Despite being in the hunt for vacant posts in the Sky Bet Championship, current Reading boss Jaap Stam is being head-hunted by Dutch giants Ajax according to a report from the Daily Mail’s Mail Online.
Stam, who only signed on as Reading boss last June, has had a very successful season in his first campaign in charge of the Royals. Stam’s side made it through to the Play-Off Final before being defeated on penalties by Huddersfield Town.
Reading have played 54 matches under Stam’s leadership, winning 30 and drawing eight of these – suffering 16 losses. His style of play, often criticised by some opposing fans as safety-first possession football, was successful enough to give them a per game average points total of 1.81 points, with an average of 1.54 goals scored and 1.48 goals conceded per game.
So close, yet so far for Stam, who is currently the third favourite for the vacant Leeds United position, but this is said to have convinced former club Ajax to think about approaching him to take over as their manager after they lost manager Peter Bosz to German side Borussia Dortmund.
Kampen-born Jaap Stam is well-known at Dutch giants Ajax, finishing his playing career there with them in late October 2007. After cutting his managerial teeth with FC Zwolle between 2009-2012, Stam went back to Ajax as a trainer/coach.
Flipping back and forth and taking up a number of positions at former club FC Zwolle, Stam eventually ended up back at Ajax as their Under-21 manager at the start of July 2014, a position he held until Reading came calling last summer.
Some fan views on the rumoured interest
https://twitter.com/Parking_the_Bus/status/872185353532301312
To clarify, there has been no actual rumour of Jaap Stam to Ajax (yet). Speculation came their from fans wanting him. #FakeNews #readingfc
— Talk Reading (@TalkReading) June 6, 2017
Reading a bigger job than Ajax. Stam will likely be Southampton or Everton's next boss if he takes Reading up.
— Justin South (@jackboots72) June 6, 2017
https://twitter.com/James_FIynn/status/872216471883141120
Would be really stupid of Ajax if they didn't approach Jaap Stam. Correct philosophy & at the end of his contract so would be cost them £0.
— Adam Goodwin (@AdamGoodwin__) June 6, 2017
