Doug King explains role of Coventry City performance director amid 'disgraceful' abuse

Doug King has fiercely defended Coventry City’s performance director who, he insists, has helped the players become a “ Premier League fit” team since she joined the club.

Dr Claire-Marie Roberts was appointed by the club owner in December 2023 with the remit of overseeing the Sky Blues fitness, medical and sports science departments, while having a major say in the revamping of the Ryton training ground to bring it up to elite club level standards.

However, due to the poor start to the season, Dr Roberts has come in for criticism from some fans who appear to have misinterpreted her title, resulting in what King says has been “disgraceful” online abuse.

Asked at Monday night’s fans forum, broadcast live on BBC CWR, what the performance director actually does, King, clearly exasperated by the criticism aimed at Dr Roberts, said: “Right, the performance director. Can I just say this lady is a hugely well qualified person. She has huge experience in football, she worked for the Premier League for six or seven years and she’s been fantastic for this football club.

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“What she does is she runs the whole performance metrics of the players that is not directly down to tactics or picking the team, whatever. She provides the strength and conditioning, she provides the nutrition, provides any psychological support, she does the medical work... She’s doing everything, she has all the data on all the players.

“And I’ll tell you something, the players are the fittest they have ever been on the metrics that we run. They are a Premier League fit team and they have changed hugely their behaviour and their work in respect to taking care of themselves for a long career and to be perfect for Coventry City Football Club.”

He added: “Before she came in and modernised it and got it all working – and you all saw the new gym that went in in the summer, which is a huge space where we can do a huge amount of work to make the boys strong to take the rigours of the long season – it was just not there. It was disappointing.

“And she has taken that and been a very pivotal and high quality appointment by this football club. And one thing I will say, some of the online stuff that has been flying around, particularly addressing her – disgraceful!

“If any of those want to come in, they have a free invitation to pop in. Get in touch with me and we’ll take them down to Ryton and have a look at what we’re doing there and what she does in that team. No problem with me.”

Just this summer Dr Roberts sat down with Sky Blues reporter Andy Turner for an in-depth look at her role and background. You can read this feature here.