Steve Coppell insists his players are not feeling the heat, despite an after-match bust-up over cold showers.

Reading’s stars were left fuming after battling out a goalless draw at Wigan Athletic on Saturday, only to find there was no hot water in their changing-room.

Dressed only in a towel, an irate Marcus Hahnemann made his feelings known by storming outside the dressing-room and demanding to know where the hot water was.

A stunned Emile Heskey, who was being interviewed in the tunnel area by the media, and his boss Steve Bruce then appealed for calm before calling for the stadium manager to rectify the situation.

It is understood the Wigan team were also without hot water after the match.

But Royals manager Coppell said: “How would you feel if you had just played and had a five-hour coach journey to come, only to find you couldn’t have a shower or had to have a freezing cold one?

“It’s the kind of thing that just doesn’t happen any more in the Premiership. The players responded to it, but anybody would be within their right to do so.”