Jaap Stam: Reading manager promises new system will bring attacking football

Jaap Stam is in his first job in football management at Reading

New Reading boss Jaap Stam is promising attacking football from his side this season as he seeks to implement a new style of play.

Former Manchester United defender Stam, appointed in June, is taking the squad to his native Netherlands this week for a pre-season training camp.

"Last season, we were playing a different system to the one we're playing now," Stam told BBC Sport.

"We will have to spend a lot of time improving that system in training."

Stam watched his new side beat Boreham Wood 5-0 in their first pre-season game on Saturday and was encouraged by performances from new Dutch recruits Danzell Gravenberch and Joey van den Berg.

"The games are getting tougher and tougher now," he told BBC Radio Berkshire. "It's going to be interesting to see how we're going to go in the next couple of weeks."

Reading will spend the week training in Oosterbeek, near Arnhem, before playing Saudi Arabian top-flight side Al-Taawoun FC in a friendly on Friday.

"We want to play attacking football," added Stam. "We want to be creative on the ball and the players up front need to be creative on the ball as well.

"They will need to use their own imagination to create something and score goals."

Stam admitted his disappointment at midfielder Aaron Tshibola's move to Aston Villa for a reported £5m and was unsure behind the reasons.

"That's a question you need to ask him," replied Stam. "We were very happy with Aaron as he's a great player and a quality player.

"But the decision of the player's important. We've still got a lot of quality players left to work with and we're going to make the best of it."