Coppells Comments

[Rednready]

Coppells comments on BBC Radio Bristol, give an even minded point of view.

Not negative, but certainly restrained.

Quotes.

A competitive season ahead.

Tightest Championship for many years.

Norwich and Leeds are big clubs.

Forest, Leicester and Cardiff just missed out.

Its going to be very very difficult.

We are in the mix.

Realistic, certainly not positive and full of hope..........just in the mix.

He may indeed have a 2/3 year plan for success. Given our squad as it is, we will need 2 seasons. He has already commented that our squad is "unbalanced ". This forum debated this a year ago.

I hope he moves quickly and firmly. He has commented about our unbalanced squad, SL has said that money will not be an issue, lets hope they get it right between them.

[bs3]

Coppells comments on BBC Radio Bristol, give an even minded point of view.

Not negative, but certainly restrained.

Quotes.

A competitive season ahead.

Tightest Championship for many years.

Norwich and Leeds are big clubs.

Forest, Leicester and Cardiff just missed out.

Its going to be very very difficult.

We are in the mix.

Realistic, certainly not positive and full of hope..........just in the mix.

He may indeed have a 2/3 year plan for success. Given our squad as it is, we will need 2 seasons. He has already commented that our squad is "unbalanced ". This forum debated this a year ago.

I hope he moves quickly and firmly. He has commented about our unbalanced squad, SL has said that money will not be an issue, lets hope they get it right between them.

There is general agreement that the squad is unblanced buying forward after after forward . And SL also saying we need the trim the squad but it was SL who sanction all these signings.

[Rednready]

There is general agreement that the squad is unblanced buying forward after after forward . And SL also saying we need the trim the squad but it was SL who sanction all these signings.

Yes indeed SL sanctioned the signings and loans..... at GJ's request. SL supported his manager to the very end.

Lets move on, we have another manager.

[Kid in the Riot]

He may indeed have a 2/3 year plan for success. Given our squad as it is, we will need 2 seasons..

I am willing to accept that.

However, given our run of form at the end of season, the likelihood that it will be a slightly 'weaker' division and performances against the top clubs in the C'ship last season (particularly on the telly) shouldn't we be expecting a strong challenge for the play-offs minimum?

[Guest]

If it takes 2-3 years.. by that time we'll have the stadium in place to make a good effort of staying up. It wouldn't be a bad thing and I hope if that is the reality that the fans give SC time to build such a team.

[Rednready]

I am willing to accept that.

However, given our run of form at the end of season, the likelihood that it will be a slightly 'weaker' division and performances against the top clubs in the C'ship last season (particularly on the telly) shouldn't we be expecting a strong challenge for the play-offs minimum?

Coppell our new manager does not share your thoughts of a weaker division,

Read his comments in my opening post.

Our stronger performances in the latter part of last season were good. They were however under Millen, not Coppell. I will comment on Coppell when he has put some results together. His comments suggest it will be difficult

[chinapig]

I am willing to accept that.

However, given our run of form at the end of season, the likelihood that it will be a slightly 'weaker' division and performances against the top clubs in the C'ship last season (particularly on the telly) shouldn't we be expecting a strong challenge for the play-offs minimum?

Given that with a half-decent defence we would have been in the play offs last season I don't think that is unreasonable but clearly Steve is trying to dampen some of the excitement and expectation that greeted his appointment. The fact that he says major surgery is not required suggests he thinks we are not far off. It may be a weaker league but it will be more competitive as there are a lot of teams who are of much the same standard. I doubt anybody will run away with it but of course it is only guess work.

[chinapig]

If it takes 2-3 years.. by that time we'll have the stadium in place to make a good effort of staying up. It wouldn't be a bad thing and I hope if that is the reality that the fans give SC time to build such a team.

Quite. It is easy for people to say they will be patient now but whether that will survive if Steve does not have an immediate impact will be interesting to see.

[Kid in the Riot]

Coppell our new manager does not share your thoughts of a weaker division,

Read his comments in my opening post.

Our stronger performances in the latter part of last season were good. They were however under Millen, not Coppell. I will comment on Coppell when he has put some results together. His comments suggest it will be difficult

He says 'tight' and 'competitive'. He's not saying it won't be weaker... and in my opinion it will be.

