DURABLE DOYLE EAGER TO KEEP COVENTRY RUN GOING STRONG
IT’s been a difficult week for Michael Doyle, the most durable of Irish footballers. Doyle has had to cope with a knee injury, which forced him to miss two games for Coventry City, and the loss of Liam Miller with whom he soldiered at Celtic and at Aarhus in Denmark. Doyle, 36, is the only player from those early Celtic days, all of 20 years ago, still going strong, a testimony to his resilience and zest for battle. He has crossed the white line in combat more often than any active Irish player and his total career appearances, including 22 games in Denmark in 2002, has passed 730. And he’s not finished yet as next season ‘is more or less sorted.’ What’s been his motivation? ‘I love it, the mental side as well as the fitness side. I still feel fit and young, even though I’m 36,’ said the former Cherry Orchard schoolboy. ‘It’s a short career and still feels like yesterday that I got the flight from Dublin to Glasgow. Robbie Keane was going strong then and he still is now. I’m sure he has the same outlook I have, to keep playing for as long as you can.’ Doyle hopes to add to his tally of games today when Coventry play Brighton away in the fifth round of the FA Cup, if his knee permits. ‘I’m feeling better. I’ve rested it and hopefully I’ll get the allclear,’ he said. Coventry last won the FA Cup in 1987 when they beat a Spurs side which included Chris Hughton, whom Doyle, hails as ‘a brilliant fellah’ from his time in the Irish senior squad when Brian Kerr was manager. Doyle played once at senior level for Ireland, in 2004, but if there were caps for staying power, he’d have had bags more by now. Despite never playing in the Premier League, he has built up a remarkable body of work, winning promotion with Leeds (to the Championship) in 2010 and with Portsmouth (to League One) in 2017. His English League career kicked off 15 years ago with a tough apprenticeship in his first spell at Coventry alongside serious players such as Lee Carsley — ‘he was a manager on the field’ — Dennis Wise, Gary McAllister and Steve Staunton. Through the pale ale graft of the lower leagues, there has been champagne sparkle too as Doyle enjoyed the high of giantkilling Cup runs. Four years ago, he helped Sheffield United reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup, where they lost 5-3 to Hull City in a cracker at Wembley, while a year later, the Blades went toe to toe with Spurs in the League Cup last four before losing 3-2 on aggregate. ‘They were special memories, as was beating Manchester United with Leeds. This year, we beat Stoke in the third round and brought 8,000 fans to MK Dons in the fourth round, where we won.’ Around Coventry, there is desperation to leave the lowlands of League Two, which Doyle is convinced will happen under Mark Robins, whom Doyle regards highly, akin to Paul Cooke and Danny Wilson of his previous gaffers. ‘Mark Robins is right up there with managers I’ve played for. He’s very shrewd, very calm, similar to Danny Wilson. On match day he’s excellent, not too many highs or lows if we win or lose, which I like.’ And then there is the magic of the FA Cup, which Coventry fans pine for after more than 30 years of deprivation. ‘There has been lots of talk of ’87 and the Cup. Cyrille Regis played in that team, a highly respected fellah. We won the day there was a minute’s silence for him.’ So, what are the odds of Coventry putting one over Brighton? ‘Why not nick one down there? It’s possible. Even if we draw, it would be great to bring them back to Coventry. We’ve a lot to look forward too’