Reading FC: Director of football Brian Tevreden believes Royals can become a force in the Premier League

In an exclusive interview with the Chronicle, the 35-year-old Dutchman, who took over as director of football following Nicky Hammond's departure to West Brom in 2015, insisted Royals are already ahead of schedule at this stage.

Tevreden, who began his playing career at Dutch side FC Voldendan, aims to guide Reading back to the top flight within three seasons.

But having finished third in the Championship table and reached the play-offs, Jaap Stam's side have a golden opportunity to return to Premier League this month.

Reading's previous two stints in the top division ended sourly. They were relegated after two seasons under Steve Coppell and knocked back to the Championship after just one campaign under Brian McDermott and Nigel Adkins.

But Tevreden insists there is a plan in place to ensure Reading becoming a major force in English football.

"I'm very happy," he declared. "When I came here I told everyone my goal was to get Reading to the Premier League within three years, so we are already ahead of schedule.

"I'm feeling very confident that we can do something. We've surprised a lot of people by getting into the play-offs so I think we can surprise people by going up.

"When I stepped in I was a bit concerned because Nicky (Hammond) did a good job. Then an unknown director of football and an inexperienced manager came in.

"Everyone was telling us Reading were the number one favourites for relegation, so we have surprised lots of people."

Brian Tevreden talks shop with manager, Jaap Stam.

Even though Reading finished third in the table, bookmakers have made them the outsiders to win the play-offs behind semi-final opponents Fulham, who finished sixth, plus Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday.

However, Tevreden urged Royals' fans to retain their faith in Stam's team and insisted people do not realise the extent of the club's potential.

He added: "At the beginning of the season people asked me if we could go up to the top-flight. When I said 'yes' people were laughing at me.

"Now we are here in the play-offs. I think Reading is a club with a very big potential.

"I don't think people realise what kind of potential the club has.

"If we move in the right direction and we get the backing from the owners and develop in the right way I think Reading can be a stable Premier League club."

Brian Tevreden on Premier League spending power:

"I said before even if we get to the Premier League we are not just going to splash the cash. We need to spend money carefully.

"Even if we stay in the Championship I think players will want to come to Reading because the club has a good profile now.

"People like the way we play and they like the fact that we play with young players. It's a good area to be in and there are good people at the club.

"We have been looking at players to bring in. We want to go to the next level, not just the league but the way you want to play."

Brian Tevreden on Jaap Stam:

"Everyone is surprised at Jaap.

"I had a philosophy of the way I wanted to play and Jaap was using the same system at Ajax.

"He was the one who could make the transition of what I had in my head to work on the pitch. He's done a fantastic job.

"If you do a good job within the club then people get linked.

"He has another year on his contract and I'm in talks with him every day about the future.

"I'm not worried that he's going to leave. We have a very good partnership so I'm not concerned."

Brian Tevreden on Royals takeover by Chinese investors:

"I'm a football director. I only focus on the football side of things.

"The CEO deals with the takeover, it has nothing to do with me."

Brian Tevreden on rising stars Liam Kelly, John Swift and Liam Moore:

"Liam Kelly is such a fantastic story, the last couple of the years he hasn't been anywhere near to the first-team.

"He got promoted to the first-team at the start of the season and Jaap is one of those managers who believes if a player is good enough then you play him.

"You see him as one of the most promising players at the football club.

"John Swift is the same, I had an eye on him when he was at Chelsea and he spent the season at Brentford.

"He's doing a very good job at Reading at the moment, he is a star player.

"The other one I have to mention is Liam Moore, he didn't have much of a chance with Leicester City.

"Jaap showed confidence in him and he's had such a good season."

John Swift has had a superb season for the Royals.

Brian Tevreden on the strength of Royals' Academy:

"I try to bring young players up through the Academy. We have a couple of 16 or 17-year-olds who are playing with the under 23s. We want to bring them up to a higher level.

"I believe that the higher intensity the game the better the players develop."

Brian Tevreden on Reading in the top flight:

"I wasn't here when Reading was last in the Premier League.

"I don't know what the plan was back then but we have plan now.

"Of course if we go up then we want to stay up."

Brian Tevreden on Reading's Dutch contingent:

"We had a philosophy of how we wanted to play and in that system we needed to bring in specific players.

"One of those was Joey van den Berg, I brought him in and I said everyone will love him including the fans.

"He's very aggressive but tactically he is very good. He has a good mentality and he works hard.

"It's the same with Roy Beerens, he is a technical player who is very tricky."

Brian Tevreden on life in Berkshire:

"I am very happy here. It was tough in the beginning but everyone was very welcoming.

"Everyone in my family is happy, they are all over here.

"It feels like my new home."