In terms of the new stadium I don't think it would help us stay up, if anything it may hinder our chances. In my opinion if we got promoted, Ashton gate would be worth an extra 10 points to us.

That's why I think it would be ideal to go up next season, giving ourselves a season in the Prem at AG. How amazing would that be...

[Keith_Lemon]

I actually believe this season will be tougher than the last. I think we will see quite a few teams battle for 1st and 2nd promotion. And I can see the top 6 places changing each game. More teams will become be alot more focused in their matches. It's definately going to be a toughie and one hell of a nervous battle come the end of the season, but that's the joy of football!

Also regarding Coppell's 2-3 season plan I definately agree with him. I would rather give him the time to build a healthy balanced squad to get promoted and stand a better chance of surviving in the Premier League. Rather than get promoted this season with probably only a few changes and a very similar squad. Am I being negative? No but looking towards the safety and enjoyment of our future club

[Nibor]

He says 'tight' and 'competitive'. He's not saying it won't be weaker... and in my opinion it will be.

We've traded Newcastle,WBA, Blackpool, Plymouth, Wednesday and Posh for Hull, Portsmouth, Burnley, Leeds, Norwich and Millwall.

The three coming up from league one will be far better than the three that went down.

The three coming down from the Prem will be a touch weaker mainly due to the financial predicaments two of them are in.

What's more concerning is clubs already here, Ipswich, Derby, QPR, Boro, Sheff United, Reading - all underperformed last season and are capable of improving.

I think average quality of opposition next season will be a fair bit higher.

[Kid in the Riot]

I think average quality of opposition next season will be a fair bit higher.

We'll see, it's perhaps too early to say.

I suppose the conclusion you'd draw from your analysis is that the quality of the bottom half of the table will improve but the quality of the top half would weaken making the division more competitive and tight.

I just think that come pre-season we will end up with one of the better squads in the division, one of the best placed to make a strong promotion challenge.

If you take the view that it was largely GJ that was responsible for our poor form last season then I'd expect a renowned tactician like Coppell to come in and add some points straight away. I also don't think the squad is as unbalanced as some make out.

[Nibor]

We'll see, it's perhaps too early to say.

I suppose the conclusion you'd draw from your analysis is that the quality of the bottom half of the table will improve but the quality of the top half would weaken making the division more competitive and tight.

I just think that come pre-season we will end up with one of the better squads in the division, one of the best placed to make a strong promotion challenge.

If you take the view that it was largely GJ that was responsible for our poor form last season then I'd expect a renowned tactician like Coppell to come in and add some points straight away. I also don't think the squad is as unbalanced as some make out.

Depends on how much those half a dozen clubs that will feel they did poorly last time out improve their squads.

Our squad was very unbalanced last season but since then we've shed three strikers (Trundle, Agyemang, Saborio) and a central midfielder (Sno).

We have four strikers which as a number is fine but we lack a good old fashioned centre forward.

We've still only got one naturally left sided player (McAllister). JCR can play left side and cut in I guess.

However on the right side we've got Orr, Wilson, Sproule, Ribeiro, Haynes (kinda) and JCR could play there as well.

Still have five central midfielders, one too many, but a couple of them need improving on IMO.

Still have five centre halves, one too many and not enough quality.

Two keepers, need a third and probably that third should be the first teamer.

I think there's much work to do in the transfer market and I expect Steve Coppell will not do it all in one go because he'll be quite selective about who he brings in. That's why next season as long as the football's entertaining and we're top half I'll be happy.

[Rednready]

We've traded Newcastle,WBA, Blackpool, Plymouth, Wednesday and Posh for Hull, Portsmouth, Burnley, Leeds, Norwich and Millwall.

The three coming up from league one will be far better than the three that went down.

The three coming down from the Prem will be a touch weaker mainly due to the financial predicaments two of them are in.

What's more concerning is clubs already here, Ipswich, Derby, QPR, Boro, Sheff United, Reading - all underperformed last season and are capable of improving.

I think average quality of opposition next season will be a fair bit higher.

