Reading boss Paul Clement came out defiant over his future in the wake of the club’s 2-1 defeat to Birmingham City on Tuesday evening.
Goals by Gary Gardner and Lukas Jutkiewicz continued the Royals woes in 2018, winning just six of 35 league matches, and hands all three teams below them at the bottom of the Championship table a chance to get even.
Taking 12 points from 14 games so far this season has divided opinion among Reading’s fanbase over whether Clement should remain in the job.
But while a goalless draw against Cardiff City on the final day of last season was enough to secure the team’s survival, Clement admitted hopes of sparking a revival had wilted under the pressure of poor results.
“The pressure I always feel is what I place on myself. I’m not happy with the results.
“I have had experience of the Championship before – I had 30 games at Derby and lost five.
“I think I do have the answers to turn it around. I’m not going to walk away.
“I’ll keep working hard with the players and keep fighting. That’s what I ask of the players too – to keep fighting.”
Clement took over at the Madejski Stadium in March following the sacking of Jaap Stam but has been unable to deliver consistency to a team which had shipped in 23 goals, only two fewer than the worst defence in the league – Preston North End.
