Rubrik saknas
En britt på vift ger sina intryck från ett annat land.
View from a Brit
As a Brit, and Royals fan for over 30 years, my move with my family to Sweden last year couldn’t have come at a worse time! Having watched a struggling and often unlucky Reading at both Elm Park and the Madejski for all those years, here I was, sat in Sweden, hearing them put together a series of results that I never thought was possible! And then at the end of it...the Premiership? Reading? Surley not!
Thankfully a compensation was given! For the fourth year running Reading chose Sweden to host their pre-season matches. Obviously, now living over here, I couldn't resist hunting the team down as the played the lowliest of Swedish teams! I took my wife and three daughters along with a Reading friend and his daughter. What an experience it was! Watching the team as they prepared for playing the likes of Man U, Chelsea and Arsenal at such small grounds in Gällstad, Lanna and Ytterby was surreal. The players obliged with allowing us autographs and photos as well being happy to stop for a chat. We loved it!
Reading dominated the first two games, well, so they should! In fact they probably found the oppostion too easy as many goals were missed. The two new boys, Seol and Sodje, both looked impressive and Seol’s goals in each of the three games were excellent. The Örgryte game provided more of a test but it was pleasing to see them fight for a result when Öis equaliser went in with 10 minutes to go.
So that concludes an unbeaten pre season both in England and Sweden and means we’ve now only been beaten twice in one whole calender year! Is this really the team I’ve followed all these years? Friends in England have suggested my move away could be the cause of their success. Looks like we'll have to stay a few more years then!
John Persson
