COPPELL TO STICK WITH RESERVE POLICY

Steve Coppell, the Reading manager, insists that he is not showing the FA Cup disrespect by picking reserves for Saturday's televised fifth-round tie away to Manchester United tomorrow.

The former United winger has made it clear that he will make up to eight changes from the team who beat Aston Villa 2-0 in the Barclays Premiership last weekend.

Reading are safe from relegation, but Coppell insisted that he would stand by his policy, even if they went all the way to the final at Wembley.

"I will make seven or eight changes and I make no apologies for saying once again that we play a cup final every week in the Premiership.

"It doesn't matter to me who the opposition are — if anything, I will learn more against this sort of opposition. I want to know whether the [fringe] players can cope with the level and perform at the level.

"It is not any disrespect to the competition or the opposition. I am being selfish — I am just looking at it from my point of view. I care about the integrity of the competition very much, but from June I knew this was what I was going to do.

"I would do exactly the same before the semi-final and the final — although I think I would wake up [from the dream] some time before then.

"When you go to Old Trafford you have to perform; you have to be at the top end of your game, otherwise it could be embarrassing. The last game means nothing; it's a fresh game. I suppose in a perverse kind of way, it shows that it can be done. But we also conceded three and it could have been more. We'll just go there and give it a bash."

Tommy Docherty praises Coppell in the MEN:

"He is an absolutely superb professional. Nothing surprises me with what he does or could do. If he became the chairman of FIFA I would not be surprised in the least.

"When they were discussing contenders for the England job after Sven-Goran Eriksson left, there were two outstanding candidates as far as I was concerned - they were Martin O'Neill and Steve.

"I think that if Sir Alex was to leave Old Trafford then there are two perfect choices for that job - and it is Steve again and Mark Hughes.

"From Steve's point of view he has a fabulous track record and has got Reading playing in a style that United fans would love.

"In my opinion there are three teams this season who are really wonderful to watch and anybody would pay money to see - and they are United, Arsenal and Reading.

"In two years I had him at Old Trafford I never saw him train. With our permission he used to play for us on a Saturday then he'd go off to university and we wouldn't see him again until the following Friday when we met up for the next match!

"But you had no worries doing something like that with Steve because he was that perfect professional. You knew he'd look after himself and do his own training as well as studying.

"Steve was the best pro I ever had in my life. His attitude and dedication was the best bar none. He was too good to be true.

"It's clear that Steve has taken the same attitude into management. However, I am not sure he will get any joy at Old Trafford on Saturday in the Cup. My money would be on United."