Wednesday 4 January 2017 18:58, UK
Jaap Stam will get a fantastic reception from Manchester United fans when he returns to Old Trafford this weekend as Reading manager, according to Steve Coppell.
Sky Bet Championship high-flyers Reading travel to Manchester to take on Jose Mourinho's side on Saturday lunchtime in one of this year's most eye-catching FA Cup third-round ties.
Club legend Stam won six major trophies - including the treble in 1999 - during three seasons at United before being sold to Lazio in 2001 after reportedly falling out with Sir Alex Ferguson over allegations made in his autobiography released earlier that year.
But ex-United winger Coppell is convinced the Old Trafford faithful will show their appreciation for the former Dutch international when he returns to his old club as a visiting manager for the very first time.
"It will be brilliant for Jaap to go back there and he'll get a great reception," Coppell told Sky Sports.
"The United crowd never forget former players. They are always remembered and appreciated and I'm sure they regard Jaap as part of the Manchester United family.
"It is obviously a significant game for me in many, many ways," added Coppell, who had a six-year spell as Reading manager, ending in 2009.
"It will be a fabulous day out for the Royals. Reading are now playing a brand of football that is becoming more and more successful and they're right up there in the Championship.
"United also look like they are beginning to get their teeth into the season and I never doubted Jose would get a hold of it.
"It's a competition that looks viable for Manchester United, and for Reading it's a great opportunity to really upset people and make a name for themselves.
"It's a real FA Cup banana skin I suppose in many ways for United and it promises to be fascinating."
Coppell has just returned to England after making a name for himself in India as manager of the Sachin Tendulkar co-owned Kerala Blasters.
The 61-year-old guided the Blasters, who finished at the bottom of the Indian Super League table in 2015, to this season's final where they pushed red-hot favourites Atletico Kolkata all the way, losing 4-3 in a penalty shootout.
"If someone had said to me after our first three games [where Kerala picked up just a single point] we would get into the play-offs I would have said they were crackers," Coppell said.
"Logistically and on the pitch it was a huge challenge. We had to make a lot of adjustments and just had to somehow make it work, which by and large we managed to do.
"But every game for us at home in Kochi just seemed to be the biggest thing ever with gates of 70 odd-thousand.
"It was nothing like anything you ever see in England where you have two sets of supporters, two sets of colours, some people cheering for you and some against you.
"In Kerala from the second you leave the team hotel to the moment you walk onto the pitch and look up at the stands it's a yellow tide. I can't compare it to anything I've ever experienced before in football - not a cup final, nothing, it's all one colour.
"Sachin [Tendulkar] is right at the fore of everything and was a massive help on occasions in terms of his interaction with the team and the squad," Coppell added.
"He was terrific. He is such a unique person to have involved as the figure head of the organisation and it was really enjoyable for me."
