Who is Reading manager Veljko Paunovic?
It seems like a lifetime ago when Reading last played in the Premier League…
Via @ReadingFC
Paunović and Reading
The Royals were relegated from the top flight in 2013 having won just six matches.
Striker Adam Le Fondre was the sole shining light of the team and, since then, Reading have remained a Championship club.
Apart from a heartbreaking Play-Off Final loss in 2017, the Berkshire side haven’t been close to securing a return to the Premier League.
But it’s Serbian manager Veljko Paunović who is now tasked with bringing the Royals back to their former glories.
Paunović was appointed as manager on 29th August but who is the Serbian?
Paunović is a twice-capped Serbian international, scoring a single goal for his national team against Northern Ireland in 2004.
Born in the city of Strumica, now part of North Macedonia, Paunović plied his trade as a striker (and sometimes a number 10) and kicked off his career, like many compatriots, with Partizan Belgrade.
Spending over a decade in Partizan’s youth system, his stay with the first-team was short and sweet.
The 6ft attacker made a move to Spain where he would remain for the next decade of his career. Initially, Paunović teamed up with Marbella for a single season.
His two goals in 20 appearances failed to keep the now defunct club from dropping out of the Spanish second tier.
However, his next opportunity soon arose with Atlético Madrid’s ‘B’ team where Paunović impressed.
The striker averaged a goal every other game for Los Rojiblancos’ reserves, netting 11 in 22, and was included in the first team squad for the following campaign.
Paunović’s goalscoring form was inconsistent in the Spanish capital.
He scored six goals in 14 games in his maiden campaign; a decent return.
However, the Serb was loaned to Oviedo between two stints with Mallorca, scoring just 12 league goals across the three campaigns.
After an incredible year with Tenerife in Segunda División, Paunović returned to Atlético for 2003-04, scoring six goals in limited minutes as second fiddle to a youthful Fernando Torres.
During this second spell, the forward also shared the stage with now-boss Diego Simeone and club legend Gabi.
Following his second Madrid exit, Paunović earned full “journeyman” status.
The forward had a brief and unsuccessful spell in Germany with Hannover, later returning to Spain with Getafe in 2005.
He hit double figures in his first season but failed to score in the following.
Paunović was shipped out to Rubin Kazan in the Russian Premier League in 2007, playing the likes of Andrei Arshavin, Jo and Roman Pavlyuchenko prior to their moves to England.
He failed to make an impression, returning to Spain one last time with Almería, switching to Partizan in Serbia and later teaming up with MLS club Philadelphia Union following a break of three years away from the game in 2011.
After retiring from the game in 2011, Paunović was eager to get stuck into management.
The Serbian former striker obtained a UEFA Pro Coaching License and studied for a Sporting Director degree from the Royal Spanish Football Federation.
He kicked off his managerial career coaching Serbian national youth teams.
Paunović cut his teeth with the under-18s and under-19s before winning the 2015 FIFA U20 World Cup with the under-20s - a side which featured the likes of Lazio star Sergej Milinković-Savić and promising Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujić.
In November 2015, Paunović became manager of Chicago Fire, returning to Major League Soccer four years after his stint with the Union.
During his time with the Fire, he managed the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Nico Gaitán, taking the club to the play-offs for the first time in half a decade.
Almost four years to the week after his appointment, Veljko Paunović parted ways with the Illinois club.
He didn’t find another job until 29th August 2020 when he was appointed by Reading.
When speaking to the BBC, club majority shareholder Dai Yongge said:
"With vast experience of top-flight football as a player and a coach across Europe and in the United States, and with proven pedigree of successfully working with young up-and-coming footballers on the domestic and international scene, I am confident Veljko can help take this club forward."
His first game in charge was away at Derby County upon the commencement of the 2020-21 Championship.
The game was a success with Lucas João and Ovie Ejaria’s first-half strikes proving enough to sink Cocu’s side.
However, the club have already slumped out of the EFL Cup, losing to Luton Town on home turf.
The signs so far are mixed but it’s early days for the Serb and the Royals have an exciting manager with a distinguished pedigree.
