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📰 Our pre-Reading press conference begins in 15 minutes.
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AR: "This is football, I reported the next day [after Luton] and heard the news Dean and Craig were relieved of their duties. It's never good to see anyone lose their jobs, they were good people."

AR: "Steve and I will be in charge for the next two games and thats what we'll prepare for. We can put as much as we can into the players in terms of tactics but it's about bringing back some belief and positivity. All we can do is prepare them as best we can."

AR: "No matter how long you're in a role, you can bring your own personality to it. There's things I want to see from the players and things Steve wants to see too."

AR: "To this club the fans are the most important thing, so you have a responsibility to entertain your fans and that comes from hard work. Everything comes back to work rate."

AR: "Aaron Ramsey is not back at the moment. Todd is back training today following a groin issue, so he's being working with the medical team but he'll be back on the grass."

AR: "Reading will be a big challenge, they are a well organised team, but we've got a good group of players here. This is Norwich City. We should be winning these games."

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Allan Russell: To this club, the fans are the most important thing
FIRST-TEAM
35 minutes ago

In a first press conference for Allan Russell, the club's interim head coach alongside Steve Weaver, it was confirmed things were running as normal and everybody knows their job to do.

Following the result at Luton, Russell confirmed there wasn't "much to report, the players had a day off the next day."

When asked about Dean Smith's dissmissal, he said: "It's football. I reported the next day, heard the news that Dean and Craig were relieved of their duties.

"It's never good to see anyone lose their jobs, they were good people, but we went about our business yesterday.

"Steve and I will be in charge for the next two games and that's what we'll prepare for. We can put as much as we can into the players in terms of tactics and training but it's really about bringing back some belief and positivity within the squad and stadium.

"All we can do is prepare them as best we can.

"There's no hierarchy between us. He's a good coach and we've both got a job to do. He knows the game, he knows the current situation, and I believe he has been in charge before."

Russell spent nearly five years with England as an attacking coach and was brought in by the club six months ago. He said: "It would be silly of me not to lean on the people I know who have been in similar situations, but it's not about me, it's about bringing structure to the players."

When asked about changing the style of play, Russell said: "To change the style within two days is a big ask of anyone. No matter how long you're in a role, you can bring your own personality to it and there's things I want to see from the players and Steve has things he wants to see too."

Speaking about philosophy, he said: "Every coach has their methods, there's no right or wrong, but it's not about my style or philosophy.

"To this club, the fans are the most important thing, so you have a responsibility to entertain your fans and that comes from hard work. Everything comes back to work rate."

Discussing the latest injury updates, he confirmed Aaron Ramsey will not be back at the moment.

On Todd Cantwell, he said: "He is back training today, he has had a groin issue, so he's been working with the medical team but he'll be back on the grass today."

Russell confirmed Sam McCallum missed out against Luton due to illness.

Discussing tomorrow's opponents, Russell said: "Reading will be a big challenge, they are a well organised team, but we've got a good group of players here. This is Norwich City and we should be winning games."

Posted By: DrDublin, Dec 29, 09:54:05