CASTRO IN LINE FOR THE ROYALS’ THRONE
Reading in swoop for Portuguese manager
READING are set to appoint unknown Portuguese Luis Castro after terminating Paul Clement’s nine-month stint at the helm.
Castro, 57, is the manager of Portuguese minnows Vitoria Guimaraes, who are currently sixth in the Primeira Liga on the back of an 11-game unbeaten run.
A former right-back, he spent two months in charge of Porto in 2014 but has never played or managed outside his native land.
According to reports in Portuguese media, the Royals have offered Vitoria €1m in compensation for Castro and every member of his technical staff. The manager himself has reputedly been offered an annual salary of £1m.
Negotiations are being conducted by super-agent Kia Joorabchian, who has recently grown in influence at the Madejski and counts Castro among his clients. If the 47-year-old gets his way, the new manager will be unveiled by Wednesday.
Quizzed on the subject at his pre-match press conference on Friday, a tetchy Castro refused to dismiss the rumours.
“My head is totally focused on the game with Rio Ave,” said Castro, who boasts a career win percentage of 41.60 over 238 games with Sanjoanense, Penafiel and the Porto B team.
“All I can say is that I’ll speak on Monday. That is my day off and then I’m totally free to address any issues that are outside of the game. In my life I always walked with my conscience. I do not walk with what others think or what they do not. What others thought when I was in the regional leagues did not interest me, what they thought when I was in the third division did not interest me.
“Now that I am in the Primeira Liga, it still does not interest me. I’m only interested in my conscience, what I do in my day-to-day life. I dedicate myself completely to my work and profession.”
Upheaval
Castro’s impending arrival would cap a fortnight of upheaval at the Madejski which saw three prominent figures leave the club. Chief executive Ron Gourlay was the first to go, the former Chelsea and Manchester United man standing down in late November, less than 18 months after his appointment. He was replaced by Nigel Howe, who had previously held the role from 1995 until Gourlay’s arrival in July 2017 when he assumed the position of vice-chairman.
Howe’s first significant act was to sack Clement, below. The 46-yearold – a Gourlay appointment – was dismissed on Thursday after a run of four wins from 20 games left the Royals on the fringes of the Championship relegation zone.
Despite saving the club from relegation after replacing Jaap Stam in March, the former Derby and Swansea boss won just seven of his 30 matches.
A statement on the club website said Howe would lead the search for “a manager who will fit the Reading mould”.
There was, however, no mention of sporting director Gianluca Nani, and the reason for that became clear 24 hours later when the Italian also announced his resignation. Nani was appointed in September after previous incumbent Brian Tevreden quit the club citing poor relations with Gourlay.
Publicly, Nani said the club was “moving in a new direction”. Privately, it is understood the 56-yearold felt undermined by the growing influence of Joorabchian and left before he was sidelined.
Nick Hammond, who held the position from 2003-2016 and has publicly declared an interest, is widely expected to return as Reading’s owners Yongge and Xiu Lui Dai seek a return to the club’s roots.