Published: Thursday, 7th August, 2008 11:30
Coppell motivated by fresh challenge
By Anthony Smith
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Up for the fight: Steve Coppell is determined to lead Reading back to the Premier League.
HOW do you find the will to succeed in a place you thought you’d left behind? How do you convince yourself that it is all worth doing again?
How does one find the motivation and drive required to win at Barnsley or Blackpool when you know how close you are to stepping out at Old Trafford or Anfield? How will each and every Reading player cope with the fallout from relegation? We are about to find out.
It is a question that has dominated the thoughts of Steve Coppell every day since May 11 when Reading’s two-year stint in the top-flight came to a tear-jerking end at Derby County.
There is no doubt that the players who still remain at the club from the 2005/06 Championship-winning season have the talent and ability to make the Royals genuine promotion challengers again. Though three years older now, they will believe they can even get close to that magical 106 points.
But is the hunger still there? Things were different back then. The likes of Dave Kitson, Kevin Doyle, Nicky Shorey, Steve Sidwell, Marcus Hahnemann, Leroy Lita, James Harper, Glen Little, Ibrahima Sonko and Bobby Convey all had something to prove in their careers.
Some of them have gone, some will be going and for the rest the reality will kick in this Sunday when they step out at the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest.
The portents are good so far. An unbeaten pre-season culminated in a fine display and a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa last weekend. But the real business starts now.
“It was always going to be an interesting pre-season after being relegated and to see what the mentality of the players was like,” Coppell told The Chronicle.
“In truth, that was – and still is -– my biggest concern about the team. What is their mentality and mindset going to be like?
“To be effective in this division and have success we are going to have to be strong over the next nine months. That can take its toll and we need strong characters.
“But if we start thinking we are too good to be playing at this level, that we belong somewhere else, then we will be in major trouble.
“We have to re-adjust to situation and face facts. We are no longer in the Premier League. There is a long road ahead for us all if we want to get back there.
“We have 46 hard games in front of us and we’ve got to give each and every one the respect it deserves.”
Coppell’s reservations are understandable, though there is plenty of confidence in his side elsewhere. The Royals are currently third with the bookmakers in the betting list behind Birmingham City and Queens Park Rangers with Derby County, Crystal Palace, Sheffield United and Wolves not far behind. It is a
tightly-congested division and critics predict there will be no runaway leader in the mould of Reading three seasons ago. If Coppell’s side are to bounce straight back to the Premier League, they are going to have to grind it out.
So does he have the squad to do it? He clearly feels that major surgery was not required. To date, Noel Hunt remains the only summer signing following his £600,000 move from Dundee United, though a left-back is almost certain to come in if, as expected, Shorey leaves.
“It’s difficult to judge the strength of the squad right now,” Coppell said. “I know for certain this team is not the one that had something to prove three years ago when we won the division.
“Some players have left and the others are older. They’re grown and they’re more mature now and they’ve had a taste of the Premier League.
“That might not necessarily be a good thing in the context of this division and that worries me a bit.”
At least Coppell will not have to deal with the pressure of operating under the huge financial constraints which often cripple clubs who lose their top-flight status. Look at Sunday’s opponents Nottingham Forest.
While, there were 40% wage cuts across the board, the benefit of £11 million in parachute payments over the next two years plus the continuous backing of chairman John Madejski means Coppell can, within reason, do as he pleases. No need to sell to raise funds and cash to spend if required.
For now, though, it seems he is placing his faith many of those players who have been there before. Those like Hahnemann, Graeme Murty, Ivar Ingimarsson, Sonko, Harper, Convey, Doyle, Lita and Shane Long, perhaps with a couple of shrewd additions.
At this stage, they have all responded well to the gruelling challenge that awaits. “Pre-season has gone really well, I couldn’t have asked for more from anyone with regards to their application and our performances,” admitted Coppell.
“The players have worked extremely hard and I can only commend them on that. But there is something tremendously false about pre-season. The games just don’t have the same edge or reality that we will encounter against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
“Forest are a good side, we’re meeting them on the back of promotion and they have the momentum. Sometimes than success can carry you through again and we’re expecting a very difficult game.”
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