Steve Coppell Jamshedpur FC ISL season 4 2017/2018

Steve Coppell: This has been one of the most open World Cups till date

Steve Coppell might be getting ready to take charge of his third Indian Super League (ISL) club in three years but that doesn’t mean the Englishman hasn’t kept an eye on his countrymen’s performance in the ongoing World Cup in Russia.

The Three Lions will take on Colombia in the Round of 16 clash after finishing second in their group behind Belgium.

Coppell, who himself has represented England at the 1982 World Cup, is refusing to read too much into the side’s performance against Belgium which Gareth Southgate’s men lost 1-0. 

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Interestingly, the former Middlesbrough manager made wholesale changes against Belgium in their final group game. 

“I think it is too early to say (if England can win the World Cup). England fielded reserve players against Belgium to test the bench strength. Things will depend on how they perform in the knock-out rounds,” the former Manchester United winger assessed England’s chances.

The ongoing World Cup has seen upsets aplenty with defending champions Germany crashing out in the group stages for the first time since 1938 after a 0-2 defeat to South Korea. The 62-year-old veteran coach admitted that the World Cup has been full of surprises while picking Spain and Brazil as two of the favourites for the title.

“I think Spain has a good chance of winning the cup. Brazil also has a good chance. But I must admit that it has been one of the most open World Cups till date,” Coppell opined.

The Round of 16 fixtures in the World Cup get underway on Saturday while England and Colombia will lock horns on Tuesday at the Spartak Stadium in Moscow.

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