Coppell lifts lid on City departure

Steve Coppell has lifted the lid on why he walked out on Bristol City earlier on this season.

The 55-year-old threw the towel in after only two games last August, ensuring a turbulent start to the campaign for the Robins.

And the bottling Scouser admitted he had to leave Ashton Gate because the job was not what it said on the tin.

Speaking to Keys & Gray on talkSPORT, Coppell said: “Bristol will be disappointed with me and I have to say I was disappointed with the environment I found myself in and I thought, it’s pointless me being here.

“I’ve left clubs twice [Manchester City and Bristol City] because I thought, well I’m not going to cost them money when, as far as I’m concerned, there’s not the future in it for me. It’s pointless me just being there to pick up the money so I left. I didn’t get a pay out.”

His assistant Keith Millen was thrown in at the deep end with only 20 days left of the transfer window and a squad who had barely undergone a pre-season.

Millen later admitted that he had to put his inherited squad through a ‘mini pre-season’ when the international break arrived in October, meaning the Robins were playing catch-up from the first kick.

“At Bristol I was only there for one league game so it’s not as if I damaged the long-term prospects of the club,” Coppell added.

“Is it selfish? Yes, it is selfish. But I would have my own arguments. It’s a very, very short career and you’ve got to make sure you’re in the right position, otherwise you’re just wasting your time.”