Coventry Horror Show - What The Hell Happened?

By CovSid67
August 14 2005

Different season, same old sh*t. The only saving grace for me was, having worked for only two weeks out of 15, I didn't bother going. And despite only listening on the radio, I still feel like I was over-charged....

Either we are just awful, or the players don't care - displays like that are inexcusable. It was embarrassing. When the commentary team are begging for the final whistle to go with minutes left on the clock (And one of them isn't even a Coventry City fan!), something is very wrong. We might not be Real Madrid (As we are frequently told) but we are certainly better than that!

Micky Adams was able to name an unchanged side for the third game of the season (Surely a record for Coventry City in recent years?!), and for the first 20 minutes everything looked OK - then Coventry City simply switched off, and their footballing ability went home.

Coventry City fans are frequently accused of believing we are still in the Premiership - having performed so well against Norwich, and so badly against two sides expected to struggle, it appears to me that it's the players who still think we are in the Premiership, with an attitude that suggests we merely have to turn up to some matches to win. Wrong.

Pointless, and with one of the smallest squads in any of the divisions, Burnley were forced to make a change a mere 10 minutes into the match, with Elliott replaced by McCann. It didn't bother them.

The home side forced a fine save from Bywater with 15 minutes on the clock, and just over 10 minutes later Burnley took the lead through a Gareth O'Connor effort from the corner of the penalty area. No matter - we were one-down against Norwich.

For the second week in succession, another free-header in the Coventry penalty area resulted in a goal too, Wayne Thomas the scorer (After 35 minutes). OK - we'll take another draw.

A highly debatable penalty gave Burnley the chance to increase their lead five minutes before half-time, though it was Stephen Hughes decision to question the award that made sure the points stayed with the home side. The referee showed him a red card, and Coventry City's best chance of getting anything from this match took an early shower. Idiot.

Hughes contribution to the first three matches has been minimal to say the least, and he is now unable to contribute to the next three too, for the stupidest of all reasons for receiving any card - dissent. Without him we look clueless, and if it were down to me I would see Hughes go unpaid while he doesn't play, with Adams using the money to bring a loan player in for a month - but it isn't going to happen. QPR must be looking forward opening day at the Arena....

It took him a while, but Hughes eventually left the pitch, then justice was sort of done as Noel-Williams blazed over the bar. A temporary reprieve.

Jorgensen was brought on to replace Stern John just before half-time, then proceeded to give the sort of display that suggests at least somebody at the club is bothered. Being part of the first XI selected for the first match at the new Arena is an honour and a privilege - and only Claus and Bywater from todays side probably deserve to be included. A severe lack of funds means that most of those that played today will help christen the new place. B*llocks.

A couple of missed decisions by the referee denied Coventry any chance of a site of the opposition goal in the second half, before the once much maligned Ade Akinbiyi doubled the score in favour of the home side. Insult to self-inflicted injury.

The referee put the 900+ travelling Coventry City fans out of their misery, by blowing the whistle for full-time. Thanks.

Micky Adams, interviewed after the match, offered the following opinions: "We were out-gunned physically", "we weren't good enough today" (No sh*t!), and also said: "I want to apologise to the fans of Coventry City" - words are easy, actions are better. And excuses about having to travel around the country are rubbish! The players should try doing a "real job" for a week, then spend their own hard earned cash following one of the more unglamorous football teams around the country three times in eight days....

The only opinion on the after-match phone-in that was worthy of the air time was: "A disgrace. An absolute disgrace", from one of those that paid to suffer this. It was bad enough listening on the radio, never mind being £35+ out of pocket, with nothing but a frown, a broken heart, and a long journey home to show for it....

It's easy to say that calls for heads to roll etc, is simply a knee-jerk reaction to one poor performance, but that was just totally unacceptable. And a lot of Coventry City fans will see the same old rubbish from the same players that almost took us down last season - so just where is this push for promotion to come from? (Or even mid-table obscurity). It's time for the chairman to decide if a full wallet (As we supposedly have one of the wealthiest boards in the country), is better than possible success on the pitch.

A return of one goal in three games is truly pathetic, with a Scowcroft effort which hit the bar, and one goal-mouth scramble being about as good as it got today. Unacceptable. Scowcroft, John, Adebola, and McSheffrey, just do not look like the players to get us the goals, albeit that they are badly let down by poor service from their team-mates.

It might be a different season, but you're left asking the same old question(s): how can we play so well away to Championship favourites Norwich, then be so poor away to a side like Burnley? (No offence intended). They have one of the smallest squads in the division (Though obviously only XI players can start anyway!), and are said to be penniless too - the same as Coventry City, yet the gulf in clas seemed massive.

Adams has said he will sit down with the players and analyse what's gone wrong. Sadly, if he does this properly, there will possibly not be enough time left this week to train on the new Arena pitch....

To those that paid out there hard earned money to go, we salute you! To those that were not fit to wear the shirt, we salute you too - with two fingers. Shape up, or **** off....