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When he arrived in the summer there was a big question mark hovering above Jaap Stam.

A wonderful player, no doubt, but could he cut it as a manager? And was the Championship the right place for him to cut his teeth as a senior boss for the first time?

So far, however, those concerns have been answered in the best way possible. As we stand right now Reading sit fourth in the table and lost just three games in their last 15 in all competitions - one of those was at Arsenal in the EFL Cup.

Stam, along with technical director Brian Tevreden, has overseen a huge amount of change in a short space of time and has done a remarkable job so far.

Reading ended last season in disarray. They lost six of their last seven games, there was infighting within the squad and there were several players out of contract.

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The club needed change and with the appointment of Stam that’s exactly what they have got.

He’s brought a completely new style of play with him, with Reading now the possession kings of the Championship.

It’s taken some getting used to and there have been some bumps in the road, the awful performance during a 2-0 defeat at Wolves comes to mind, but there have also been plenty of positives.

The players have slowly adapted to the way Stam wants to play and in recent weeks we’ve seen signs that suggest they are really beginning to click into gear.

Three wins on the spin see them sitting fourth in the table, something no-one would have predicted at the start of the season, and there is still plenty of room for improvement.

That’s another very encouraging sign - the fact that Stam has managed to guide his side into the play-off places without a prolific frontman is impressive.

If that is rectified during the January transfer window then Reading could have a real shot of making a surprise push for promotion this season.

To even say something like that is testament to the work Stam has done. He’s been a breath of fresh air and is exactly what the club has needed after successive seasons of disappointment.

The fans have bought into his philosophy - although there were some murmurings of discontent at first - and more importantly the players have as well.

They are enjoying their football and are revelling under the Dutchman.

As Garath McCleary said recently when discussing his future: “Whoever wouldn’t want to be part of this project would have to have a look at themselves.”

That pretty much sums up the mood at the club right now. The place is buoyant, vibrant and exciting - and you have to say that Stam has been the architect of all of that.