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Steve Coppell
12/9/06 |
| If
there’s a football manager in the country less impressed by all
the hype and the hoopla that attends Premier League football these
days than Steve Coppell, I haven’t come across him. Once upon a time, most people in football were allowed to take a measured approach to the game, were allowed to take the long view, were allowed to deal in common sense rather than complete nonsense. But now, when somebody like Coppell says something that’s not more than stating the obvious, refusing to get swept along by the tide of over excitement, they’re branded as eccentric, a killjoy, or, God forbid, somebody lacking passion for the game. If you manage a Premier League club, especially if it’s a club that you got promoted, then the idea that you look passion for your job and your club is ludicrous. Last weekend we had the unedifying spectacle of the media working itself into a lather simply because Coppell wasn’t dancing on the tables after their 1-0 win over Bolton took then into joint third in the table. Coppell sagely observed, “It’s December. We’ve played 15 games and the table means nothing now. We’re grateful to have the points we’ve got, but there are a lot more to be won.” After further poking about his refusal to break into a smile, he added, “If you come back in May and we’re still 6th, we’ll have a party then.” Which is how it should be. Anybody who is actually serious about their job, who understands the game, who has seen how fast it can turn for good or ill, would take exactly the same approach. It’s the only one that makes any sense. Coppell has always been a little different to the average football man, not least because of his university background. A driving winger in his prime, direct and pacy, Coppell was a huge favourite with the crowds at Old Trafford and a success story with England as well where his intuitive grasp of the game saw him willing to play a more orthodox wide midfield game when the occasion demanded, willing to rein in his attacking instincts for the good of the team. That’s been very much the story of his managerial career too, his teams characterized by a tactical shrewdness, good organization and a desire to retain good possession. Much of his time in management has been spent at Crystal Palace, racking up around 600 games in charge of the Eagles over the course of four different spells, a brief, very brief, stay at Manchester City breaking up the first two and the second two spells. But it’s this current spell at Reading where Coppell has really laid down a reputation. If people want to complain that he isn’t the life and soul of the party, either in interviews or in the technical area, then they’re perfectly entitled to their opinion. Just as Coppell is perfectly entitled to keep his head down, get on with the job in hand and concern himself simply and solely with the things that really matter to a football manager. The harder you work, the better you get. There’s plenty of time to relax in May - at least a couple of weeks anyway before you start thinking about the next season. |
Illustration by Nick Oldham |
FirstTouch is published weekly by David Witchard
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