I agree with Nibor, I dont see our division being " weaker ".

None of us are visionaries, its just a point of view, however there are plenty of teams with recent Premier League experience. We are not one of these, and we have to consider that other teams will be seeking the Premier League with just as much desire and cash as ourselves.

We have to buy right, perform right and stay focussed for the whole season. We go missing for a few games...... we go missing for another season. Thats cast in stone .

Coppell has said as much......It will not be easy !

[Kid in the Riot]

Depends on how much those half a dozen clubs that will feel they did poorly last time out improve their squads.

Our squad was very unbalanced last season but since then we've shed three strikers (Trundle, Agyemang, Saborio) and a central midfielder (Sno).

We have four strikers which as a number is fine but we lack a good old fashioned centre forward.

We've still only got one naturally left sided player (McAllister). JCR can play left side and cut in I guess.

However on the right side we've got Orr, Wilson, Sproule, Ribeiro, Haynes (kinda) and JCR could play there as well.

Still have five central midfielders, one too many, but a couple of them need improving on IMO.

Still have five centre halves, one too many and not enough quality.

Two keepers, need a third and probably that third should be the first teamer.

I think there's much work to do in the transfer market and I expect Steve Coppell will not do it all in one go because he'll be quite selective about who he brings in. That's why next season as long as the football's entertaining and we're top half I'll be happy.

I do agree, and due to the contract situation of so many players he's not going to be able to bring in his own as quickly as he'd like I'm sure.

At this early stage, though I'd still be disappointed if we didn't improve on last seasons finish at the very least no matter what the football is like. Not calling for the head of Coppell on a stick, but definitely disappointed. That is the kind of expectation that Coppell brings and him and Lansdown are only too aware of that, it's what Lansdown wanted

[Rednready]

We'll see, it's perhaps too early to say.

I suppose the conclusion you'd draw from your analysis is that the quality of the bottom half of the table will improve but the quality of the top half would weaken making the division more competitive and tight.

I just think that come pre-season we will end up with one of the better squads in the division, one of the best placed to make a strong promotion challenge.

If you take the view that it was largely GJ that was responsible for our poor form last season then I'd expect a renowned tactician like Coppell to come in and add some points straight away. I also don't think the squad is as unbalanced as some make out.

Indeed, I think that GJ was responsible for much of our poor form last season. Then again the dressing room cost us points as well. Its a double edged sword.

Moving ahead, our pre-season often shows poor results against teams like Forest Green etc. Some times we have an 11 player turn around at half time. Not an occasion to make rash judgements, unless SC runs a different system of pre season.

S Coppell is an International player and Premier League Manager, we have not had a man of this caliber before, frankly I dont know what to expect, however I did nominate him in our poll, I wish him well.

[milo1111]

Coppells comments on BBC Radio Bristol, give an even minded point of view.

Not negative, but certainly restrained.

Quotes.

A competitive season ahead.

Tightest Championship for many years.

Norwich and Leeds are big clubs.

Forest, Leicester and Cardiff just missed out.

Its going to be very very difficult.

We are in the mix.

Realistic, certainly not positive and full of hope..........just in the mix.

He may indeed have a 2/3 year plan for success. Given our squad as it is, we will need 2 seasons. He has already commented that our squad is "unbalanced ". This forum debated this a year ago.

I hope he moves quickly and firmly. He has commented about our unbalanced squad, SL has said that money will not be an issue, lets hope they get it right between them.

i agree with SC, thats how i see it. the last couple of seasons i feel that some of the noises coming out of AG pre-season, whilst being ambitious were a bit daft. claiming top 2 finishes were well within grasp only served to ramp up the expectation and pressure on the team. then when things started to go wrong GJ couldnt understand why the natives were getting restless.

anyway, time to look forward and if we are top half whilst being more attractive to watch than we have been for the last two years then coppell will get all the time that he wants from me and i suspect most other city fans.

[Northern Red]

Quite. It is easy for people to say they will be patient now but whether that will survive if Steve does not have an immediate impact will be interesting to see.

I think we all know the answer to that...

[Guest]

I dont believe for a minute SC will be satisfield to just be in the mix; i.m.o. he will want to take this div by the throat and put at the top of it. With one, if not the best managers around there is no reason to believe that is not possible.

