Exclusive: Don Goodman reacts to big Reading FC, Peterborough United manager updates | OneFootball

The Royals and Posh have opted for a change in the dugout in recent days

Sky Sports pundit and EFL expert Don Goodman has backed the decisions of both Reading and Peterborough United, with the two League One sides moving to appoint Leam Richardson and Luke Williams respectively in recent days.

The Royals and Posh have endured extremely underwhelming starts to the third tier campaign under Noel Hunt and Darren Ferguson, with owners Rob Couhig and Darragh MacAnthony left with very little choice other than to dish out two P45's in order to resurrect their club's campaigns whilst the season is still at a relatively early stage.

Both Richardson and Williams have previously enjoyed spells where they have been two of the most highly-rated managers within the EFL's lower divisions, with the former best known for a successful stint in charge of Wigan Athletic, which included a League One title-winning season in 2021/22, whilst the latter was able to end Notts County's four-year exile from the EFL in 2023, before moving onto his most recent post at Swansea City, before he was dismissed in South Wales back in February.

Reading and Peterborough were seen as two clubs heading in mixed directions before a ball had been kicked, with the Berkshire side hoping that the current campaign would see them mount yet another play-off bid after coming extremely close to doing so last term despite off-pitch matters involving Couhig's takeover from the previously controversial Dai Yongge taking centre stage.

Meanwhile, the Cambridgeshire side endured an off-season in which more high-profile names departed the Weston Homes Stadium in the form of Kwame Poku and Malik Mothershille, who joined Queens Park Rangers and Stockport County respectively, with the aforementioned Ferguson unable to showcase signs of progress in the league for the back-to-back EFL Trophy winners as he left his post at the club for a remarkable fourth time.

Don Goodman reacts as Reading FC and Peterborough United make double managerial call

Of course, prior seasons and circumstances at both clubs have differed despite the fact supporters of both can agree that their opening three months of the campaign have been extremely below-par.

At present, Reading find themselves in 19th, just two places and as many points off the bottom four after taking 15 points from the opening 14 games, whilst Peterborough currently reside at the foot of the table, having been leapfrogged by Blackpool after the Tangerines marked Ian Evatt's first game in charge with an away success that cost Ferguson his own job.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Goodman was left impressed by the decision to appoint Richardson and Williams by the respective clubs, albeit he still casts some doubts over Peterborough's immediate fortunes.

"These are two lads that have had success," the pundit said.

"Leam Richardson's came, predominantly, at Wigan Athletic, winning the League One title in 2021/22. So that's not that long ago, then he went to Rotherham who, at the time, were in the Championship.

"It was always going to be a struggle for Rotherham, so I don't think people should judge him on that," Goodman explained. "They should judge him on the fact it's a league that he knows very well, and it feels like a good appointment.

"With regards to Luke Williams at Peterborough. The end of an era, but we've said that before about Darren Ferguson, the fourth time he's departed," Goodman added.

"It's a shame, but it was always going to happen to Peterborough. They produce and sell so many fantastic players that, ultimately, it was going to bite them at some point.

"I look at their squad now, and there's only a couple of names I would recognise or know anything about," he stated. "The rest are all pretty young and are making their way. It's been a tough start to the season.

"They're still very 'Peterborough' in terms of conceding plenty of goals, but not being very 'Peterborough' in terms of not scoring. That is going to be one of the elements Luke is going to have to change very quickly. They are struggling to score goals.

"If you don't score goals, you can't win games of football.

"Hopefully, both clubs have chosen wisely, and that will be proved over the course of time."

Luke Williams has significant task ahead at Peterborough United

As previously mentioned, Goodman expressed greater concerns regarding the task facing Williams in charge of League One's bottom club, albeit both he and Richardson have the all-important task of changing their side's goalscoring form around.

Reading have only scored 15 times, whilst Posh's return of 10 in 14 games is the joint-worst record in the division along with local rivals, Northampton Town.

It is, perhaps, a damning indictment of the high-quality players the club have sold on for a profit in recent seasons, but it must be addressed as soon as possible before Williams' side face the danger of being well and truly cut adrift from safety.

To his credit, whilst circumstances didn't fully work out in the Championship with Swansea, Williams' Notts County side were known for scoring a bucket load of goals in the National League and League Two, with the majority of those coming through Macaulay Langstaff.

For the time being, the 44-year-old has to do the same with Chris Conn-Clarke, Jimmy-Jay Morgan, Gustav Lindgren, Abraham Odoh, Harry Leonard and Bradley Ihionvien before being allowed to make the requisite changes in January.