Steve Coppell

Comments (19)

Steve Coppell... yes, yes, I can hear youse all laughing and sniggering like little school girls — but hear me out on this please.

Firstly, I would like to suggest Steve Coppell to be the next Everton manager and here's why.

Steve took a club like Reading from the brink of the lower leagues to the Premier League on a shoestring budget while playing attacking free-flowing football, scoring a record 104 goals while actually winning something (the Championship).

And before the pro-Moyes brigade start saying "But it's only the Championship", remember Moyes had years to get Preston up and guess what — he didn't!! Not to mention Preston crumbling in the play-offs... "Sound familiar?" — In other words, big games equals big disappointments under Moyes.

Now first season in the Premier League, Reading took the division by storm with their fearless attacking football, taking on anybody and everybody even the big four (something that we have never done and never will do) and ended up 7th in their first season winning plaudits for the style of play.

Second season, the wheels came off. Like most promoted teams they failed to add quality to their squad due to the fact of having no money to spend, so they struggled with second season syndrome and got relegated.

Following year, they sell the best players, struggle in the Championship, Coppell ends up leaving... doesn't sound like great credentials to be the next manager of Everton, does it? ... Or does it?

1. Steve is a winner, he won the league (Moyes has won jack!)

2. Wants to play the game in the right way i.e on the deck!! (Moyes... in your dreams, lad!)

The reason I mention Coppell instead of say a Hiddink or Ranieri is because we could afford Steve, his teams play football the way football should be played, the kind of football that made us love the sport, he sends his teams out to WIN football matches not just to stifle the opponents and hope for 1-0. Performances count for this man, unlike Moyes where results are the be-all!

I'm losing my passion for Everton, last night's performance was pathetic — no heart, no passion... not to mention the total lack of being able to keep the ball, which is the fundamental element in European football.

I believe some of the Everton players have lost faith in Moyes, I believe Moyes has the shackles on and won't let the team express themselves, I believe Steve would take the shackles off and let the players play to their full potential. I for one would love to see what Steve Coppell could do with a squad full of internationals, a team that Steve would have killed for in his Reading days.

My conculsion is that, if we stick by Moyes, we will end up mid-table, maybe top 7 or 8 in years to come, getting the odd good performance and the odd hammering while winning nothing along the way.

Or we could take a gamble on a young hungry manager who likes to play flair football, someone who has actually won somthing, someone who could give us our footballing pride back... School of Science? Yes, please!
Sean McKenna, Ireland     Posted 23/10/2009 at 04:47:59

Return to the Mail Bag