Paul Ince: Reading boss says Royals' Championship campaign severely hampered by injuries
- Published
Reading boss Paul Ince says a number of players will miss this weekend's home game against Blackpool because of injury
Reading boss Paul Ince says his team has been 'so unlucky' with injuries that they have severely hampered their Championship season.
The Royals are 16th in the table and have only one win from their past eight league games.
"We've had injures galore it's been so up-and-down" Ince told BBC Radio Berkshire.
"What I want next season, if I'm here, is a squad where everyone can play 38 to 40 games - not two in and two out."
Ince, who marked his one year anniversary as Reading manager this week, has largely exceeded expectations after the club was hit with a transfer embargo at the end of last season for breaching profit and sustainability rules.
The embargo remains in place and the 55-year-old former England international says it has held them back.
"I think the stats show that if you can keep the same players playing week-in, week-out, you can earn another 12 to 15 points.
"It's unusual to have a starting eleven with just a few changes here and there for most of the season.
"But if you do have the same squad playing 38 or 32 games you give yourself half a chance.
"We've never had that because of the players we brought in at the last minute, no preseason, we haven't been able to build a foundation and we've had players come in and then get long-term injured."
'We can't underestimate Blackpool - we need to be on it'
Reading host relegation battlers Blackpool at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday and they have not lost at home since the beginning of November.
But Ince says a handful of players will miss out.
"Defenders Sam Hutchinson and Baba Rahman are both out long term.
"Midfielder Ovie Ejaria will be out another week or two with a knee injury and striker Lucas Joao is still out with a knee [injury] but is due back Monday.
"Defender Tom Holmes trained during the week but is a doubt for the Blackpool game.
"Shane Long is back training, which is a positive.
"We can't underestimate this Blackpool team, they're organised, they have a new manager, and they have good players.
"It's a tough game and we can't be complacent or we will get beat, we need to be on it.
"We have got to keep going with just a few games left - we have to be positive."
