Bring back Coppell

[rhroyal]

When Rodgers was sacked, I thought that Darren Ferguson was the obvious choice after the summer etc. When Irvine was sacked at Preston, I thought he could be a contender. When McDermott was given the caretaker job, I thought he was worth a chance. 2 points from 5 league games later, I'd say he hasn't taken it.

Our indecisiveness has seen the opportunity to sign two managers who will be very good down here pass by. Sheff Wed have taken Irvine and are pulling away. Ferguson has gone to Preston, who won last night. How many other options do we have? I honestly can't see Curbishley coming to our club, he'd be mad.

So would Coppell be to an extent, but it would be utterly in character with him to return. He has always thrived on lower league football. He develops strong affiliations with clubs that speak louder than common sense, you only have to look some of the circumstances he returned to Palace in. This club is now special to him, and more so, his reputation here would be safe. Would he be blamed for taking us down this season? Not particularly. He'd have little to lose.

And now why I think he would be good, lets look at his strengths and weaknesses:

Strengths:
- Has always been good at getting the best out hungry players with something to prove.
- Has always been good at working on cheap budgets and building squads on a shoe string.
- Capable of bringing the extra level out of more experienced players. Ivar, USA, Little, Murty etc. Could we see it from Rasiak, McAnuff, even Long?
- A strong understanding and affiliation of the club. Could boost morale etc.

Weaknesses:
- Can be too loyal to "his" players and team. Well, "his" team is dead now. Can't really be too loyal to them.
- Can't cope with big egos and players heads being turned elsewhere. Hunt, Shorey, Kitson etc. Who in our current squad does that apply to?
- Has always failed at phase 2 of building a club. Same mistakes made at Palace and Reading with failing to strengthen and build on success. Who cares about this stage right now?!

So there's my opinion, he is available and I hope that he will come back if we approach him. Could be our best bet.

[Royalwaster]

When Rodgers was sacked, I thought that Darren Ferguson was the obvious choice after the summer etc. When Irvine was sacked at Preston, I thought he could be a contender. When McDermott was given the caretaker job, I thought he was worth a chance. 2 points from 5 league games later, I'd say he hasn't taken it.

Our indecisiveness has seen the opportunity to sign two managers who will be very good down here pass by. Sheff Wed have taken Irvine and are pulling away. Ferguson has gone to Preston, who won last night. How many other options do we have? I honestly can't see Curbishley coming to our club, he'd be mad.

So would Coppell be to an extent, but it would be utterly in character with him to return. He has always thrived on lower league football. He develops strong affiliations with clubs that speak louder than common sense, you only have to look some of the circumstances he returned to Palace in. This club is now special to him, and more so, his reputation here would be safe. Would he be blamed for taking us down this season? Not particularly. He'd have little to lose.

And now why I think he would be good, lets look at his strengths and weaknesses:

Strengths:
- Has always been good at getting the best out hungry players with something to prove.
- Has always been good at working on cheap budgets and building squads on a shoe string.
- Capable of bringing the extra level out of more experienced players. Ivar, USA, Little, Murty etc. Could we see it from Rasiak, McAnuff, even Long?
- A strong understanding and affiliation of the club. Could boost morale etc.

Weaknesses:
- Can be too loyal to "his" players and team. Well, "his" team is dead now. Can't really be too loyal to them.
- Can't cope with big egos and players heads being turned elsewhere. Hunt, Shorey, Kitson etc. Who in our current squad does that apply to?
- Has always failed at phase 2 of building a club. Same mistakes made at Palace and Reading with failing to strengthen and build on success. Who cares about this stage right now?!

So there's my opinion, he is available and I hope that he will come back if we approach him. Could be our best bet.

+1 - him or Megson, probably SC as he 'knows' the club and could hit the ground running. But Megson has tons of experience of relegation dog fights, so would be OK too. Afraid though it's not going to happen with SJM away on holiday ....

[East Grinstead Royal]

rhroyal, you have pretty much summed up everything that I was thinking to myself in the shower this morning. A few additional thoughts:-

When Coppell was appointed, it was the first time I can remember us ever going for a proven manager with a track record of success at our level. Prior to that (Pardew, McGhee, Burns, Bulivant, Porterfield, Evans, Branfoot, Hurley, Mansell etc etc) we have always taken a chance on unproven talent. No co-incidence that Coppell was our most successful manager! So, in the wake of Coppell, we go for someone with 6 months experience, then temporarily appoint someone with no experience at all. And in the meantime, the guy we really wanted in the summer is available on a plate but ends up elsewhere. Makes you want to weep.

