Jose Gomes Discusses His Future After Bristol City Loss

The gaffer’s thoughts on the game, Reading’s form, Puscas’ confidence and his own future at the club.

Another frustrating loss leaves us in the bottom three after a 1-0 defeat at Ashton Gate against Bristol City. The Royals went behind after 12 minutes, but they were more competitive in the second half despite being unable to score the equaliser.

Jose Gomes after the game wasn’t particularly concerned on his future after his team’s poor form. He spoke to the official club website and GetReading after the game.

Gomes on the game

“I think we deserved more, we created a lot of chances, but this kind of speech is like a normal speech for what my team is doing this season. Ups and downs within the same game. We did really well in the second half, but we conceded a goal in the first half from a header when we started with three centre backs.

“We studied this team and knew they like to cross the ball and to find Diedhiou. So we used three central defenders, all very strong with the head. So if you asked be before the game if I expected to concede a goal from a cross, I would have said no.

“Small mistakes are giving the advantage to the opponent. And then with the situations we create, we should be clinical and kill the game. Yakou alone with the goalkeeper, Puscas had a good chance - we had a lot of goal situations which we need to score from if we want to move away from the position we’re in.”

Gomes on whether it was a fair result

“Anyone who watches football would agree that watching that game, a 1-0 defeat wasn’t a fair result. But talking about fair in football is complicated because they scored a goal and we didn’t.

“And that is football. In the end what counts, is the number of goals you score. And if you don’t score, you can’t win.”

Gomes on the energy shown

“The positive thing is the energy my players showed. All game, especially in the second half. The energy I have felt from my players and they have felt from me, the passion and love we are working with at Reading since I arrived, that is what we can use to turn this situation around.”

Gomes on Puscas’ low confidence

“Strikers’ food is goals so when they don’t score they start showing vulnerability and lose their emotional balance. Maybe that’s his problem. He needs to score again to help his confidence.

“There’s only one way to let him and score and that’s let him play. Then that will increase his confidence.”

Gomes on dropping into the relegation zone

“It’s not what we wanted - not me, not anybody. We have been working very hard to turn this situation around but that’s where we are. We must go on working and move up as soon as possible.”

Gomes on being manager for the next game in two weeks’ time

“This is a normal and natural question from your side but as you can imagine I don’t have the answers. Not because I don’t want to answer, I don’t have it. You must ask the person in charge who can take those decisions.

“From my side I just can say the passion and love I have been working for at Reading - if we look from when I arrived I consider it really positive - what happened last season. When arrived there was no hope from anyone - not the media, the players, board or fans and we turned around the situation. We did it with work, togetherness, positive energy and we solved the problems in the end.

"If we have no patience and we want to change the things in such a short period of time maybe we can do a big mistake. No one knows this squad or players better than me and the energy I have been feeling from my players with my 25 years experience in professional football says that it can be a mistake.

“But this is not my decision and I can only control the things which I decide. Sometimes in football you feel the players are not showing anything but this is not the situation. And when this [a change] happens you cannot change 25 players so you usually it’s the manager that is changed.

“If I felt my players don’t want to help the club or follow what I am saying - I would be the first to talk with the board and the owners say it’s better to find someone else.

“I have a special relation with Reading and I will have this all my life. I want the best for Reading. If I feel I am no longer the solution I will be the first to talk to the owners and say bring another manager because the players don’t care and are not working.”