Reading fans face a longer wait than expected in their search for a new manager to succeed Paul Clement at the Madejski Stadium after he was dismissed last week. 

Many supporters would have expected Luis Castro to be appointed but according to reports from Football.london, Castro is seemingly staying put in Portugal.

This has only added more names to the managerial shortlist that Nigel Howe will be considering at Reading, with a former club legend emerging as the favourite to take charge of the Royals.

Phil Parkinson is the name on Reading fans' lips today and he has emerged as the frontrunner to succeed Clement according to The Reading Chronicle. 

Parkinson made 361 appearances in total for Reading as a player, but is now in charge of Bolton Wanderers who are also fighting their own relegation battle this season.

But if Parkinson was to be appointed, then it would divide opinion amongst the Reading fan base.

We look at three reasons as to why he shouldn't be appointed here....

There is no doubting that Phil Parkinson is a club legend at Reading and even though many supporters would love him to return to the club, it simply isn't the right time to come back to the Madejski Stadium.

Reading are in a shocking run of form and even the best manager in the world would struggle to get the best out of this current crop of players.

If results didn't go their way and they ended up being relegated to League One, then Parkinson's reputation as a club legend, would be completely forgotten almost immediately and he would be remembered for all the wrong reasons.

Whoever takes charge at Reading is going to have an almighty task on their hands, with a number of high-profile players not performing to the standards required this season.

Parkinson doesn't strike me as the sort of manager that would be able to 'put the cat amongst the pigeons' in that dressing room, and we simply wouldn't see an upturn in form after this dismal start to the season.

The ambition of this potential appointment will come into serious question from Royals supporters.

Parkinson is doing a steady job at Bolton where they have been struggling both on and off the pitch with the relegation threatened side.

But what does it say about Reading, if they are chasing a manager who is actually in charge of a club that is below them in the Championship table.

They should be targeting a more high-profile name who can fire up this underperforming group of players at the club.