Stronger or weaker div makes no difference we have to believe we can win any game or theres no point.

Play off spot is a minimum target i.m.o. so no more last minute freebie give aways stand up B.C.F.C lets get on with it.

[Who Shot JR?]

Given that with a half-decent defence we would have been in the play offs last season I don't think that is unreasonable but clearly Steve is trying to dampen some of the excitement and expectation that greeted his appointment. The fact that he says major surgery is not required suggests he thinks we are not far off. It may be a weaker league but it will be more competitive as there are a lot of teams who are of much the same standard. I doubt anybody will run away with it but of course it is only guess work.

I agree with this. SC obviously realises the heightened expectation surrounding his appointment and is trying to play down his Messiah like status. He is a manager who is respected and held with high regard - I'm sure he is quietly confident of a top six finish but doesn't want to shout his mouth off.

[A Horse With No Name]

Coppells comments on BBC Radio Bristol, give an even minded point of view.

Not negative, but certainly restrained.

Quotes.

A competitive season ahead.

Tightest Championship for many years.

Norwich and Leeds are big clubs.

Forest, Leicester and Cardiff just missed out.

Its going to be very very difficult.

We are in the mix.

Realistic, certainly not positive and full of hope..........just in the mix.

He may indeed have a 2/3 year plan for success. Given our squad as it is, we will need 2 seasons. He has already commented that our squad is "unbalanced ". This forum debated this a year ago.

I hope he moves quickly and firmly. He has commented about our unbalanced squad, SL has said that money will not be an issue, lets hope they get it right between them.

Reading through those quotes it seems to me that he stating the bleedin obvious.

[Nibor]

Reading through those quotes it seems to me that he stating the bleedin obvious.

Best thing to do as a football manager in an interview really?

[Martyn Hocking]

A mate of mine who supports Palace says Coppell sounds almost exactly the same in interviews whether his team has won or lost.

He doesn't need to play the media game and won't.

I'm sure there will be 3-4 signings before the end of July but I would imagine they will arrive later rather than sooner.

[GrahamC]

A mate of mine who supports Palace says Coppell sounds almost exactly the same in interviews whether his team has won or lost.

He doesn't need to play the media game and won't.

I'm sure there will be 3-4 signings before the end of July but I would imagine they will arrive later rather than sooner.

Having been away for a week, I agree with Nibor and Rednready's comments.

The division appears more even now, but not weaker to me and let's remember 2 of the 3 coming up have more ST holders than our present ground even holds.

I think Coppell regularly states the obvious because as Martyn says, he isn't interested in being a media personality and more often than not, the obvious is the plain truth.

I also think the number of summer arrivals may well depend on how many "fringe" players (for me McCombe, Williams, Johnson and Sproule?) he is able to move on, as well as how much actual interest there is in the likes of Orr and if the rumours are to be believed, Hartley.

SL will back his manager (he always does) but he and SC won't want a squad with experienced players in it that don't get picked and who don't contribute anything, an obvious example here is Clarkson, a £600k buy who made just 10 starts last season and who doesn't seem a likely first choice partner for Maynard.

My guess is SC will concentrate on our lack of left sided players by bringing in two and beyond that will probably bring in a keeper, otherwise it will be one in every time someone from the current squad moves on.

[Fiale]

With what I feel is a slightly weaker league this time around, the way we played at the end of last, the fact we hopefully will not loose 14+ points from last minute goals, and the fact that 3 teams will potentially be starting the season on -10 points I would hope that a play off spot is more than achievable.

[BCFC_Dan]

It's worth bearing in mind that when he took over at Reading (after the season had begun, admittedly), he inherited a side that had achieved a playoff place the season before but failed to finish in the top 6 for the next 2 seasons before finally building the Championship winning team. He's good but we must be patient and not panic if we don't make the top 6 for a couple more seasons.

[Nogbad the Bad]

He's good but we must be patient and not panic if we don't make the top 6 for a couple more seasons.

More than happy to wait at least a couple of seasons for a glorious automatic promotion.

Had more than enough of the play offs.