Coventry City boss makes transfer window admission and orders players to leave their ‘egos at the door’
Coventry City transfer news from CoventryLive as Mark Robins gives his verdict on the club’s summer business
Mark Robins insists he’s “pleased” with Coventry City’s summer transfer business but admits the loss of so many senior players is a concern.
The Sky Blues saw veteran skipper Liam Kelly and fellow 30-somethings Simon Moore and Matty Godden depart in the closed season, coming on top of Kyle McFadzean’s exit in January. That has seen a large chunk of the squad’s elder statesmen leave with seven new signings coming the other way, the majority of whom are in their early to mid-20s.
The City boss has previously admitted his desire to replace McFadzean’s character and experience but the club have continued to focus on bringing in younger players with potential to develop and grow a re-sale value. The club have, however, this week been linked with interest in former loan midfielder Matty James who, at 33, would tick that particular box. The player is available to sign as a free agent following his release from Bristol City, albeit there has been no confirmation of the speculation.
Asked how he assesses the transfer window from a personal point of view, the manager said: “We got seven in and so I’m pleased. I’m pleased every time we get somebody in that’s going to make us better. There have been significant changes because we have lost the senior players, which was always a concern, and then your senior players have to be the characters who step up and organise it, and I have just seen one or two characters emerging from that dressing room, so that was interesting.”
Meanwhile, Robins clearly wants to get to the point where his squad is strong enough to be able to rotate without weakening it, particularly at the front end of the pitch where he has an abundance of exciting attacking options competing for places.
“Whoever you have got you want to be looking and saying, ‘right ok, we can rotate these now,” he said. “But they have to earn a place. And while it’s great that we have that number there now, they have to earn that right to play, to say, ‘I’m the number one, you have to pick me.”
Due to the club’s takeover situation, which is still yet to be resolved, the Berkshire side were only able to add one fresh face to their squad during the previous window.
Chem Campbell arrived on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers until January during the final hours of deadline day, which is a positive following Femi Azeez’s departure.
