A MATTER OF FAITH...
THE SECRET OF MARK ROBINS’ SKY BLUES SUCCESS REVEALED
COVENTRY City’s assistant manager Adi Viveash believes that Mark Robins’ bravery in showing complete faith in his backroom staff has been key to his success in charge of the Sky Blues.
Robins has the second highest winning percentage, 47.4%, of any manager in the club’s rich history, only behind George Curtis who alongside John Sillett helped City lift the FA Cup in 1987.
His second stint at the club has seen him deliver two Wembley victories as the club won the Checkatrade Trophy and promotion from SkyBet League Two – and the secret to that success, Viveash believes, is his complete faith in his staff.
Speaking to the club in a detailed interview on his role with the Sky Blues, Viveash spoke fondly of Robins and his backroom team made up of first-team coach Jason Farndon, goalkeeping coach Aled Wiliams and analyst Paul Travis along with the club’s fitness and medical staff.
And he heaped praise on the team for their hard work in ensuring the club continue to move forward on the pitch.
“He has been really brave this season. To let people do their jobs as coaches and implement what he wants to see,” said Viveash.
“The manager has a wealth of experience managing football clubs.
“He knew the dynamic that he wanted. I think the brand of football that we implemented last year was a big change from the League Two year.
“When you are bringing in the likes of Dujon Sterling and Luke Thomas, you change the dynamic.
“We had a very fast team. Conor Chaplin came in. We had a different characteristic of players and we wanted to play out from the back.
“But this year there has been an even bigger dynamic change. The brand of football we are playing now is exactly the type of football that I like to watch.
“We have certainly got a very dynamic group now who want to learn.”
Viveash’s past role developing the stars of tomorrow at Chelsea is a big change from the reality of League Two.
But while he may well be the perfect man for youngsters like Jodi Jones and Sam McCallum to get close to, his appointment has also proved a big draw for already experienced players who are looking to come to Coventry to up their game, no matter their age.
“My job is to improve players, to improve Kyle McFadzean at 32. That’s why he came here. He wanted to improve,” he continued.
“Liam Kelly at 28, Matty Godden at 28. It is not just about improving Sam McCallum at 18.”
He added: “It is about that work ethic. Coming in and being the best you can be every day is something that the gaffer and myself are very keen on.
“I have tried to help him push that as much as I can because I believe it is right.”