Grounds for concern for Sky Blues in wake of Wasps turmoil
COVENTRY City WILL play tonight’s home Championship match against second place Blackburn Rovers at the Coventry Building Society Arena after the stadium’s leaseholder AC Ltd (one of the Wasps holding companies) had a stay of execution from 4pm deadline for administration yesterday afternoon.
This is because I can reveal a sudden bidder, believed to be American, came in on Saturday with an offer to buy the Arena therefore putting off the threat of administration or liquidation for at least another ten days which will enable the Sky Blues to play their remaining home matches before the break for the World Cup.
The Coventry City Council (the Arena’s freeholders) held talks with the Sky Blues on Sunday before holding their own internal meeting later in the afternoon. Now this development.
Sympathy should go to the Sky Blues manager Mark Robins, trying to prepare his team, and chief executive Dave Boddy, riding a tiger with all the continual problems.
I hope they are rewarded. Wasps have been a disaster this season. The rugby club have made 167 players and staff redundant, leaving millions in debts and if the reported consortium of old players do take over they know the team were relegated last Friday from the Premiership to next season’s Championship.
What a mess! With another rugby club in the city, Coventry, already in the Championship would not the ‘new’ Wasps not be better back in London?
Sky Blues’ owners SISU, meanwhile, would listen to offers but their chances of a decent sale would be enhanced if they owned the Arena which they have hankered over with several unsuccessful legal challenges.
I understand the NEC Group from Birmingham area are interested in buying the Arena.
The Sky Blues have had four postponements of home matches this
season (through an unfit pitch after the Commonwealth Games rugby sevens and the mourning of the late Queen) which has caused a big cashflow problem. Only one of those games has been replayed. Tonight’s game is part of the regular schedule.
They sold their fine central defender Dom Hyam to tonight’s opponents Blackburn for nearly £2m because they needed the fee. Coventry, with two games in hand, are only inside the relegation zone on goal difference. Their October form has been good apart from Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat to Blackpool hindered by virus in the squad and missing three strikers – Viktor Gyokeres to the subs’ bench through virus and both Matty Godden and Martyn Waghorn through injury. It reads: four wins, two draws and two defeats (including Saturday) and just five goals conceded. Their matches continue to come thick and fast with two Tuesdays and two Saturdays in a row before the break for the World Cup after the home game with QPR on Saturday week.
Robins, by the way, is the sixth longest serving manager in the Premier and EFL leagues. His second spell began in March 2017 and yet I believe he is in the bottom half of Championship managers’ salaries.
He and Boddy joined the club around the same time and they have been loyal to both the team, owners and fans. Not an easy job with all the problems during that time which has brought plenty of success and survival. They deserve more but never complain.
The arrival of two other managers in the West Midlands (both Spanish) sees them tasked with solving challenging problems in their remaining few matches before the World Cup break.
The toughest appears to face West
Bromwich Albion’s new boss 39-year-old Carlos Corberan – the Baggies’ FIFTH in two year.
He did good things at Huddersfield but must realise he has a big task and bigger expectations at The Hawthorns where the supporters do not seem to accept they are no longer a Premier League club.
His first match on Saturday was a 2-0 home defeat to high flying Sheffield United. The Baggies are at home again tonight to Blackpool followed by a tough visit to QPR on Saturday and then at home again on Saturday week to Stoke.
It’s not an impossible task for Corberan but just two wins from 17 league matches has been relegation form – hence the latest managerial change which, as chief executive Ron Gourlay says, has to stop.
Aston Villa surprised many of us with a top managerial appointment in Unai Emery who has enjoyed winning many trophies with European clubs including a record four Europa Leagues.
It did not work out at Arsenal but he took his last club Villarreal to a Europa League triumph over Manchester United in 2014 and the Champions League semi-final last season losing to Liverpool.
Hopes are high at Villa but it will not be easy. He watched Saturday’s 4-0 defeat at Newcastle before taking over this week. There will be more money for new players in January. Results will improve this season.
Meanwhile, Villa are at home to Manchester United on Sunday before a Carabao Cup tie there on Thursday week and then at Brighton on Sunday.
Birmingham City are at home to Millwall tomorrow night and away to Stoke on Saturday. Friday’s 2-0 home win to stop QPR going top saw spectacular goals from young loan players Auston Trusty and Manny Longelo.
There are several young loanees helping manager John Eustace improve the Blues.
I return in the Sunday Mercury with IMPACT.
Coventry’s matches continue to come thick and fast with two Tuesdays and two Saturdays in a row before the break for the World Cup.