Reading boss Jaap Stam has been named the Championship Manager of the Month for January.
The 44-year-old took charge of Reading in the summer and has had a successful debut in management. The Royals, under the stewardship of Stam, won four out of six league games in January and are currently third place in the Championship with Huddersfield Town and Leeds United hot on their tails.
Stam was delighted to win the award but modest in victory,
“It’s an honour to win the trophy but no manager can do it on their own. You need to have people around you to help you out, staff who have the knowledge and can pass it on to the team to help us get results.
“And if the players don’t perform, we don’t win a trophy like this! So I have to thank them as well because we get recognition thanks to their hard work, the performances they have been producing and the results we are picking up.”
Reading host Barnsley on Saturday, who will be without key players Conor Hourihane and Sam Winnall after a disappointing transfer window saw both players leave the South Yorkshire side. Later in the month, Stam’s side with travel to Brighton & Hove Albion in what could be a season-defining clash between the promotion rivals. The Seagulls are in second spot and five points ahead of Reading with a game in hand. Chris Hughton’s side host relegation contenders Burton Albion at the weekend but have gone their last three games without finding a win.
