Doug King outlines essential Head Coach credentials as Sporting Director sought by Coventry City
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.
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“We work with the players quite a bit to increase longevity of their careers through choices now, as they handle their bodies. Some players can play to 34/35 if they handle their bodies well now, so we are trying to look after our players in every way.
“And what we want from out head coach is for them to focus on the football, on the tactics and developing our players to become the best that they can be. And I don’t need them to be in any other aspect (of the club). Yes, I need them in recruitment, of course I do. Of course a head coach has to sign off new players because he won’t pick them otherwise, so it’s ridiculous to think that they wouldn’t be involved in that.
“Dean Austin (head of recruitment) and myself will work closely with the head coach to try and fill the gaps that come up in the next window to ensure that we get what’s required to either provide cover or sparkle, whatever he thinks is the right thing to do.”
Asked about the prospect of a sporting director being appointed, he said: “When I came in here two years ago it was very different to where it is today. The interest at Coventry City is huge, the fanbase has moved hugely as well and we’re now getting 22,000 season ticket holders and we have been in an FA Cup semi-final so yes, the structure of the football club has to change now. And it’s obviously a logical appointment to put in a sporting director to the football club.”
He added: “Now all these things cost money, high quality people cost money and we are still running a major loss making business so it’s a difficult conundrum. But it’s the right thing to do. We have to find a way of making it meet without getting ourselves out of control."