Coventry reject Cats move for Robins

Mark Robins admits an approach from Sunderland ‘was not to be sniffed at’, but says he had no doubts in agreeing to extend his stay at Coventry City.

The Black Cats approached the Sky Blues on Wednesday for permission to speak to a manager who has won praise for leading the side from League Two to the upper reaches of the third tier, maintaining an attractive style of play.

Coventry, currently playing their home games at Birmingham’s St Andrews due to a dispute over the Ricoh Arena, subsequently offered him fresh terms which he has agreed.

“The size of the club, and Sunderland’s stature and history, is nothing to be sniffed at, but I have to focus on the job I’ ve done here and the job I’ m doing here,” Robins told talkSPORT.

“I’m totally invested in the job I’m doing, and thesupporters are invested in me as much. That is a significant reason I continue to do what I do.

“There are significantchallenges that still need to be overcome here, but I want to do that with them.

“As a team of people we have faced challenges head on and are starting to build a really good football club and one that can be successful moving forward.

“I’m absolutely delighted the owner acted really quickly to nip it in the bud. That is significant and really important to me so we can focus on the real important issue, which is the game on Sunday.

“The other thing is that we have a really good football club here that can know no limits and know no bounds because we’ve got so much potential, and I want to make sure we fulfil this potential.”

Meanwhile, Sunderland have earmarked Gareth Ainsworth as a potential new manager. And Ainsworth, who has led Wycombe from the brink of relegation to the National League to the top of League One, is the current favourite with the bookmakers to succeed Ross.

But should the Wycombe boss be the man chosen by Stewart Donald, Sunderland will have to part with some compensation – as Ainsworth remains under contract at Adams Park until 2023.

However, despite that long contract length, the Telegraph claim that only a ‘nominal’ fee would be required to prise the manager away from the Chairboys.