Reading boss Steve Coppell has explained why he's sent Leroy Lita on-loan to Charlton Athletic.

Coppell said: "It is a calculated risk. I have four strikers and in an ideal world all four of them would have been happy to stay and fight for their places.

"But they get frustrated and down and strikers do so more than any other position. This was just a short-term solution. Whether it turns into a long-term one I doubt. We will wait and see what happens after 28 days.

"Four into two never fits. We have chatted about things and as a manager you ask them to be patient knowing that they won't be. I was fully aware of the way he was feeling and thought this was the best solution.

"People have been saying "you must have had an argument" but we haven't. It is just a disagreement over my selection policy but I have got to be true to myself and do what I think is right.

"He will have a future back here if he scores goals. I won't have one if we don't win games so that's an obvious answer."

Lita made his displeasure at being relegated to fourth choice known but Coppell insisted the shortcomings of others did not represent a persuasive argument for reinstatement.

He said: "I said to him the only way he was going to get back in the team was by impressing in training and reserve games.

"It should never be a process of "well, the people in the first team are doing crap so I should be playing". It shouldn't be selection by omission."