Dominic’s delighted at making the most of chance
COVENTRY City defender Dominic Hyam – one of the club’s big success stories of a memorable season – has spoken about his breakthrough into the first team.
Joining the Sky Blues from Reading last summer, the 22-year-old was put very much in the ‘development’ bracket.
Manager Mark Robins said at the time: “Dominic is another player with potential who we’ve brought in to develop and strengthen the club as a whole, not just the first team.
“He will be expected to push for a place in the first-team, and adds depth and further quality to an important position.”
Although he started the campaign, Jordan Willis and Rod McDonald soon made the central defensive berths their own in a solid first half of the season, with Tom Davies providing back-up cover as third choice.
Few saw the Scotland Under-21 international ending the season as first choice, let alone in such huge games as the play-off semi-finals and climatic trip to Wembley that secured City’s promotion.
Asked how he sums up his first season at the Ricoh Arena, the calm and composed defender said: “Erm, personally it’s been a bit up and down.
“I have had to bide my time what with the lads doing so well early in the season.
“It’s good to have competition for places so I was keeping them on their toes while I was still waiting, but thankfully I’ve had my opportunity and taken it.
“I like to think I have grabbed my chance. The manager has been very complimentary about my performances when I have played, so long may that continue, and hopefully I can play more games next year.”
Asked if he envisaged when he first signed that could be playing in a playoff final at Wembley, Hyam said confidently: “Yes, definitely.
“If I don’t believe in myself then noone else will.
“I want to play in the biggest and best games at the biggest and best venues, and hopefully Wembley was the first of many for me.
“It was the biggest game I’ve ever played in by a mile. It was unbelievable.”
Hyam feels he and his fellow defenders have been the unsung heroes of the side over the course of the ultimately successful campaign.
“I feel I have played well but a lot of the time, as with most defences, it doesn’t always get noticed the amount of work we put in,” he said.
“Sparky and the other lads often take the headlines, and rightly so, but a lot of work goes unnoticed from the likes of me, Jordan Willis, Rod and Tom and that’s partly why we got to where we did with solid foundations and the work we put in.”