"Risk worth taking" - Reading FC eyeing move for Notts County boss: The verdict | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Reading are considering a move for Notts County manager Luke Williams, according to journalist Alan Nixon.

The Royals have been on the hunt for a new manager since the departure of Paul Ince last month, with Under-21 boss Noel Hunt unable to prevent their relegation to League One after picking up just three points from his five games in interim charge.

Williams guided Notts back to League Two after a dramatic win over Chesterfield in the National League play-off final, drawing 2-2 after extra time before winning 4-3 on penalties to return to the EFL after a four-year absence.

His side accumulated 107 points this season and scored 117 goals in their 46 league games, incredibly missing out on the title to Wrexham.

We asked some of our FLW writers for their thoughts on Williams' potential appointment at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

James Reeves

Williams would be the perfect appointment for Reading.

He led the Magpies to promotion while playing an attractive, attacking brand of football and instilling a winning mentality and character in his squad.

Williams has proven his credentials in the transfer market, which would be important for the Royals who are facing a significant rebuild this summer, but he has also demonstrated his ability to improve and develop players, underlining his coaching and tactical ability.

He is clearly a manager with a lot of potential and while it would not be an appointment without risks, it is definitely a gamble worth taking.

However, Williams would need the right structure around him at the club to succeed and he should be careful before accepting the job with question marks over the Royals' ownership.

Adam Jones

This feels like too much of a gamble.

Reading need a solid and proven manager for their rebuild this summer and Williams probably doesn't have the experience required to take the job at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

He could potentially be a good fit for the Royals as a head coach - but Chris Wilder would be a better option at this stage with the CV that the ex-Watford boss has.

Notts County's goalscoring record during the 2022/23 campaign makes Williams an attractive option, but taking the step up to League One may be too much of a task for the 42-year-old.

Declan Harte

Williams has smashed it with Notts County, bringing the Magpies back to the Football League in impressive fashion.

His side came second only to a historically great Wrexham side, and would’ve walked the National League in any other season.

That makes this an interesting potential appointment at Reading, who might need to take this kind of gamble given their situation.

Williams has experience higher up the football pyramid from his brief spell at Swindon, as well as being assistant to Russell Martin at MK Dons and Swansea City.

The Swindon stint was over five years ago and he has no doubt learned a lot since then, with his time at Notts County a fairer reflection of his current ability.