Reading wrap up Adkins deal

Reading have appointed Nigel Adkins as their new manager, the Englishman signing a contract until summer 2016.

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The 48-year-old was dismissed by Southampton in January after a three-year stint at St Mary's but takes over the Berkshire hotseat ahead of Saturday's crucial Premier League match at Arsenal.

Adkins said: "I've joined Reading Football Club, (and) I want to be in the Premier League. First of all, I haven't been able to do this, can I take this opportunity to thank the people of Southampton, the people, staff, players and the supporters because we were all on a fantastic journey but we've all got to move on.

"I'm really pleased and (feel) priveleged to be Reading manager and yes we have to have a belief and a desire to take one game at a time and make sure this football club remains in the Premier League. That's why I've come.

"It's a good football club first and foremost and I was impressed when I met the owner, when I met Nick (Hammond).

"There's a stability, a future, I'm looking forward and excited about the prospect of being here."

Adkins will be assisted at the Madejski Stadium by Andy Crosby, his No 2 at Saints, and Reading owner Anton Zingarevich said: "I am delighted to bring Nigel to our club because he is perfect for us.

"He has great respect within the game, his CV speaks for itself and he has many attributes as a manager, he is progressive, he develops players, his teams play attacking, passing football but most of all he knows how to win games at all levels.

"This is an appointment we have made both with the short and long term in mind and Nigel can take our club forward.

"I know our supporters have been keen to hear news over the past two weeks and I am certain they will join me in saying it was worth the wait. I wish Nigel and Andy nothing but good luck and now we focus on eight hugely important games in the Premier League.



"Our supporters will also play a vital part in the finale to the season and I am certain Nigel will get an excellent reception from our fans at the Emirates on Saturday."

Southampton boss excited about trip to Liverpool

Nigel Adkins is looking forward to taking Southampton to Liverpool this weekend and believes it will be a great occasion for himself and the supporters.

The Southampton boss was born in Birkenhead and was also on the books of Liverpool as a young goalkeeper before he joined Tranmere Rovers.

He now returns to his old stomping ground as a Premier League manager and is both proud and excited by the prospect of leading Southampton out at Anfield on Saturday.



"It will be good to go there," he said. "I was a schoolboy at Liverpool. I had the option to stay there before I decided to go to Tranmere Rovers, which was important from my career point of view.



"We are obviously steeped in tradition on Merseyside: you're either red, blue or the white of Tranmere.



"You are either a Liverpool supporter or an Everton supporter, but you're always going to be a Tranmere supporter if you're from Birkenhead.



"Going to Merseyside is going to be great for everybody and great for all our supporters to go to Liverpool, a club steeped in tradition.



"Obviously they're going through a transition at this moment in time, but it is a game that we'll look forward to as we do every single game in the Barclays Premier League."



The Saints boss, who played at Anfield three times as a player, tried to downplay the personal importance of his managerial debut at the famous old ground, although admitted he has fond memories of his time there.



"This shouldn't be about me and Liverpool," he said. "It should be about Southampton, shouldn't it?"

Lallana shocked by England call

Adam Lallana thought Southampton manager Nigel Adkins was having a laugh when he told the midfielder about his England call.



The 24-year-old was one of three players called up by Roy Hodgson following a spate of withdrawals from his squad to face Ukraine in a World Cup qualifier at Wembley on Tuesday night.



Chelsea duo John Terry and Ashley Cole were ruled out over the weekend, and Theo Walcott has gone back to Arsenal after contracting a virus.



Daniel Sturridge was also unable to train on Monday because he felt ill and, although Hodgson expects the striker to be fit, he was left with little alternative other than to draft in replacements.



Lallana was one following an encouraging start to the season, except he did not quite believe it.



"I didn't think the gaffer was being serious when he called to tell me this morning," Lallana told Southampton's official website.



"I was at home about to head into the training ground when he called - I must have asked if he was having me on a dozen times!



"I'm totally shocked to be honest."



Named Saints' skipper this summer on their return to the Premier League, Lallana has represented England at Under-18, Under-19 and Under-21 levels.



And whilst he realises it is a long shot that he will make his debut on Tuesday night, he is delighted with the recognition.



"It's such a proud accomplishment to be called up to play for your country at any level, but to be called into the senior side is probably the proudest moment of my career so far," he said.



"It is every player's dream to represent your country at the top level.



"I'm realistic in accepting I might not be that heavily involved, but the fact that I will be around such experienced international players is something I am really excited about."



Lallana will link up with former team-mate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who featured in Friday's 5-0 defeat of Moldova in Chisinau.



And as Walcott is another Southampton old-boy, clearly the Saints are doing something right.



"It reflects really well on the club," Lallana said.



"It shows just how far Southampton has come to have an English player represented at national level.



"We have a lot of talented young English players here and I'm sure that I won't be the last person to represent our country."