Good Luck Coppell, A True Gent!

What a shame that Steve Coppell has felt the need to fall on his sword after Reading's failure to bounce back up to the Prem. The management game is full of big heads, charlatans and demi-Messiahs and Coppell is a rare "down to earth, honest bloke" bobbing up and down in the effluence of ego and excuses. I can't help but like the guy.

Rumour has it, meanwhile, that Reading are about to dip deep into the pool of effluence and fish out the biggest Turd of them all. It seems the brown Volvo and attached caravan may be heading a few miles down the M4. Now, I feel no particular affection for Reading - the town is ugly and there is no footballing heritage to hang on to - but I cannot wish Curbishley upon their fans. They do not deserve that!

Before appointing Old Baggy Eyes, I would recommend that the Reading Board check out a couple of match tapes. They could start with New Year's Day, 2007, and a certain 6-0 annihilation of Curbishley's charges. Then they could wind forward to Boxing Day of the same year, with West Ham 1-0 up and Reading down to 10 men. Turds famously circled the wagons and protected the home point after Reading equalised.

I have to drive down the M4 from time to time and do not relish being caught behind Curbishley's caravan towing Volvo poodling along in the middle lane. Steve Coppell deserves a better successor than that!