by most other teams.
However, the Royals’ dire financial circumstances most likely kept him afloat in the end, as he was able to do even better in 2024.
His win percentage isn’t great however, and some of his outcomes, like the shock of last weekend’s loss to Shrewsbury, have been dismal.
But his winning percentage is low, and some of his results, like as the shock of the Shrewsbury loss last weekend, have been appalling.
However, in recent months, they have also managed to pick up some important points.
They could find great value in their away success against Stevenage in the first week of February. In January, they also triumphed 1-0 at home against Derby County.
With only three losses in their past 16 league games, both the Royals and Selles should be pleased with their record given their off-field financial difficulties. If the Berkshire side fails, you believe the latter can move on.
Reading FC are potentially at risk of losing Ruben Selles
Selles hasn’t had the best season statistically, but he has performed admirably lately in spite of the club’s significant issues.
He hasn’t used the Royals’ disastrous season to justify point deductions, even though it is a real possibility.
Rather, by using that as fuel, he and his team have been able to achieve some excellent results against formidable opponents, such as Derby. Since they abandoned the 4-2-2-2 system, they have also put up a lot of strong performances, with their movement giving opponents a lot of trouble.
He cannot, however, bear the brunt of the responsibility should relegation occur, as the club’s owner Dai Yongge is mostly to blame for the current state of affairs.
If the Royals fall to League Two, it wouldn’t even be shocking to see the former Saints boss go, in part due to the likely psychological toll the position has taken on him.
If he were to depart, there would be no shortage of offers for him to manage or coach in other places; the forty-year-old has managed in the Premier League and coached at many clubs in the past, including Valencia and FC Copenhagen.
The Royals’ prospects of keeping their manager could depend on how late they stay up.
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