Over the previous few months, Paul Ince had managed to navigate Reading’s sinking ship to safety in the Championship, with survival guaranteed last weekend.
After being out of management for so long, the former England international came in with a lot to prove, but he has gone back to fundamentals and gotten more out of some members of the squad than Veljko Paunovic did at times this season. Ince, whose contract ends at the end of the season, spoke on the EFL Podcast about how tough the job has been.
“People basically assume it’s about getting to the training pitch, teaching, and then picking a team to attempt to win on,” he explained.
From the top to the bottom, there is a lot of work to be done. So many people want to take up a lot of their time doing this, doing that, and performing functions here. It’s really demanding; in fact, it’s a profession that requires you to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
People claim they make a lot of money in the championship, but for me, it’s not about the money. It’s the daily stress you put on yourself; you don’t get enough sleep, things happen on the field, you get injured, and then you have to deal with all of that. It’s been difficult for us, particularly with Reading. We’ve had four or five players sidelined for the majority of the season. “
It’s difficult. I’m in Reading right now. I haven’t seen my wife in months, and I only see my kids once or twice a month. We are all human beings, and I am a father. It’s a major decision to not see my family every day like I used to, so it’s difficult.
We do, however, enjoy football. That’s why Roy Hodgson is still in charge at Watford at his age. Futballnews learned that Ince is undecided about accepting the post next season if it is offered to him, with confirmation expected in the coming weeks ahead of the club’s difficult summer window.
The Royals have benefited this season from the failings of the teams behind them as well as Derby County’s points deduction, although they had already been docked six points and we’re not playing as a unit when Ince arrived.
With so many players out of contract and restrictions on how the club can operate in the summer, Ince may be best served to go while his stock is still high, with future opportunities arising as a result of his success at Reading. The 54-year-old’s no-nonsense style may appeal to certain clubs on a short-term basis in the future if they find themselves in a similar situation as the Royals did as the season progressed.
