Five new signings planned if Storey takes over
WILLIAM Storey claims that he has five new signings already lined up for January to give Coventry City a “wonderful chance” to get promoted this season, should he be successful in buying the football club.
The Rich Energy drinks owner says Mark Robins has done a “remarkable” job and that he’d leave him to run the club. He also believes the Sky Blues should build their team around star striker Viktor Gyokeres and not sell their best players.
The 44-year-old businessman has revealed that he would be chairman of the club and that former City and England target man Mark Hateley would come in as director of football.
Storey, whose backers are understood to include Origin Sports Group, with BTC Racing owner Steve Dudman, says he still wants to buy the club despite Sisu’s proposed takeover by Doug King, which is currently awaiting approval from the EFL. He says he was in talks with the Sky Blues’ owners prior to King’s deal being agreed to take an 85 percent stake in the club.
Storey claims he had an exclusivity agreement with Sisu, which, he says, was breached when King started talking to the club and agreed his deal, and is now challenging the takeover.
Sisu deny any wrong doing and issued a statement saying: “The allegation of a breach of exclusivity is untrue and an unwelcome distraction.”
Outlining his plans for the club, Storey told BBC CWR’S Simon Gilbert: “I’m aware of Mark Robins. He has done a great job. He’s a manager who, on very scarce resources, has really allowed Coventry to punch above their weight. I felt that with the right backing, significant investment and a supportive, ambitious and expansionist board, that Mark Robins could bring Coventry into the Premier League.”
He added: “It is remarkable, and in my opinion, that due to Mark Robins’ wonderful work that they are punching above their weight. He has been forced to sell a central defender (Dom Hyam) at the beginning of the season. He’s managed to collate a load of loan players. I think the striker, Viktor (Gyokeres), is obviously fantastic and you need to build a team around him.
“I have got five players lined up for January that will actually give Coventry a wonderful chance to get into the
Premier League. But this is a long term plan.” He continued: “I’m a football fan and I am not interested in making money out of Coventry City. I am not a speculator, I’m not a hedge fund, I’m someone who wants to plough money into the club and make it a huge success story. So I am ready, as of today, to complete, immediately, on Coventry City when they furnish me with the information they contracted and promised to do.
Details emerge about William Storey’s “£30m” bid to buy Coventry City, his backers and legal challengecoventrytelegraph
“It is a position which I could get set aside. I have communicated with the EFL and reached out in a very friendly manner to Sisu to say, ‘look, I’m prepared to take this on the chin. I will overlook it and am ready to complete. Please just honour the agreement we signed and sell me the club.’
“And I will then put significant resources to an unbelievably ambitious plan for Coventry City. I am very happy to talk to the fans. I am just coming from a position of loving football and believing that Coventry City and its manager, backed by the right people, have a wonderful opportunity
I am not a speculator, I’m not a hedge fund, I’m someone who wants to plough money into the club and make it a huge success story. William Storey