Doncaster Rovers: What the future holds for James Coppinger following Grant McCann’s appointment as manager

McCann's appointment as manager, rather than head coach – as was the case with his two predecessors Danny Schofield and Gary McSheffrey – cast doubt over the future of Coppinger's head of football operations role.

Since his appointment in April 2022 Coppinger has overseen all football matters at Doncaster and was heavily influential in key areas such as managerial recommendations and player recruitment.

But his job could change amid a review of the club’s staffing structure, which currently pits him above his former boss McCann in the pecking order.

"Copps initially will be focusing a little bit more on the recruitment side,” said McCann, who managed Coppinger as a player during his first spell in charge of Rovers during the 2018/19 season.

"My remit is to make sure we get players in here that can hopefully push us on to promotion.

"Initially Copps will be working on that side of it with myself, Cliff (Byrne, assistant manager) and Ian Bennett (goalkeeper coach) and Gavin (Baldwin, Chief executive) and David (Blunt, chairman) to make sure we get the right profile of player into this football club.”

McCann insisted he would have the final say on transfers.

When pressed on the plan for Coppinger’s role beyond the short term, he said: "I need to sit down and speak about the structuring of the staff.

"I’m looking forward to working with him, there is no getting away from that.

"He’s a club legend and I’d like him to be part of what we are doing, I’ve spoken to Copps about that as well and we’ll see where we go.”

McCann initially stripped Coppinger of the Doncaster captaincy following his first appointment as boss with the then 37-year-old told he wouldn't feature as much as he had done previously.

But he went on to play 51 games in a successful year for the club as they finished sixth in League One and was rewarded with a contract extension at the end of the season.

McCann wants to sign up to eight new players this summer, with the majority of Rovers’ 10 out-of-contract squad members also expected to leave.