Brian McDermott out as Reading boss

Embattled Reading have fired manage Brian McDermott following the 2-1 loss against fellow strugglers Aston Villa last weekend. McDermott, 51, had been with the Royals since 2000, and had served as managed since late 2009 following Brendan Rodgers' departure.

This decision is slightly strange -- McDermott has, by most standards, been highly successful with the club, taking a not-particularly-strong side to the top of the Championship and earning promotion to the Premier League last year. While Reading have been overmatched in the top flight this season, they've rarely looked totally out of place or indeed mis-managed, and it's difficult to see what benefits this decision will have on their fight against relegation.

A club statement on the Reading official website claims that the hunt for a replacement will begin 'immediately', but unless a miracle occurs it's unlikely to do anyone much good. The team was going to do down with or without McDermott, and all this is doing is pushing him off a sinking ship before it finally slips beneath the waves for good.

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