By Jacob Potter
It's fair to say that Paul Ince's tenure in charge of Championship side Reading has been one with plenty of ups and downs. The former Manchester United midfielder has been dealt a tough hand at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, with the Berkshire-based side having a host of off-field troubles that continue to have a negative impact on performances on the pitch, much to the frustration of the club's supporters.
Ince was appointed as the club's interim manager back in February 2022, and guided the club to safety with two matches to spare in the 2021/22 season, which caught the eye, especially given the injury crisis that disrupted the first-team squad throughout that league campaign. Notable moments such as the late winner at Sheffield United and the dramatic draw with Swansea City reunited a Reading fan base which had been distant from the club's hierarchy for so long. That feel-good factor around Reading went into the 2022/23 season, with the Royals starting the campaign in hugely impressive fashion, and at one point in the first-half of this season, they were top of the table, albeit for a matter of seconds, as Andy Carroll's penalty was cancelled out by a QPR equaliser back in early October.
However, that strong run of form didn't last, and the Royals have been sucked deep into the relegation battle in the Championship, as they're now sat 18th in the second-tier standings heading into the international break, which seem to come at the ideal time for the Berkshire-based side, who lacked any sort of momentum. They're nine points clear of the relegation zone with eight matches left in this year's campaign, however, you should take that with a pinch of salt, as Reading could be deducted a further six points for breaching the rules set in place by the EFL over their spending. The Daily Mail have previously revealed that the club could be deducted points this season, although there seems to be a lack of clarity over whether that points deduction will be put into place this term or next season.
Regardless of the off-field problems that Ince has had to cope with, many of the Reading fanbase have lost patience with the former Blackburn Rovers boss. Positive results have been tough to find, and the Royals' away form in the 2022/23 season has been nothing short of abysmal. They've accumulated just 11 points from 19 away matches, which makes for dismal reading, especially considering that it's the worst away record out of all of the teams in the Championship. Reading had previously been well clear of the relegation zone due to their strong run of results at home, but since the turn of the year, even that record has taken a hit. They're winless in their last five, and with two goals scored during that period, there are a sizeable amount of problems to address during the short break from competitive action.
Ince has been dealt a poor hand in terms of the injuries in his squad this season, which was already paper thin heading into the start of the campaign. However, there is still quality within that squad, and we've seen that in the past, as they've previously been challenging for a top-six finish earlier in the season. However, Ince's somewhat negative tactics in away matches in particular continue to cause problems for the Royals, and given that their home form has also shown signs of struggle, it's difficult to criticise a fanbase that have been through a hugely frustrating few seasons on and off-the-field.
Speaking to mybettingsites.co.uk , we've learnt that Reading are priced at 7/2 on the Betfair exchange to be relegated from the Championship in the 2022/23 season. The majority of other betting sites currently aren't offering a price on relegation odds in the Championship due to the uncertainty regarding any possible points deduction for the Royals.
The transfer embargo hanging over the squad has restricted Ince in the transfer market, but with the likes of Tom Ince, Andy Carroll, Tom Holmes, Naby Sarr, and Joe Lumley, you'd like to think that the club have enough quality within their ranks to steer themselves clear of the bottom-three. One area that Ince can be criticised for is his substitutions, with the likes of Femi Azeez and Tyrese Fornah in particular seeing regular game time hard to come by in recent months. They've both shown real quality when they've been involved, but even despite Reading's dismal performances of late, they are still struggling to be given a spot in the starting XI on a more frequent basis.
Ince hasn't exactly been self-critical during his time in charge of Reading, particularly during their slump in results since the turn of the year. We've seen the 55-year-old tear into his players in post-match interviews instead of shouldering some of the responsibility himself, which isn't what you want to see from a manager, especially when they're under pressure themselves during a tricky period.
Even without a points deduction, Reading's recent showings and run of fixtures until the end of the season aren't too promising, and so it could be time for the club to call time on Ince's future. Relegation would be nothing short of disastrous, as we've seen all too often that some of the ‘bigger' teams in League One can find it tough to bounce straight back into the Championship relatively swiftly. With Reading's off-field problems also well-publicised, it really wouldn't be much of a surprise to see them struggle in the third-tier, especially if they had to adjust financially with a mass exodus of key players from within the first-team.
It's a bold call to make on Ince, but it's one that could be needed to break this dismal run of form, which could eventually see the club be faced with an uncertain future if they drop into League One.
