Bristol City manager Steve Coppell quits football
Steve Coppell has announced he has quit as Bristol City manager – and retired from football management – with immediate effect after being in the job for less than four months. His assistant Keith Millen has been promoted to first team boss and has been given a three-year contract.
In a statement through the League Managers Association, 55-year-old former Manchester United player Coppell said that: "It is with the deepest regret that I confirm my departure from Bristol City. I have made my decision after very careful consideration and I believe that it is in the best interests of both the club and me personally that we go our separate ways."
Passion lost
Although Coppell thinks highly of the club, chairman Steve Lansdown and their supporters, he felt that he no longer had the passion that is required to boss a professional football team and so has decided to retire from being a manager altogether. He said that: "Whilst I was looking forward to the challenge of leading the players in this season's campaign, unfortunately, it has become clear over recent weeks, that I found I could not, for whatever reason, become passionate about the role and give the commitment the position demands. I am retiring from football management but still feel I have a contribution to make to the game sometime in the future."
Coppell was appointed as club manager in April, but did not start work until the end of the season in May. He was in charge for just two competitive matches – losses in the Football League Championship to Millwall and in the first round of the Carling Cup to Southend.
Lansdown commented on Coppell’s sudden departure, saying on his club’s official website that: "It is disappointing for any club to part company with its manager at this stage of the season. However, we respect Steve's decision, one that allows us the opportunity to appoint his successor and give that individual the full season to work with the squad."
Though sorry to see Coppell go, the chairman looked to the future and was comfortable in promoting Millen to the top job. He said that: "We're delighted to appoint Keith into the role with immediate effect. I always expected Keith to become a manager one day and now he has the opportunity at Bristol City FC. I look forward to working with him and helping him succeed."
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