Leam Richardson may have been in the Reading job for less than six months, but he already faces an uncertain future amidst growing discontent amongst Royals supporters.
The former Wigan Athletic boss was named Noel Hunt's successor at the end of October and although Richardson has lifted the club from 19th into the top half of League One, Reading fans have grown increasingly irate by the level of performances and style of play.
Any remaining hopes of achieving a play-off berth were extinguished by a turgid defeat to Doncaster Rovers on Saturday and the Royals hierarchy must decide if they believe Richardson is the man to take them forward into next season.
In light of growing disillusion amongst the Reading fanbase and calls for Richardson to be sacked, we take a look at the contenders who could replace him at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Ruben Selles
They say your ex is an ex for a reason, but Ruben Selles is the one who got away in the eyes of Reading supporters.
The Spaniard was adored during an 18-month stint in Berkshire where he ensured Reading remained competitive despite being hamstrung by the club's bleak financial predicament under former owner Dai Yongge.
Reading were in the play-off mix when Selles decided to pursue an opportunity with Hull City, but it would be fair to say his managerial career hasn't panned out quite how he imagined since his move to Humberside.
Sacked by Hull despite fulfilling his objective of keeping them in the Championship, Selles managed to upgrade to Sheffield United but his time at Bramall Lane was brief as he lasted just six matches before being axed.
A return to his native Spain followed in October as he joined Real Zaragoza in the Spanish Segunda, but his tenure concluded after just 133 days with Los Maños bottom of the league.
With his managerial reputation bruised, a return to a more familiar setting could be beneficial for a coach who is still in his infancy, and Selles would encounter a far more prosperous Reading than the one he departed.
Richie Wellens
Richie Wellens has been linked with a plethora of vacancies and it's no doubt due to his ability to make a team better than the sum of its parts.
Having reached the League One play-off final last season, the current campaign has been a stark contrast for Leyton Orient as Wellens' side have languished in the bottom eight of the standings for a large portion of the year.
A flurry of wins in March had alleviated relegation fears, but the O's have since been sucked back into the dogfight as they look to preserve their third tier status.
Irrespective of whether Orient survive or go down, Wellens is likely to have plenty of options in the summer and the Reading job is one that could entice the former Leicester City midfielder to leave Brisbane Road.d
Damien Duff
Former Chelsea and Fulham winger Damien Duff was heavily tipped to assume a managerial position in the Football League but that's yet to come to fruition.
The 47-year-old was most recently in charge of League of Ireland outfit Shelbourne where he orchestrated their remarkable Premier Division triumph in 2024, despite going off as 25/1 outsiders for the title.
Duff also guided the club to successes in Europe during his stint in Dublin and was commended for the style of football he implemented at Tolka Park.
It was understood Duff was on the shortlist to succeed Hunt at the Select Car Leasing Stadium before Rob Couhig opted to appoint Richardson, and the former Republic of Ireland winger would likely be in the frame again if the vacancy arose.
Michael Beale
Arguably a tad on the ambitious side given Michael Beale's short managerial career has not delved lower than the Championship, but Steven Gerrard's former assistant needs to carefully assess his next steps if he is to plot a route back into management.
Beale was last seen in the Saudi Pro League where he served alongside Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq after he was sacked by Sunderland just seven months into his reign.
His disappointing stint on Wearside followed an underwhelming end to his tenure at Rangers. It had initially started incredibly promisingly for Beale as he won 18 of his first 20 games in charge of the Ibrox outfit. However, a difficult start to the subsequent campaign resulted in his dismissal.
Reading's ambitions clearly lie in achieving a return to the Championship and Beale has the credentials to help the club orchestrate that.
