Steve Coppell quits Bristol

The official Bristol City site would be a bit more reputable, but yep, seems he's retiring:

Coppell said:
Steve Coppell says: "It is with the deepest regret that I confirm my departure from Bristol City. I have made my decision after very careful consideration and I believe that it is in the best interests of both the club and me personally that we go our separate ways.

"Bristol City is an excellent club, with brilliant support and a chairman with great ambition for the club's future. Whilst I was looking forward to the challenge of leading the players in this season's campaign, unfortunately, it has become clear over recent weeks, that I found I could not, for whatever reason, become passionate about the role and give the commitment the position demands.

"I appreciate that the timing of my departure is not ideal, but I believe it is best for the club to appoint a new manager or indeed appoint Keith Millen, who has a deep knowledge of the club and the squad, at this stage of the season. That individual can then make decisions on signing players before the window closes and work with the squad for the full campaign.

"I am retiring from football management but still feel I have a contribution to make to the game sometime in the future. I would like to sincerely thank the chairman and the board for their understanding and I wish the club and its supporters every success."
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http://www.bcfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10327~2119540,00.html

Such an odd bloke. Decent manager, when in the right situation, but so flakey. Shame, he could well have been top quality.
 
I've gone from being sad to mad now, that he's walked out. And should I see him signing for another club, following his "retiring" statement, then I will hunt him down, and tell him to his face what I think of him.

Moving on, putting my full support behind Milly.

Oh and could a passing mod change the title to Bristol CITY, there are sadly 2 teams in Bristol, as much as I try and pretend my 3 toed cousins from across the river don't exist. :D
 
knip said:
I've gone from being sad to mad now, that he's walked out. And should I see him signing for another club, following his "retiring" statement, then I will hunt him down, and tell him to his face what I think of him.

Moving on, putting my full support behind Milly.

Oh and could a passing mod change the title to Bristol CITY, there are sadly 2 teams in Bristol, as much as I try and pretend my 3 toed cousins from across the river don't exist. :D
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Sorry Knip, thought id typed City. But to be fair, don't think anyone would have thought Coppell would lower himself to managing Rovers in the first place .:D
 
Really suprising news this was! Its a shame because I've always rated him as a pretty good manager and thought he'd do well at Bristol City. Nevermind. Guess you never knows the ins and outs of his personal life and situation. It must have been an important reason. Good luck to him and I do hope he comes back into the game at some point.
 
I posted this on the Guardian website when the news was posted. From here.

I can't enjoy management. I work all week to win a game. If we win, I have an unbelievable high for 20 minutes, but then it is thinking about the next game, who's in training, can we get videos over, who's in physio. If we are beaten, it's a bottomless pit. I have a depression after a defeat.

"I don't have any hobbies, pastimes. Sometimes my family don't cope very well, and keep out of the way. It goes through my mind when I get beat: 'Do I need this?' Then I wake up the next morning, the sun is shining and I crack on with it again. Other managers are perhaps more resilient than me.
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City's preseason and start to the season have been pretty bad. Seems like Steve was having a better time out of football.

I now wonder about the players he signed. Will Keith find use for them?
 
We've got a massive injury list at the moment, our captain (and one of our best defenders) cut his heel open dragging a bbq in the close season, (the dingbat!) and has only just returned to training, we signed Sam Vokes on a 6 month loan from Wolves and he got a hamstring injury just 13 minutes into his debut, and has now returned to Wolves for treatment. We have a put together defence (again due to injuries) our midfield doesnt look much better, we have been missing a winger like Scott Murray since he left 2 years back, and again this is ravaged by injuries. Our top scorer/striker had a knee op yesterday and it was confirmed today he will be out for 3 - 4 months. :(

As much as I love my club, we aren't a big club, and can't attract big players, plus our (very sensible) chairman won't break the bank when it comes to wages, and why should he. I don't want us in any more debt than we already are.

I really don't know whats going to happen now, I love Milly to bits, he's City through and through but if the club had wanted him to have the job, why did they bring Coppell in. I hope to god that they bring in an experienced coach to work with him.

From hoping for promotion a couple of weeks ago, I am now just praying we survive this season, and stay in the league. Not been a good day for me. :(
 
Rumours today he's mad that James was signed, I'm guessing more for the fact he'll have taken up the wages that could probably have seen several cover players brought, instead without him being asked they got an uber expensive Keeper when I assume the manager thinks theres hugely better ways to spend the money.

If you're a manager and you think you need 5 more players, and the club screw you over and suddenly they tell you because of a player you didn't need the club can't afford anyone else, well, I'd be peeved.
 
Been denied by our chief exec today, who went on record to say it was Coppell that first contacted James to speak to him about a contract before anyone else did, so methinks the press are just looking for a story that isn't there.

Plus our chairman refuses to pay ANYONE more than 10k a week, including James, and so he hasn't suddenly smashed our wage bill to bits, because he's already being paid as high a wage as Steve Lansdown will pay. Its bad on one hand because it means we can't always attract the players we might want to, but good because it means we aren't getting ourselves into stupid amounts of debt.
 
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