Reading FC sack pressure mounts on Noel Hunt - Rob Couhig’s potential replacement is obvious | OneFootball

Rob Couhig could look to appoint former Wycombe Wanderers colleague Matt Bloomfield as Reading manager, should he sack Noel Hunt.

The pressure was once again piled on Reading boss Noel Hunt after Saturday's draw with Exeter City, and Rob Couhig could look to replace him with Matt Bloomfield, in what would be the least surprising managerial appointment of the season.

Hunt is a man on the verge of the sack, as Football League World exclusively revealed last week, and didn't help his chances of retaining his job with a 1-1 draw at fellow strugglers Exeter on Saturday.

The Royals took the lead six minutes in when Jack Marriott pounced on a poor backwards header from Johnly Yfeko, before ex-Ding striker Jayden Wareham levelled the scoring five minutes later, which would be the last goal of the game.

Reading were dominated by Gary Caldwell's side in the first half, and were lucky to be level going in at the break. They did improve in the second period, but it wasn't enough to earn them three points on the road, in another frustrating afternoon for the supporters.

With the pressure mounting on Hunt, the recent sacking of Bloomfield from Luton Town could see Couhig pull the trigger and bring the man he worked with at Wycombe Wanderers to the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

Royals supporters have had to deal with plenty of pain and misery in recent years, thanks to the tumultuous tenure of former owner Dai Yongge. However, now he's been replaced by Couhig, there was a renewed sense of optimism going into the season.

Despite this, results haven't been there in the early exchanges of the new campaign, and the Berkshire-based outfit sit 21st in League One after 12 matches, with just two wins under their belt, and a squad which, on paper, is far better than results suggest.

Unfortunately, football matches aren't won on paper, as many teams who expected to fight at the very top of League One have found out this season. This has seen the finger pointed at the man in the dugout, with plenty of supporters calling for a change.

Hunt was appointed in early December last year, after Ruben Selles was poached by Hull City, and the Royals couldn't afford an external replacement, and subsequently looked internally, opting to appoint the Under-21s boss.

The Irishman guided Reading to a seventh-place finish last term, which was a remarkable achievement given circumstances off the pitch. However, with matters behind the scenes settling down ahead of the new season, the team has struggled on the pitch.

After 12 games, the Royals sit in the bottom four, having won just two games in the league thus far. This has seen Hunt come under fire from supporters, as they call for a change of manager to try and turn their fortunes around.

Saturday's frustrating draw at Exeter was the final straw for some, taking to social media after the match to voice their frustrations at performances under Hunt, and urging Couhig to make a switch before the season becomes unsalvageable.

It seems the American could be set to answer those calls, as Football League World exclusively revealed last week, and if he does, then one man springs to mind as the obvious replacement for the 42-year-old.

Rob Couhig could move to appoint Matt Bloomfield as Hunt's successor — they have a long history working together

A man who has just become available is former Wycombe chief Bloomfield, who departed the Chairboys in January 2025 for Luton, having had his beloved club sat in the automatic promotion places in League One.

Now, after his sacking at Kenilworth Road, the 41-year-old will likely be on the radar of plenty of League One sides, and seeing him end up at the Select Car Leasing Stadium would probably be one of the least surprising developments you'll see all season.

Of course, Couhig and Bloomfield worked together for many years at Wycombe, firstly whilst the latter was still playing, and then when he returned as manager in 2023, having been allowed to join Colchester United by the American to gain some valuable managerial experience, before taking the reins from Gareth Ainsworth.

Whilst the ex-midfield stalwart's tenure under Couhig's ownership had plenty of ups and downs, the American backed his man through thick and thin, which would eventually pay off after he sold the club in May 2024, which saw Bloomfield turn Wycombe into a promotion contender under the ownership of Mikheil Lomtadze.

There are plenty of conspiracy theories as to why the 41-year-old chose to leave the club he'd given everything to for two decades in the middle of a promotion charge, but it's clear from the appointments after his departure that the head coach role was what the Wanderers hierarchy preferred, rather than a manager.

However, the move to Luton didn't pay dividends, and now Bloomfield and his team are looking for a new opportunity elsewhere. With his history in mind, it certainly wouldn't be a shock to see him at Reading should Couhig opt to relieve Hunt of his duties.

Matt Bloomfield appointment could help Reading become a well-oiled machine

It seems glaringly obvious that if Hunt goes, Bloomfield will be at the very top of Couhig's list of replacements, given their strong working relationship, and his knowledge of plenty of important people already at the club.

It would be like moving into a home away from home for Bloomfield, as not only would he be reunited with his former boss, but also key figures such as CEO Joe Jacobson, and club captain Lewis Wing, both of whom he worked with at Adams Park.

Bloomfield, Jacobson, and Couhig all know how each other works to a tee, and with quick stability needed to turn around the wretched run of form, it likely wouldn't take the new manager long to settle in at all, which would be a huge boost.

The Reading owner has only worked with two managers other than Hunt in his time as a football club owner, so bringing one of those to his new club would likely streamline the operations behind the scenes, as all parties will know they align with each other.

Couhig showed Bloomfield faith when the whole world was against him at Wycombe, so the latter would take great comfort in knowing that would likely be the case if things followed a similar pattern at Reading.

Not to mention the footballing aspect of the appointment as well. Bloomfield has already proven to be a strong manager at League One level, and still with plenty of room for development, securing his services could be a real coup for the Royals for the present and the future.

The 41-year-old would have the players at Reading playing some of the high-octane attacking football he displayed with the Chairboys last season, with the likes of Marriott providing a reliable goalscoring threat, along with some real creativity on the wings, which is what his Wycombe side thrived from last season.

All in all, the appointment of Bloomfield seems like a no-brainer given his accolades and close connection with senior figures at the club, and would likely make the Berkshire side a well-oiled machine on and off the pitch.