Big stadiums suit us, warns Stanley boss
ACCRInGTon Stanley’s long-serving chief John Coleman has warned Mark Robins that his players have a habit of stepping it up in big arenas ahead of their trip to the West Midlands.
Robins’ Coventry City play host to Stanley at their temporary St. Andrew’s home on Saturday.
The Sky Blues can make it four games unbeaten and climb to within two points of the automatic promotion places should results go their way, while their opponents will be looking to build on their 5-2 win over Liverpool in the Checkatrade Trophy.
Coleman’s side are sat 18th in League one, just two points clear of the drop, but the 57-year-old was quick to remind Robins that his side have already picked up big results against Ipswich Town and Wycombe Wanderers this season.
“They are playing well, Mark Robins has always got good players and got them well organised,” said Coleman.
“We generally operate well in big stadiums, I’m looking forward to the game and it’s another ground chalked off for me.”
Both Robins and Coleman found themselves back amongst England’s longest-serving managers this week when Morecambe’s Jim Bentley stepped aside at the Globe Arena.
And Coleman is right at the sharp end of that list having spent over five years at the Crown Ground.
“There won’t be any managers in 10 years time, it will all be done at boardroom level,” he joked after hearing that a five-year spell at a club was enough to make him England’s fifth longest-serving boss.
“People who are managers now will have to get their hands dirty on the pitch.
“I’ve never considered myself as an employee of Accrington, it’s more of a vocation.
“You’re trying to run a family, and there’s an element of love and care about it.
“If you treat football as a job then you shouldn’t be in it.
“Too many treat it like a job, and if you treat it like a job then you don’t care enough.”