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Doug King delivers Robins verdict and explains radio silence on transfers as next manager odds tighten
It has been a big week for Coventry City as the dust settles on the Mark Robins era, with stances made clear and perceived truths revealed as the final spin is put on the manager’s sacking.
“Spin” does not allude to untruths, just that everyone has their own perspective on how and why Robins was shown the door after seven largely successful years - and have been putting it out there.
Meanwhile, nature still abhors a vacuum, so speculation has been rife about who will replace Robins as boss, ranging from established names like Frank Lampard, City old boys like Lee Carsley and club heroes like Robbie Keane.
The one thing we can say with absolute clarity, however, is that no-one outside the confines of Doug King’s office truly has an inkling just who is in the frame to get one of the choice managerial jobs - or head coach as it's going to be - in the Championship.
We have taken a look back at the week that was at Ryton and the CBS Arena. So, take a deep breath and read on…
READ MORE: Stamenic, Sheaf & Coventry City’s midfield numbers – Doug King opens up on ‘private business’
Latest manager betting
Lee Carsley’s odds of becoming the next Coventry City manager have been cut. The former Sky Blues player was in interim charge of England for the penultimate time on Thursday night as they beat Greece 3-0 in a Nations League clash in Athens. He is set to return to his role as head coach of England under-21s ahead of Thomas Tuchel taking charge of the Three Lions.
But the bookies have cut his odds on replacing Mark Robins at the CBS Arena. He is now priced at 7/4 behind only Frank Lampard, who is the slim favourite for the top job at 6/4. Club owner Doug King has confirmed Lampard has applied for the Sky Blues job, but said on Monday that no talks had taken place with the former Chelsea boss.
Why Robins had to go
Doug King has explained why he sacked Mark Robins as Coventry City boss, revealing it was a fall out between the manager and his assistant Adi Viveash that led to the “dismantling” of the successful coaching set-up at the Championship club.
The Sky Blues owner dropped the bombshell news during Monday’s fans’ forum at the CBS Arena media suite, where he insisted the decision wasn’t necessarily based on results and recent form, but rather the fact that there had been a “divorce” between the two protagonists that had led the club to two promotions and four Wembley appearances over the last seven years.
He also cited a CoventryLive article by Sky Blues writer Andy Turner for being a contributing factor in Viveash leaving the club, and therefore the subsequent struggles and Robins' exit.
For the record
Sky Blues reporter Andy Turner has been talking about his interview with former number two Adi Viveash that was mentioned by club owner Doug King as a contributing factor in the eventual sacking of Mark Robins last week.
He said: "Everybody recognised that Adi was as important to Mark Robins as Mark Robins was to the football club. They both had different qualities, different skills. Was it a marriage made in heaven? No, I don’t think it was. They didn’t always see eye to eye and the interview with Adi sort of came off the back of some comments that Mark had made about him.
"I was in a weekly press conference one time and asked Mark about Adi’s role and his qualities and all that sort of stuff. And Mark was always up front and happy to credit him, and previously said that he was the one that 'paints the pictures'. But then he came out with this line, which was that Adi could be difficult at times. And what he meant by that, and he did qualify it, was that Adi wasn’t a ‘yes’ man. And he said he didn’t want a ‘yes’ man. He said he wanted somebody who challenged him and had their own opinions.
"I took that as quite a positive thing. But now I think Adi secretly was a bit put out about that comment and took it more literally."
Transfers blackout
Doug King has opened up on Coventry City’s “private” transfer business and addressed what he says has become an “obsession” with the team’s midfield.
The club owner instructed sacked manager Mark Robins not to discuss transfers with the media last summer when the Sky Blues were reported by a number of overseas outlets to be chasing Red Star midfielder Marko Stamenic, with City understood to have agreed a fee with his club for around £4.6m for the 22-year-old.
Speaking to King after Monday night’s fans’ forum , CoventryLive asked him how close the club were to getting a key central midfield player in the summer - a key position that many feel hasn't been filled since Gus Hamer left 18 months ago.
“We looked at a lot of players and went after a couple, of which Marko Stamenic was one,” he said. “Everyone is obsessed with the midfield and obviously there has been a few injuries but we have high quality in there. I mean, how many midfielders do we want?"
Opening up on new role
Doug King has spelled out what he wants from a new head coach and revealed that Coventry City are also searching for a sporting director to oversee the football operation at Ryton.
The Sky Blues owner, who has explained he sacked Mark Robins following a fall out between the manager and his assistant/first team coach Adi Viveash, resulting in the “dismantling” of the club’s previously successful coaching structure, is now looking to take a more modern approach to running the football side of the club rather than a traditional manager and number two set-up.
Asked what he sees as the difference between a manager and a head coach, King told CoventryLive: “We want someone who is an elite head coach on the grass with tactics, with the ability to motivate and focus on the players and getting the maximum out of the players. What we put around the club is a great support network to put the players in the best condition and get them available as much as possible."
