JAAP Stam revealed his chief mission as the new Reading FC manager is to send them back into the Premier League.

But the 43-year-old Dutchman admits it won't be an easy ride given the fierce competition that exists in the Championship.

Ex-Manchester United and Netherlands defender Stam became Royals' first ever foreign boss when he signed a two-year contract at Madejski Stadium on Monday afternoon, with the option of a third year.

He will be joined by Andries Uldrink and Said Bakkati as his assistants, having worked with them when coaching the Jong Ajax reserves side, a role Stam recently left.

Royals also insist goalkeeping coach Dave Beasant and first-team coach, Steven Reid, will remain with the club, despite rumours suggesting they could be on their way.

Now Stam cannot wait to get to work on the training ground, though he accepts there is a big job head of him after Royals laboured to 17th place in the Championship last season under former boss Brian McDermott and 19th the year before under Steve Clarke.

Stam said: “I started my playing career with a smaller team then build up success with top teams in Europe.

“When you are starting out as a manager you look for a club who wants to have you and has the same ideas as you.

“Reading has got that, they are very ambitious like myself, and they want to go back to the Premier League.

"Eventually I want that as well. Hopefully we can have a very good partnership and get there.

“It's not going to be easy, it's going to be very hard because of the other teams in the Championship.

“But we're going to do our best and work very hard, that includes myself, my staff and the players.”

He added: “In Holland we see a lot of English football including the Championship. There are a lot of quality teams and some big teams.

“It's very competitive. The style of playing is to be strong and the pace of the game is fast, so it's not easy to win games.

“But we know quite a bit about the English way of playing in the Championship.”

McDermott was sacked for the second time by Reading at the end of May after just 161 days back in the hotseat.

Royals insist Stam was always top of their wish list in their search for McDermott's replacement.

Chief Executive Nigel Howe said: “Jaap Stam was the first choice amongst a vast number of applicants interested in the position and we are thrilled that we have managed to secure the signature of a manager with such an abundance of experience.

“His record as both a player and coach, at the very highest level in England, Italy and Holland as well as internationally, speaks for itself."

Stam becomes Reading's fourth manager in a little over 18 months following the departures of Nigel Adkins (Dec 2014), Steve Clarke (Dec 2015) and McDermott.