- Coventry City look strong under Mark Robins, showcasing great form and aiming for Premier League return after long absence.
- Despite losing key players, Coventry remains a strong contender in the Championship, excelling in goals scored and a tight defense.
- Former midfielder Gary McAllister praises Robins’ resilience and success at Coventry, believes reaching play-offs would be a notable achievement.
Gary McAllister, a former midfielder for Coventry City, has praised Mark Robins for their outstanding play in the Championship this year.
The Sky Blues are hoping to go one better this season and make their Premier League comeback after 23 years, and they appear well-positioned to build on their fifth-place finish from the previous campaign.
Coventry City’s season so far
Despite pressure from Norwich City and Hull City below them, the Robins’ team managed to secure their 13th victory of the season on the road against struggling Stoke City over the weekend. This kept them in the play-off positions on goal differential.
With 17 points from their last eight games—tied for third place with the Canaries and behind both Leeds United and Southampton—the Sky Blues are among the division’s best teams right now.
Moreover, Coventry has scored 51 goals this season, ranking among the top scorers in the Championship despite losing standout player Viktor Gyokeres in the summer. Players like Haji Wright and Callum O’Hare are at the top of the scoring charts.
They have also continued to play strong defence, giving up 37 goals this year, which is tied for the fifth-fewest this year. This speaks highly of the work that Robins has done since joining the West Midlands.
Gary McAllister believes reaching the play-offs would be “an achievement in itself” for Coventry City
Following Robins’ return to Coventry in 2017, the team has played some fantastic football and even taken home trophies.
Following the removal of former manager Russell Slade in March, the 54-year-old went on to defeat Oxford United in the EFL Trophy final at Wembley a month later. The following season, he led the team to promotion from League Two, breaking multiple records en route to their first promotion in 51 years.
The club improved their league finish each season in the second division, making it to Wembley last season but losing to Luton Town on penalties. Promotion to the Championship would come in the 2019–20 season.
The three relegated Premier League clubs are fighting it out for the two automatic promotion spots, so while the club is hoping to improve this season, they will have fierce competition from the best teams in the division.
Furthermore, former midfielder McAllister complimented Robins’ efforts at the Coventry Building Society Arena and clarified that, considering the calibre of teams they face, making it to the play-offs this season would be a significant accomplishment in and of itself.
Yes, the Mark Robins factor is back. They’ve had numerous issues with their stadium and using someone else’s property over the years, but it appears that everything has now calmed down, McAllister told Betway.
“They probably have to sell their best player at the end of each season, which adds to the pressure Mark has always had to bear. However, there are no complaints, and I doubt that he has a sizable budget left over after offloading these elite players. However, the team never stops producing and managing to turn things around.
“They were extremely unfortunate not to advance through the play-offs the previous season, but it would be a significant accomplishment in and of itself if they could make it back, especially considering the three teams that finished lower.
“I’m drawn to their results because it’s a club that I had a great time playing and managing.” I always keep a watch on the Sky Blues. They do play with a better style, but I haven’t attended any games there recently.”
In his most recent stint with the team, Robins made four trips to the Wembley arch; he will be hoping that this season he makes the trip back to the capital and enhances his already remarkable record there.
