Reading FC: Mark Bowen appointed as Sky Bet Championship club's new manager
Reading have announced Mark Bowen as the club's new manager.
The former Wales defender moves from his position as sporting director at the Madejski Stadium to replace Jose Gomes, who was sacked last week.
The Royals are third bottom of the Sky Bet Championship table, without a league win since the end of August.
Chief executive Nigel Howe is confident 55-year-old Bowen, who joined the club as a consultant towards the end of the 2018-19 campaign, can move the Royals forward.
"In the relatively short period of time that Mark has already spent at Reading Football Club, he has commanded respect and admiration from all who have worked alongside him," Howe said on the club's official website.
🤝 Reading have confirmed the appointment of Mark Bowen as their new manager.
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) October 14, 2019
📈 Bowen, who was working for the club as sporting director, has previously been assistant to Mark Hughes at various clubs.
👑 Thoughts, Royals fans? 👀 #ReadingFC #SkyBetChampionship pic.twitter.com/S319H58ubn
"He came in at a critical period last season to help us retain our Championship status and had an immediate impact.
"Mark has two decades of coaching background on his CV, has tasted promotion to the Premier League and spent most of his coaching career in top-flight football.
"He knows this club and the owner and the board believe he is very capable of getting the very best out of a talented group of first team players and achieving the results we all want."
💬 “Myself coming into the job now, the players as well – the first thing we’ll say is, we can’t do it without the fans backing” pic.twitter.com/JAAUVJv2Vc
— Reading FC (@ReadingFC) October 14, 2019
Bowen won the 1984 UEFA Cup with first club Tottenham before joining Norwich three years later. He spent almost a decade with the Canaries, helping them finish third in the first season of the Premier League and going on to play in the UEFA Cup.
The left-back also later had spells at West Ham and Charlton, as well as brief stints with Wigan, Reading and Japanese side Shimizu S-Pulse.
Bowen, who won 41 international caps, has never managed in a permanent capacity at senior level before but has regularly worked as an assistant to Mark Hughes, including with Wales, Manchester City, Stoke and Southampton.
Reading host Preston on Saturday.
Bowen said it had taken him "all of two minutes" to accept the club's offer and believes his previous experiences will stand him in good stead for the managerial challenges ahead.
"I can't wait to get on with things," he said in an interview with Reading club media.
"I was enjoying the role of sporting director, but I did miss being on the grass with the players.
"Trying to improve them as individuals and as a team has been a focus of my life for so long now.
"The one thing I do know is we have a group of players who work well together and want to do the right things - that is an ideal starting point."
Bowen added: "Every coach and manager has a different way of doing things and maybe a different voice can change the dynamics of the results - and that is what I will be aiming to do."
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