Coppell's comments on BBC Berkshire suggest he would be willing to talk, he only wanted 3 months away from football, and he's disappointed not to be back in management.

Time to get the arse into gear, SJM!

[ShinPad]

I think this is about the ONLY time I would EVER want Megson at our club, that is how low we have sunk. I reckon he could actually sort our lazy, gutless team out.

RHRoyal, you haven't summed everything I was thinking to myself in the shower this morning, but it wasn't all RFC related so I understand.

[East Grinstead Royal]

RHRoyal, you haven't summed everything I was thinking to myself in the shower this morning, but it wasn't all RFC related so I understand.

[thefruits]

Bring back SSC. I never wanted him to leave anyway. How 4th in the Championship can be considered failure is a mystery

Bring him back today and then bring back Kitson & Harper who both want to come back

Then we will stay up

simples

[Focher]

Short memeories folks, short memories.

[rhroyal]

Short memeories folks, short memories.

Wouldn't say so. I'm very aware of Coppell's shortcomings, and I don't think they apply so much to our current situation. They're certainly not as relevant as his strengths in our current predicament.

[winchester_royal]

The only manager I would even consider giving the job to is Megson TBH. Coppell has never shown an ability to arrest such a slide.

[Comfortably Numb]

coppell can't save us this season. great manager, but he would need 18-24 months building a new team. he'd acompany us down and then the idiots here would slate the poor bugger

[Focher]

Short memeories folks, short memories.

Wouldn't say so. I'm very aware of Coppell's shortcomings, and I don't think they apply so much to our current situation. They're certainly not as relevant as his strengths in our current predicament.

His strengths in our current predicament???? He has a track record of not being able to get us out of a rut, and has a record of 3 relegations with Brighton, Palace and Reading. He is the best manager we've ever had, there is no doubt about that, but he is not the man to save us from this mess.

[Focher]

coppell can't save us this season. great manager, but he would need 18-24 months building a new team. he'd acompany us down and then the idiots here would slate the poor bugger

Spot on

[Duke the Dog]

Going from firm favourites for auto-promotion and marmalising several teams on the way whilst scoring for fun to a team who couldn't pay for a goal and whimpering out of the play-offs on form that embarrassed the relegation teams is a bit of a shocker really!

Having said that, I'd certainly give him a go as it isn't his team anymore (more or less) and he does seem to get more from the lesser players. Good shout about Wally as well, we seem to be a lot more shambolic at the back without him!

Our luck has got to change soon, hasn't it?!?!?!

[Duke the Dog]

coppell can't save us this season. great manager, but he would need 18-24 months building a new team. he'd acompany us down and then the idiots here would slate the poor bugger

Spot on

Indeed, but whoever takes over next (BM or otherwise) most people would probably accept that it wasn't their fault we went done (so nothing to lose, esp if we get someone other than BM). Whether they could get us back up is another matter......

[Duke the Dog]

Damn, I feel like we've been relegated already....need more coffee...

[Terminal Boardom]

The only person who could have saved us from relegation would be Nero himself. He could quite easily have thrown 10 to 20 million into the funds to acquire players and management who would be good enough to get us out of this mess.

[robb the royal]

Bring back SSC. I never wanted him to leave anyway. How 4th in the Championship can be considered failure is a mystery

Bring him back today and then bring back Kitson & Harper who both want to come back

Then we will stay up

simples

They may want to come back... but they will want more money than we will/can afford to offer them... we simply havent got the money to get them back, thats why all the players we used to love are leaving the club and why marek will be next, swiftly followed by ivar (if he doesn't retire first)

[The Quiet Man]

No - he bears a part of the responsibility for where we are now (though not as great as SJM or Hammond).

[Nick Shorey my Lord!]

If Megson joins that will be the final nail in the coffin of the modern day RFC.

[RoyalBlue]

coppell can't save us this season. great manager, but he would need 18-24 months building a new team. he'd acompany us down and then the idiots here would slate the poor bugger

You are absolutely right and Sir Steve does not deserve that.

Fortunately he is far too an intelligent man to even consider drinking from the poison challice, were it to be offered to him.