#5 Steve Coppell rides his luck with tactics
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“No place to hide”, read a humongous banner that fluttered across the stands. Kerala tried their very best to conceal their weaknesses throughout the 90 minutes and more. Not for one moment did they look like a side playing with one man more. The visitors were reluctant to take risks and sat back, absorbing the pressure like a sponge. It didn’t seem to perturb coach, Steve Coppell who was composed on the sidelines all night long.
You’d have thought he’d be livid with his team’s performance till the penalties, but he seemed content and made no effort to urge his men to attack. As the dreaded penalty shootout approached, he went about asking each of his players if they were up for the task. CK Vineeth responded with a no.
Not for a moment would he have imagined that his out of form keeper, Sandip Nandy would be the one to help his side into the finals. Coppell didn’t play his cards right, he didn’t need to. The coach of God’s own country had the higher powers hovering over his head.
