Reading boss Jose Gomes was proud to be visiting Portman Road for the first time having been inspired by Sir Bobby Robson during the legendary Blues manager’s time in charge at his hometown club Porto in the 1990s. Gomes led the Royals to what could prove a vital 2-1 victory over Town.
"Very important these three points, especially when at the end of the game we realised Rotherham won as well,” Gomes said.
"It’s a very important three points, a big game. But it’s just three points. We are in the middle of the big war, the final games will decide everything. This game didn’t decide anything.
"We know one thing, if we win against Wigan we will pass them and it’s for that target we must prepare next Saturday.”
He says he had every confidence in his players that they could still win even after Town’s 83rd minute equaliser.
"I had faith definitely,” he insisted. "The players they showed a very good team spirit. They fought and they tried to create the chances to score.
"We cannot find any easy games in the Championship. It’s really amazing the quality players.
"Sometimes the games are not beautiful but the way that the teams fight, all the teams have very good players, sometimes it’s just a direct game and try to win the headers and the second balls.
"Even if that’s not your style you must adapt and try to defend those kinds of openings, so in this league all the teams can beat all the teams and every week we can see some surprises.”
Evan aside from the result, Gomes was pleased to be at Portman Road: "It’s proud for me to be here, I’m a manager now but when I was in the university and I played in the third division I ran away from classes when I knew that Porto training was open so I could see Bobby Robson training.
"It’s a kind of connection here, so my path crossing the same place where he was happy. I’m really proud to be here.”
The boyhood Porto fan added: "When I knew Porto training was open because when they trained on the first training pitch we couldn’t see but on the other pitch it was possible. Each time I knew the training was open [I would go].
"It’s a picture that I cannot forget, a man who at the time was 64 years old, the passion that he passed daily to the players, it was amazing.
"If a player did a wrong thing he shouted at him but after when the same player did a good thing, he’d drop to his knees and say, ‘Fantastic, fantastic!’
"I have this picture here and it’s impossible to disconnect this picture with English football, the passion, the intensity. I learned a lot from him. We’re never too old to learn something new.”
In April last year, Gomes, who took over at Reading in December, was quoted as saying he was in "early negotiations” with Town about the management vacancy at Portman Road.
"Some agents at that time talked to me, last season before the summer,” the 48-year-old said when asked about that situation.
Was there any talk of an interview with Town? "No, not at that level. God decided a different way. I didn’t talk, some agents talked with me.
"At that time I was in Saudi Arabia [where he was manager at Al-Taawoun], after that I returned to Portugal [taking charge at Rio Ave] so, well, it’s the destiny!”