Steve Coppell says he has no intention of running Bristol City's players into the ground during pre-season. A thoroughly modern manager, the former Manchester United and England winger will instead adopt a more scientific approach in an attempt to bring players to peak fitness in time for the opening game of the npower Championship campaign at home to newly-promoted Millwall on Saturday, August 7. And the emphasis will be on careful conditioning and the avoidance of injuries rather than running and gym work. Coppell said: "The idea of just running players to fitness is old fashioned and not something to which I subscribe. Things are more scientific these days and we have to be aware of the science."
Bristol Evening Post
Ex-Reading boss Steve Coppell is poised to raid his old club and take one of his former players to Bristol City.
Reading Chronicle
Kalifa Cisse looks to be on the verge of being reunited with Steve Coppell at Bristol City in a £500,000 deal. The 26-year-old midfielder was in training with Reading at Hogwood Park this week, but now looks set to join Coppell at Ashton Gate pending a medical and agreeing personal terms. Coppell signed the Mali midfielder from Portuguese side Boavista for £1million in May 2007 and has failed to make much of an impact at Madejski Stadium.
Reading Evening Post
Bristol City midfielder Gavin Williams has calmed talk linking him with a return to Hereford. The 29-year-old fell out of favour at Ashton Gate last season and was sent out on loan to League One outfit Yeovil Town. Speculation has now mounted that he could make the switch to Edgar Street, where he played for the Bulls between 1996 and 2002. However, Williams has refuted such claims, and insists he wants to prove his worth at Bristol City. He said: "I am quite happy at Bristol City and, at the moment, I am concentrating on getting my place in the Bristol City side."
Sky Sports
QPR have been linked with a £500k move for Bristol City defender Bradley Orr.
Fulham Chronicle
Frankie Artus is determined to show Cheltenham Town fans his true colours after an injury marred his loan spell last season. The creative midfielder signed a one-year deal at Whaddon Road following his release from Bristol City, where he had been since the age of seven. Artus finished the 2008/09 season on loan with Cheltenham, making a big impact in his nine appearances. He scored on his debut in a 1-1 home draw with Oldham Athletic and followed that up with a stunning strike at Walsall four days later. Artus netted his third goal in five games to sink Yeovil Town 1-0, but his second temporary spell a year ago did not live up to expectations due to an ankle problem. "I couldn't have asked for a better start at Cheltenham, but when I came here last season I struggled and I was playing with an injury," Artus said.
Gloucestershire Echo
