Legendary Reading manager Brian McDermott has urged the current squad not to look too far ahead and focus on each game as it comes.

The 2012 promotion-winning boss was speaking in series two of the 1871 podcast, discussing his battle with alcoholism and his views on the current set-up at RG2.

When asked his verdict on the current side, he admitted it was in a better place than he was on the podcast last year.

"I like what’s gone on as far as the organisation’s concerned," he started. "We talked about this a year ago, you needed somebody who was in charge of the decisions which needed doing and Mark [Bowen] has come in as Director of Football. We needed someone to talk about finding some players and Brian Carey comes in, someone I know really well. I spoke to Brian a lot in the summer and spoke about whatever you do, bring good people into the dressing room. They’re good people. The players are good people, and that’s really important.

Reading Chronicle:

"I know Paul [Ince] well from my days at Leeds when he was manager of Blackpool, he’s a good fella. I think the job this season is to make sure Reading stay in the Championship and there was a time where we were edging up. We won the game the other night, which was great, you never know where you might get to.

However, he has urged the side not to look to far ahead after hearing a player discuss the play-offs.

The Royals sit in 16th with just one win in 2023.

"I saw one of the players talking about the play-offs the other day and I was like ‘you don’t need to talk about the play-offs, just talk about the next game.’ You can’t look at a run of games, just look at the next one and see where you are at the end of the season. Football can drive you insane. If you are defined by your result on a weekly basis it will drive you insane."

Click here to listen to all previous episodes of the popular series.