Championship strugglers Reading have confirmed the arrival of Ged Roddy as their new Academy Manager, as per their official website. 

Roddy will start work in his new role at the start of next week and has played a key role in the implementation of the Elite Player Performance Plan that has been rolled out at all academies across the country.

The appointment is quite the coup for Reading and they are hiring a man with no shortage of top level experience in various high-profile roles across sport in this country.

He received an MBE in 2000 and has, in the past, taken up roles with the LTA, Sport England, UK Sport, English Institute of Sport, Sports Coach UK and the Premier League.

He also boasts expertise in coaching and management and has had such roles within both football and rugby union, and some Reading fans may be surprised to find out that their new man is also a qualified teacher.

The Verdict

The academy may feel like the last thing that Reading need to get sorted out now but this looks, on the face of it, to be quite the coup for the club.

Without the biggest budget to compete with other sides in the Championship, their academy is going to be key to their future.

Reading fans - are you happy with the new man in at the club? Let us know in the comments below...