Published: Friday, 2nd January, 2009 8:00am

Coppell reveals FA Cup plans

by Anthony Smith

Comments (1) | Print | Email

ROYALS boss Steve Coppell says Saturday's FA Cup third round tie at Cardiff City is an ideal opportunity for his fringe players to shine (3pm ko).

Coppell, as usual, will make wholesale changes for a competition he accepts the club has no chance of winning.

So with promotion the priority, he will call upon all his reserves for the visit to Ninian Park in the third game between the sides in a little over a month.

That will give the likes of Andre Bikey, Bobby Convey, James Henry, James Karacan and possibly captain Greame Murty and Scott Golbourne the chance to impress the Reading manager.

Goalkeeper Adam Federici and striker Shane Long will almost definitely start after their goals rescued dramatic draws with the Bluebirds and Southampton over Christmas.

Whether Leroy Lita, who is back from a loan spell at Norwich City, also gets the nod up front remains to be seen.

"I look at it quite coldly and, to a certain extent, dispassionately," explained Coppell. "We're not going to win the FA Cup.

"Cardiff got the final last season but they didn't win it. It was a magnificent achievement but I will repeat what I've always said, that we have 20 cup finals to come.

"I will spread the load and make significant changes, I make no bones about it. We have players carrying knocks and I will give the senior players an opportunity to recover and get back on track."

But Coppell also insisted: "People assume I don't want to do well in the competition but I do. I want us to go as far as possible.

"I'm not fielding a team to get beaten, I want the 11 who play to get a result, I'm really keen on that. The fact there are changes isn't important.

"The ones who tell me every day they should be playing are going to get an opportunity to show me what they can do."

Coppell knows all about the magic of the FA Cup. He won it twice as a player with Manchester United in 1977 and 1979 and masterminded Crystal Palace's memorable run to the 1990 final as a young manager.

And he says the cup brings a pleasant distraction from the pressures of the league where Royals are second in the table and unbeaten in eight.

"The cup is refreshing because it's been a concentrated period in December," he said. "Christmas can be an excessive work load and now that is out of the way we go into the New Year which is traditionally all about the FA Cup.

"It's inbred into football people and I am certainly looking forward to it. I'm very much aware we are playing a team who reached the final last year so hopefully it will be a good game."

He added: "Cardiff are very strong, balanced and resolute - a typical Dave Jones side. They're very difficult to beat with pace and variety.

"Michael Chopra has gone back to Sunderland but they have other options so we're expecting a difficult match which will test our side."

There has been little to separate Reading and Cardiff after the 2-2 draw at Ninian Park and 1-1 thriller at the Madejski on Boxing Day.

Coppell, though, insists he is not keeping his team a secret. "Federici will play. It hasn't been set in stone but I've pencilled out a team.

"I will phone up Dave Jones if you want. It wouldn't bother me if he knew my team now, but I don't for definite. I'm not doing it to surprise him,"