Mcfadzean going grey in the battle against boredom during lockdown..
COVENTRY City star Kyle Mcfadzean admits to going a bit stir crazy during the lockdown.
His situation has not been helped by being cooped up in a rented flat with his wife and toddler daughter, Eden, with no garden escape.
Breaking off from a bike ride to relieve the boredom, the experienced centre-half reflected on his first season with the Sky Blues, been surprised by City’s supporters and, more latterly, taken fashion tips from Sergio Aguero!
It’s been three long months since Mark Robins’ men last kicked a ball in anger, their season reaching a climax, unbeknown to us all at the time, at Portman Road and a 1-0 victory over Ipswich Town.
Sine then the players have been confined to living quarters, furloughed and won the League One title, and with it promotion to the Championship. So how’s the elder statesman of the squad coped?
“It’s been good being at home but it’s also been difficult because I was in the middle of moving house and it all got delayed so we had to move into a flat and it hasn’t been very nice,” said the defender, who is sporting a new look, “especially with a three-year-old because there’s not much for her to do while we wait for the new house to be built. We’d sold our house so we decided to rent for a while because the buyers wanted to move in.”
On first glance you could be forgiven for thinking the 33-year-old has aged over the last few months of footballing inactivity.
Asked about is lockdown locks, he said: “It’s not looking too bad, I dyed it grey, although it’s gone a bit blond now as it grows out a bit.”
It clearly begged the question, why?
“I saw Aguero and others do it and I’d always wanted to do it, so I thought why not during lockdown.
“It looks all right, to be fair, but I want my hair back now.”
Asked about his relationship with the fans – the jury having been out for some earlier in the season – he said: “It’s been good. Don’t get me wrong, I had that sticky patch and stuff but that happens. One minute fans can be nice and the next they can turn on you, but the Coventry fans are probably the best fans I’ve played for to be honest.
“The fanbase and stuff is unbelievable. The away games are like home games.” It would be nice to go back to the Ricoh and see how many fans we would get eventually when everyone is allowed back.
“But they have been unbelievable at Birmingham to be honest, considering there was only 6,000 there they made a lot of noise.
“When I spoke to Carl Baker, who I played with at MK Dons, and the gaffer before I joined they were telling me how big Coventry is as a club and until you actually play for them I don’t think you get it. I certainly had a surprise with the fans when I came here.”
The glue in an outstanding back three, Mcfadzean helped City become the meanest defence in the division, conceding just 30 goals.
“I said in pre-season that with how strong the three centre-halves were and the fact that the full-backs were more like wing-backs, I just had a feeling that eventually we’d go that way,” he said. “And when we did we never looked back did we?”
Put on the spot and asked to pick his player of the season, he said without hesitation: “Liam Walsh, because of some of the stuff he does and he’s created so many chances. It’s hard because you’ve got Fanky, Rosey, Dom Hyam, Sam Mccallum, but he just sticks out for me because at crucial times he’s come up with crucial goals.”
The fans can can turn on you, but the Coventry fans are probably the best fans I’ve played for to be honest.
Kyle Mcfadzean