FINAL TIME FOR FUN!
BOSS BELIEVES IF CITY PLAYERS ENJOY PLAY-OFF SHOWDOWN THEY CAN GRASP THE OPPORTUNITY FOR WEMBLEY GLORY
MARK Robins has told his Coventry City players to grasp the opportunity in front of them when they walk out at Wembley Stadium, just one game away from promotion back to League One.
The Sky Blues boss knows from his own personal experience that occasions like Monday’s League Two playoff final against Exeter City don’t come around very often, and the importance of being at their absolute maximum on the day.
It’s been a long season but it all boils down to just 90 minutes of football, or 120 if it goes to extra-time.
“It does, it’s as simple as that but it’s exciting,” agreed the 48-year-old manager.
“The supporters have come out in their droves again to back us and we want to respond.
“Opportunities to play at Wembley are few and far between in your career.
“I felt the same way because in my first season as a player I got to an FA Cup final and played at Wembley and you think, ‘this is great, this is the norm,’ but it doesn’t happen all the time. For some of the lads who have come through it’s their first taste of first-team football and they have ended up in a final at Wembley. While we know it’s a huge game, the expectation levels of playing for Coventry are there, as they have been all season.
“The big thing for me is they have managed to get to a final and given themselves a really good chance of getting promoted at the first attempt.
“We’re playing against good opponents, with an experienced manager who looks like he will be playing his last game as Exeter manager before he moves on. But he’s got a lot of experience and is a good guy.”
Consistency has been an issue all season but City saved arguably their best performance until last with the 4-1 win at Notts County last Friday night. “I think in spells it was, yes,” said Robins, who is looking for a repeat of that level of quality, effort and endeavour from the players. “There have been spells in games where we have done pretty well but that game was special because there was a lot riding
The worse thing that could happen is people freeze. They need to embrace the game and go and have fun. Mark Robins
on that.
“We go to Wembley now, take a deep breath and go again and make sure that you give your best. And if we
can get close to 100 per cent from each individual then we won’t be far away.”
He added: “I have said it all season that they are a really good bunch of lads and a talented group.
“At the start of the season people were saying we want promotion, got to get promotion but it’s one thing saying and completely another doing it, especially when you are at a club like Coventry City that’s been on the slide as it has been.
“To turn that round and drive it in a forward direction is the proverbial juggernaut putting the brakes on after it has been going at 65 mile an hour and turning it around quickly. It’s very difficult to happen. And we have had to do that despite losing two of our most creative players and replacing them with kids. And they have been nothing short of magnificent for a first season in this division. People say that it’s League Two, it’s easy to give kids an opportunity. Absolute rubbish!
“It’s a physical challenge week in and week out. It’s been tough, so when you get a chance to get out of it you have to take it and I think we’re equipped to go and do it.
“The worse thing that could happen is people freeze. They need to embrace the game and go and have fun. Because when you’re sat at home in 15 years time and looking back on your career, if you don’t have fun you’ll have regrets.
“Go and have fun but make sure you are clear in thought and go and reproduce that performance against Notts County and enjoy it.”