Bristol City shocked by Steve Coppell’s departure

I have often written about managerial sackings that I have felt have been too quick and totally wrong. In these days of high pressure football a manager’s job is always under threat. It is in these circumstances that I find it absolutely remarkable that Steve Coppell has resigned as Bristol City manager with immediate effect after less than four months in the job.

Speaking on the official Bristol City club website Coppell said,

“I found I could not 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. I am retiring from football management but still feel I have a contribution to make to the game sometime in the future.”

Walked out

This is not a new phenomena in the career of Steve Coppell as he once walked out on the Manchester City manager’s job after just thirty-three days. When he is happy he sticks around, for example, he stayed at Reading for six years, but in his twenty-six year managerial career he has managed six clubs. That doesn’t sound too bad until you realise there were four different spells at Crystal Palace! In other words he has changed jobs nine times and he is still only fifty-five.

Coppell was a high profile appointment for Bristol City who would be looking to make a serious attempt at the Championship play-offs at least this season. He managed to persuade England’s World Cup goalkeeper David James to drop down to the Championship when he signed the forty year old just before the start of the season. James made it clear that Coppell was a large part of the reason he agreed to drop down a league.

Embarrassing

Whilst not wishing to suggest that Coppell had got ‘cold feet’ it should be noted that the two games he was in charge for saw a 3-0 home defeat on the opening day against Millwall and an embarrassing 3-2 defeat at League Two Southend in the Carling Cup in midweek.

Bristol City have quickly handed the manager’s job to former assistant manager Keith Millen. He has been at the club in various roles since joining them as a player eleven years ago. Club chairman Steve Lansdown expressed his disappointment at Coppell’s decision but was quick to praise Millen.

Disappointing

“Steve’s prestigious career as a player, coupled with his experiences and successes as a manager are in no doubt. His footballing pedigree made him our prime target to manage the club early this year. It is disappointing for any club to part company with its manager at this stage of the season. However, we respect Steve’s decision. We’re delighted to appoint Keith into the role with immediate effect. This was not a difficult decision. He’s managed the team on previous occasions, he understands the football club and has great affection and ambition for it. I always expected Keith to become a manager one day and now he has the opportunity at Bristol City FC. I look forward to working with him and helping him succeed.”

Millen had the job on a temporary basis last season and is looking forward to taking on the role again. He says he was shocked by Coppell’s decision.

“I’m excited but I’m still getting over the shock really. I knew I wanted to do the job and last season I enjoyed it. For certain reasons I decided to step aside from it and I was looking forward to working with Steve. I did enjoy working with him and we are still friends. We met last night, when he told me the news. He apologised for leaving me in this situation. You have to be your own man and go with your decisions. The players know, certainly from last year, how I like things working.”