'YOU can’t change things overnight’ – surely one of the most common grievances of the modern-day football manager.

Now Jaap Stam is beginning to find out the meaning first hand.

The 44-year-old Dutchman not only wants to bring a winning mentality back to Reading, but he also wants them to play in the right way.

However, turning his innovative ideas on the training ground into results on the pitch is proving a little tricky.

Royals fans were positively gushing about the style and panache the team displayed when beating Preston on the opening day of the Championship season, having enjoyed more than 80 per cent of the possession in the first half.

A comfortable EFL Cup win over Plymouth followed, but it was back to the drawing board on Saturday after a 2-0 loss at Wolves followed by a 4-1 reverse at Newcastle United on Wednesday night.

Yet Stam is refusing to break from his football ideology and is convinced Royals will get it right in the end.

“When a team is winning people say the system is working and the other one isn’t, that’s how it goes,” said the former Manchester United, Milan and Netherlands defender.

“But I don’t believe that, I believe in the way we work and play and all the players and technical staff have a lot of confidence in it.

“We want to play a totally different style of football and I think we are adapting very well. If you had seen us play, of course you can lose a game, but I think overall it’s very good.

“We will keep working on it.”

Reading have been guilty of playing too much football at times this season when a more direct approach was needed.

And Stam admits his players must learn how to pick and choose when to pass and when to clear their lines.

“As a player you need to know when to clear it and when to play,” he explained. “When you are surrounded by three or four players you need to maybe launch it into the stands.

“I don’t mind my players doing that. The important thing is you need to know when to play and when not to, and be very sharp and focussed on the pitch.

“It’s not only about not knowing the system, it’s about being focussed and concentrating when you have the ball and to be more aggressive.”

Reading flew up to the north east for the clash against Newcastle and return to the Madejski Stadium to face Brighton tomorrow (3pm ko).

Stam added: “The games come are coming thick and fast so you can try and redeem yourself in the next match which is the nice thing about playing in this league.

“But you know you are going to be up against a lot of great teams, so it’s not going to be easy.

“We’re trying to play our own system, but also get results as well.”

He continued: “It will be good to be back at Madejski Stadium. It is always nice to play in your home ground in front of your own fans.

“We’ve got a lot of quality in our team and every game that we playing we will be going for the win, so we’ll see on Saturday what is going to happen.”

However, Stam also acknowledges his side will face a stern test from the Seagulls, who are unbeaten this season.

“Brighton have done very well and have got off to a very good start,” he said.

“They have a very good team and we said at the beginning in of the season that our start was a difficult one with the teams that we are going to be facing.

“We have had two away games now so it is great to be back on Saturday and hopefully we can get a good result as well.”

New signing Sandro Wieser could be added to the Reading squad after the midfielder signed a three-year contract yesterday.

Stam this week also laid down the gauntlet to Leciester City over the Liam Moore transfer saga, while Royals continue to be linked with Manchester United defender, Tyler Blackett.

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