JAAP Stam revealed his Reading FC future does not depend on the outcome of Monday's Championship play-off final.

Royals' boss stressed he fully expects to be in charge of the Royals next season regardless of the result against Huddersfield Town at Wembley (3pm ko).

When asked whether the result would have any impact on his future, Stam stressed: “No I don’t think so.

"I still have a contract over here, I love working with this team and these players. It would be great if we could make it to the Premier League, if not we are still in the Championship and still have a good team and a nice club.

“The ambition is there and we will see at the end of the season what they want to do with me. Maybe the club wants to have someone else. That’s how it goes in football.

“But I’m happy with where we are at the moment."

What does this mean to you personally?

“I always was confident. I always had the belief in myself, it is not just up to me but my staff have helped as well.

"I’m very happy with this achievement in my first season but that will only build the expectation for next season. To do this twice in a row will be very hard.

Any conversations with new owners?

“I’ve spoken to them a couple of times, they are very straightforward and very hands off. They support me and my team.

What is your aspiration in management?

“I want to go to the top - I’ve played at the top - and as a manager I want to go to the top hopefully with Reading.

"Sometimes you need to move on but I’m enjoying my time here. It doesn’t mean I need to be somewhere else next season. I have a couple of years to go hopefully.

“I like to work with quality players and I want to work at the top in Europe.”

What would taking Reading up mean in comparison to your achievements as a player?

“To succeed in doing that would be one of my biggest achievements.

"It is the start of my career as a manager and for the club, when we started, the ambition was to eventually go back into the Premier League.

"You need to have a certain structure in achieving that and that’s what we spoke about at the start of the season. Nobody expected us to finish in the top six this season."

Reading Chronicle:

Jaap Stam shakes hands with David Wagner before Reading's 1-0 home win over Huddersfield in September.

So why did that happen?

“Because of the quality we have in every rank within the club, in the staff and people working around the club but also within the team.

"If you can work with your players in that team and find the spark to make a player or the team better you get results. Of course the players need to do it but we just tell them from our experience how we can do well against another team.

"Results give confidence and that gets bigger and makes it easier to get results. Sometimes you have setbacks and lose by big scores but sometimes that is good as it brings you down to earth as well and keep on working."

You and David Wagner are both inexperienced, what does it say about the role of a coach?

“What do you think? I think you guys need to make conclusions about that.

"But what I can say we have grown up in a certain way of playing football as as the Huddersfield manager because football in Germany has grown up as well. They have that aspect of growing up and implementing a style of football. They have got success and in doing that and in education of being a manager you get a certain involvement and progress. That is the same in Holland, we have our philosophy too."

Underdogs with bookies again, you must love that?

“I did not know that. It’s nice to be the underdog.

Do you thrive on it?

“To be fair I don’t pay too much attention. It’s good for the bookies as it brings cash. That’s how it works. I’m interested in my team and will do everything I can to get a result. What people think and write is up to them.

Every time you answer critics?

“That says something about maybe the quality of people and how they think and their knowledge of football. Maybe some people need a course in something!

“I don’t mind people talking in a certain way but we are working as a team and focused on improving as a team and make it to the Premier League. But if people want to make other teams their favourites it is good by me."

You’re the form team?

“I think we are in form and in good shape, we never underestimate any opposition and know we will be facing a very good team with lots of qualities. We know it will be hard but we have said that every game.

Are you prepared for the Premier League, or is that tempting fate?

“We have different scenarios because if you don’t do it you’re too late. As Dutch people we like to plan ahead. If we stay in the Championship we have a plan and we go up we have a plan too.”