Coppell rejects a Republic move...for now

By STEVE SKERRY

Last updated at 22:44 17 January 2008


Steve Coppell has ruled himself out of the immediate running for the Republic of Ireland job — but admits it might appeal to him in the future.

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The Reading manager was

the preferred choice of

the FAI's three-man

committee, comprising

former international

midfielder Ray Houghton,

Under 21 manager Don

Givens and former England

coach Don Howe, who

have been searching for a

replacement since Steve

Staunton was sacked after

the Euro 2008 qualifying

campaign.

Coppell, 52, had emerged

as a contender in October

after revealing in a TV

interview that he would be

interested in managing at

international level. He also

claimed to 'qualify' for the

Ireland post because his

grandmother was Irish.

But the Barclays Premier

League boss insisted on Thursday that he had no

plans to leave the Madejski

Stadium.

'The Irish granny,' mused

Coppell. 'I knew she would

come in handy. I have a

contract here and I'm

happy here, so I wouldn't

even contemplate it.

'If I was out of work then I

would be, but I've got a

contract so it's way

outside the realms of

possibility.'

Coppell did, however,

admit he had met Givens

in the past week but

claimed he had not been

approached about the

job.

He said: 'It would be

wrong for me to say

anything because Don

Givens was here the other

week, but that was in a

coaching capacity for his

badge.

'I've had contact with

Don but we only had a

cup of tea. I haven't been

interviewed for the job.'

Lens midfielder Jimmy

Kebe could become

Reading's second signing

of the transfer window,

following the £1million

signing of Czech

midfielder Marek

Matejovsky.

French-born Mali

international Kebe, who

turns 24 on Saturday, is on

loan at French second

division side Boulogne.

Coppell said: 'He's someone

we have made an enquiry

about but I'm not going

to do my business in

public.'

Poland international

Wojciech Kowalewski has

begun a week's trial at

Reading. The 30-year-old

goalkeeper, who played in

the Champions League last

season for Spartak

Moscow, is a free agent.