CHRIS COLEMAN has admitted his job as Fulham manager has
put a strain on his personal life. Coleman last night broke his
silence about the revelations wife Belinda bugged his car as she
suspected an affair. The Craven Cottage chief warned the couples
son and three daughters to expect ugly headlines about him when he
took his job four years ago. But he expected them to be
professional rather than personal.
Fans taunted him with chants of You dont know what youre doing
during last weekends 1-1 home draw with Ports-mouth. But Coleman,
36, insists he is strong enough to cope with the intense interest
sparked by the story about his marriage.
He said: My wife doesnt see a lot of me because of my job but
whatever is going on with my private life, no one wants to read
about themselves like that. Its not easy. Weve got four children
and Im away a lot. You wouldnt go into this job if you never
thought you were going to get some bad headlines. I had some bad
ones football-related ones last year but nothing on this
scale.
Luckily, I primed my children when I took the job four years ago
that This is daddys new job and sooner or later something will
happen and we wont like what we are reading. The kids will be
all right. My youngest daughter is seven, my other daughters are
nine and 12 and my boy is 14. "He is away skiing this week and the
girls are off school. But this is what I do for a living and you
always run the risk of your private life becoming public.
I was surprised when I heard the allegation of the intrusion. But
when you are in a high-profile job, there are lots of good things
that come with that and theres also going to be some interest into
your private life. But you have to take the rough with the smooth.
Its as simple as that. Sometimes, it doesnt make for good
reading. But I have to get on with it. Its my turn, Weve got to
get through it as a family and hope it goes away because it doesnt
last forever. It might last a few days or a week and there may be
uglier stories coming out. But weve just got to accept its the
nature of the game.
Im surprised people think my private life is more important to
the public than football games but I cant do a lot to stop that.
It surprises me people could be interested in my marriage. I never
thought Im invincible or untouchable, that nothing is ever going
to happen to me.
Coleman admits he was the subject of training-ground banter from
his players when the story emerged his wife had a listening device
and electronic tracker fitted to his car. He said: My staff are
absolutely magnificent but when I stepped on to the training
ground, some of the players ripped me to pieces. Its the worst
place to be, with professional footballers when theres a bit of
p***- taking to be done.
As for pressure from fans, Coleman admits he has a sick streak
which makes him thrive on proving others wrong. He added: I do
still enjoy it, sick isnt it? Last week, I took off Brian McBride
and the fans sang You dont know what youre doing. But theres
a streak in me that says I do know exactly what I am doing. You
have to be brave and a bit arrogant and make decisions that either
come off or dont. I love it.
"Last year there was a picture in one paper of me and my coaches
Steve Kean and Dave Beasant with big axes above our heads. We had
lost four in a row but then we beat Chelsea.
Ive maybe kicked myself in the b***s saying we are going to be in
the top 10 and built it up more than I should have. It would take
a lot of money to establish ourselves in the top 10, probably about
£20million. The chairman will chew my ears off or give me praise
but hes never told me Youve got to get a result or else. And
Ive never gone to him and said I want £15m or Im off, Ive never
spat my dummy out and I wouldnt.
