"Whatever we do we are making history for this club - and I am sure this group of players want to set a benchmark," said Coppell.
"Sometimes after games I have just been so delighted with what the lads have done.
"Everyone questioned whether they had the ability to meet the tests which are put in front of them.
"Half-way through the season I made the point that what we had achieved last year was magnificent, but maintaining our status in this division is a bigger achievement. Yet, I would think there would be less of a hoo-hah about it."
Coppell though is not desperately chasing a European place,
"With the way the UEFA Cup is now, maybe you will get a couple of games in Eastern Europe and you do not get the TV income so you end up losing money.
"Yet because you are in Europe you have to take on more players.
"It has been a burden, and we cannot afford to have a burden, so it is a real conundrum as regards our future. We want to finish as high as we can - it is not to go and make a very brief foray into a European scene which is not going to be of help to this club.
"It is only when you have a seriously deep squad that you can really challenge in Europe."