Steve Coppell

Stephen James "Steve" Coppell ( born July 9, 1955 in Norris Green ) is a former English football player and this one of the best wingers of his generation, before a serious injury ended his career prematurely. Most recently he served as a trainer for the English second division club Bristol City.

Playing career

Coppell was a remarkably talented player in his youth. Despite pending offers several top clubs he joined the club from the lower class Merseyside, the Tranmere Rovers, as he sought a degree in Economics at Liverpool University.

Coppell studied until 1974, played in parallel for Tranmere and coached the University team. His life changed in 1975, when Manchester United he made ​​an offer over 60,000 pounds. Coppell cheated while at his potential new club based on his current salary, because Manchester United offered him a lump sum to pay him double. Coppell signed following a contract in Manchester.

He received his degree while he was on the right wing of Manchester United acted, where he made his debut as a substitute in a 4-0 win over Cardiff City on 1 March 1975. This season Manchester returned from the Second Division after a year's absence in the First Division back. Coppell even graduated ten games and scored one goal.

In the following season, Coppell met ten times in 39 games, with him also a hit at Anfield Stadium at Liverpool succeeded where he had played in his youth. Moreover, he came to inserts in the English U23 youth team.

The promising young team of Manchester United, which was compiled by Tommy Docherty, continued to develop in the Premier League and reached the final of the FA Cup, where they faced the second division Southampton FC and the role of favorite possessed. The inexperienced team, including Coppell, however, was the nervous strain not withstand and non- experienced ones from Team Southampton won 1-0. Coppell marked it with a shot from about 20 meters, which was held by the opposing goalkeeper, the first -scoring scene of the game.

In 1977, Manchester United could not play a decisive role in the championship, but again reached the final of the FA Cup and met Liverpool, who had won a victory a triple ( together with the championship, which they have at the time had won, and the European champions Cup ). On this day Manchester United could, including nine players who had yet disappointed last year, winning with a 2-1 win the title.

In the same year Coppell was appointed to the English national football team and played the qualifier for the FIFA World Cup in Argentina in 1978 against Italy at Wembley. The English team was able to not win 2-0, but missed because of the goal difference to qualify. Coppell was a regular fixture in the plans of the English coach Ron Greenwood and completed a series of friendlies in 1978. His first goal for England he scored in a 1-0 win against Scotland at Hampden Park.

Coppell played the following year, resistant to both his club and the national team and hit it against Czechoslovakia and Northern Ireland, in addition to a series of gates for Manchester United, where he missed no game and again reached the final of the FA Cup. There was Arsenal against Manchester which had as before even once, lost Manchester in the previous year an FA Cup final ( 0-1 against Ipswich Town). It looked then after a victory for Arsenal, which was 2-0 in front. Were to play as only four minutes a free kick Coppell by Joe Jordan was deflected and the defender Gordon McQueen shortened to 1:2. Manchester developed in the remaining time even more pressure to score the equalizer and when Arsenal failed to clear the ball out of the defensive, Coppell levered with a lob from the defense so that Sammy McIlroy scored the equalizer before two defensive players of Arsenal. As only one minute of play was, it looked like an extension. Arsenal, however, could post haste achieve the 3:2 and thus the decision in the game by Alan Sunderland in one of the last offensive actions.

Just one week later Coppell could at Wembley again make positive attention to himself than he could score a goal in a 3-1 victory in the match against Scotland. His performances for England remained constantly good as his permanent presence for the club in the next two years. He was in 1980, his series of goals against Scotland continued, as he 's 2-0 at Hampden Park scored one goal in the run-up to the European Championships in Italy in 1980. At the European Championships, he played himself in the first two group matches and retired there with England.

His personal tragedy experienced Coppell then in a qualifying match for the 1982 World Cup in Spain against Hungary. Coppell was injured severely in a tough duel, where his knee was shattered literally (after Coppells statement " like a firecracker, which was placed in my knee and then went off "). He underwent surgery on the knee and the provisional solution should allow the continuation of his career.

Coppell then played in the World Cup both in all three group games and in the goalless intermediate round match against Germany. England then retired from the tournament and Coppell was re-operated on knee.

He came within its means to continue for Manchester United to the course and played after 36 missions in the preseason in the following season 1982/83 29 -fold. In addition, he played after the World Cup twice and also hit the 9-0 win against Luxembourg.

Coppell was injury-free at the League Cup final in 1983, when Liverpool, opposite to the encounter in 1977, won 2-1. As Manchester United also reached the FA Cup final, broke Coppells injury on again and he thus missed the game against Brighton & Hove Albion, which ended in the first encounter 2-2 and 4-0 in the replay at Manchester United found its winner. Coppell chose to undergo surgery again, but the healing success was such that he at the age of only 28 years, ended his career as a football player in October 1983. He had previously set up with 207 consecutive games 1977-1981 the record in this category. His career with Manchester United ended with a total of 70 goals in 373 missions. For England he had 42 games and scored seven goals in the process denied.

Coaching career

In 1984, Coppell coach at Crystal Palace, where he was the youngest coach in the Football League at the age of only 29 years. Under his leadership the club in 1989 rose above the play- off matches in the first English league. Palace remained for four seasons in the top flight in 1990 and reached the final of the FA Cup, which is then lost to Manchester United. Worth mentioning was there yet the victory in the semi-final against Liverpool, where you returned the favor for a 0:9 defeat in the championship at Anfield Stadium. In the subsequent season Crystal Palace reached the third place his highest placing in their history and won with the Full Members Cup his first trophy. Then worsened club services and after had to be accepted in 1993 the relegation from the Premier League despite a record number of points for a relegated team, Coppell resigned.

In 1995 Coppell returned to Crystal Palace as technical director, before he then manager of Manchester City was, however, where he remained for six games in office. Once again, he was now in 1997, coach at Crystal Palace and could again rise above the playoff games. He then remained in the first seven months of the 1997/98 season at the club before a change in the club's management level for his resignation made ​​. The club got off in the same season.

In January of 1999 Coppell returned to Crystal Palace. During this time the club had serious financial problems and he could only play for the league due to a smaller budget. In 2000 Palace was bought by Simon Jordan and Coppell left the club one more time. He was then in 2001, coach at Brentford FC and led the club in the finals of the playoffs for promotion to the second division after they had previously direct qualification only just missed.

In the second half of 2002 Coppell Brentford left, to join Brighton, who played for the league in the second division. Although the club improved during the season, the descent could not be prevented. In October 2003, Coppell then moved to Reading FC in the Football League Championship and went to the club in the 2005/06 season in the Premier League on. After two years with Reading Coppell rose again in 2008 in the second division, and came from there in the season 2008/ 09 right off the bat back into the Ascension Play -offs. In direct connection to the lost semi-final against Burnley FC, he resigned from his post with immediate effect.

On 22 April 2010 Bristol City gave his commitment known as the head coach. Steve Coppell signed a valid from 11 May 2010, initially limited to one year contract. On August 12 he resigned with immediate effect from his position and announced at the same time, no longer wanting to work in a coach position.

Achievements

• FA Cup Winners: 1977, 1983 ( as a player )
• Full Members Cup winner: 1991 (as coach )
• Charity Shield Winner: 1977 ( as a player )