Ex-Rovers boss is ‘improving’ after getting Covid-19
FORMER Sligo Rovers manager Steve Cotterill is currently receiving treatment in hospital after contracting Covid-19.
The English man, who was at The Showgrounds as first team boss in the mid-1990s, had recently been admitted to intensive care where he initially spent a number of days.
Cotterill, 56, is the current manager of Shrewsbury Town, an EFL League One club. Earlier this week. Shrewsbury assistant manager, Aaron Wilbraham, gave an update Cotterill’s condition.
“Steve has been in intensive care and it has been quite worrying,” he said. “It has been an emotional weekend, but I have spoken to him in the last couple of days, and he’s starting to get better.”
“He has been cracking a few jokes so I know he’s improving. It’s a relief.”
Cotterill took charge of Shrewsbury on November 12 and has steered them clear of the relegation zone thus far and is currently enjoying an unbeaten run of eight games. However, they have not been in action since December 29 due to a coronavirus outbreak at the club and recently returned to training ahead of Tuesday’s FA Cup third round tie away to Premier League side Southampton – a game that Shrewsbury lost 2-0.
Cotterill, who watched this FA Cup game from his hospital bed, began his management career at The Showgrounds in 1995 – as Lawrie Sanchez’s replacement – when he was just 31.
He guided Rovers to a third place finish in the 1995-96 League of Ireland Premier Division (behind champions St Patrick’s Athletic and runners-up Bohemians) and a League Cup final – Rovers lost the decider on penalties to Shelbourne. It was 2-2 after two legs. The Cotterill-guided Rovers also earned two notable home draws in their UEFA Intertoto Cup group – sharing the spoils with Dutch outfit Heerenveen (0-0) and French club Nantes (3-3).
Cotterill has also managed his home club Cheltenham Town, Stoke City, Burnley, Notts County, Portsmouth, Nottingham Forest, Bristol City and Birmingham City. When he left Rovers he was replaced by Jimmy Mullen.