Super Cup 2019: ATK vs Real Kashmir FC - 5 Talking Points as Manuel Lanzarote hunts down the Snow Leopards 

#5 Steve Coppell buys time on ATK job

Coppell had endured a traumatic ISL season with ATK

In many ways, it has been nothing short of a forgetful campaign for Steve Coppell at ATK after his appointment at the helm last summer.

The Englishman was roped in to make the club a force to reckon with again, following their disappointing ninth-placed finish during the 2017/18 ISL season, and was heavily backed in the transfer window to go out and get the players he wanted at the club.

ATK spent heavily on the likes of Manuel Lanzarote, John Johnson, Kalu Uche and Everton Santos last summer and were forced to bring in Edu Garcia and Pritam Kotal in the winter transfer window to try and push for a playoff place in the second half of the season.

However, none of that materialized under Coppell, who could only help the team to a sixth-place finish, five points behind the final playoff spot occupied by North East United, who are working on one of the smallest budgets in the division.

An early exit in the Super Cup to Real Kashmir FC could have been the final nail in the coffin for Coppell, but for now, he has managed to buy some time to try and convince ATK that he deserves another chance next season.

Whether he gets that or no, we are not entirely sure, but the fact that ATK have scored just 18 goals (second lowest in the ISL this term) under him is an alarming concern, especially considering the amount of individual quality they have in attack on their books.

Coppell might well be on borrowed time with ATK at this moment in time and it remains to be seen where the ISL journeyman's future lies in the upcoming season.