MOMENTUM, MEDALS AND 'DEVASTATING' FORM - MARK ROBINS' COVENTRY CITY PRESS CONFERENCE NOTES

Mark Robins welcomed back his four internationals this week as Coventry City prepare to go and attack the last nine Championship games of the season. Three have returned with medals from their Concacaf Nations League exploits, and a feel-good spring in their step which the Sky Blues boss hopes they will transfer into their club football, starting with Huddersfield Town on Good Friday.

Certainly, Robins is hoping Haji Wright’s ‘devastating’ quality that saw him score two goals past Joel Latibeaudiere and Kasey Palmer’s Jamaica to reach the final of the competition, which the USA duly won by beating Mexico, will hold him in good stead on his return.

The Jamaican duo also came home with bronze medals around their necks, while Jay Dasilva suffered disappointment with Wales who failed to qualify for the Euros after losing to Poland on penalties, albeit the City full-back didn’t actually feature in the game.

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“We are a really good team,” insisted Robins in today’s pre-match press conference ahead of the Easter schedule. “We are getting a bit of momentum and we have confidence that we need to take into the rest of the season, which is something I spoke about after the Wolves game. Moving forwards, we’re just looking to the games and seeing where that takes us.”

Asked about the busy run of games coming up, he added: “It’s just part of the calendar. It’s difficult at times but you just have to deal with what it throws up. We have won three on the bounce, including a brilliant FA Cup win. Some have gone away on international duty and some have had a breather and been away, but we have trained in between and had a normal week’s training going into the Huddersfield game.

“These games come thick and fast and we have something like 10 in 36 days and it’s another brutal assault, so we start on Friday and there’s a quick turn-around to Monday, but the league is a big thing for us and we have to try to start hitting the ground running again and picking up the points after the distraction of the cup. And we don’t want that to impact on the league, at all, until that comes around again, so that’s the challenge for us and the players. I think we are looking forward to getting back to league action tomorrow."

The Terriers - the club Robins left Coventry for in 2013 during his first stint with the Sky Blues - are currently third from bottom, in the thick of a relegation battle. City, in contrast, are in eighth place, four points off sixth placed Norwich, but with a game in hand.

“They are fighting and scrapping, which is what every team we face from now until the end of the season will be doing, so it’s a tough period for everybody," he said. "We have got to go and embrace that challenge and see if we can pick up as many points as we can and get into that top six.”

There’s plenty of excitement and energy around the place after booking their place at Wembley in the semi-final of the FA Cup.

“Yes, absolutely,” agreed the manager.

“The lads who have been away on international duty have had a brilliant week. And even though Jamaica lost, Kasey and Joel were part of that team that finished third, which I think was the first time they have done that, so a gold and bronze medals in the camp is nothing to be sniffed at, and it gives them all really good experiences.

“Haji on the other side of things, to beat Mexico was brilliant for him, and the two goals he scored against Jamaica were outstanding. So it just carries on the feel-good for them, and that comes back into the camp where everyone is ready to kick on.”

Asked about the friendly rivalry between Wright, Plamer and Latibeaudiere, he said: “I think when you play for your country you have those rivalries when you are playing against different countries. It’s the pinnacle of your career when you’re representing your country, especially in a competition when you come up against your domestic teammates. And the quality that Haji showed was devastating really, and he showed exactly what he’s capable of with his two goals against Jamaica that took USA to the final.

“The result for Jamaica against Panama was good too for third place, and it’s great for them to get a medal. That was a little bit more expected for USA, being such a big nation, but to beat Mexico is no mean feat. They can certainly take that into their immediate futures.”

Although the majority of his squad should be nicely rested after being given a bit of time off last week, Robins may have to use his squad wisely over the Bank Holiday weekend.

“It’s a case of trying to pick up maximum points if we can, going into the games with calm heads and knowing what we need to do, and how we might need to do and operate,” he said. “But ultimately we can’t look beyond tomorrow, and once the outcome of that is known then we’ll look at Monday’s game against Cardiff.

“But it is a quick turn-around and it’s tough, but it’s tough for everyone and it will be interesting to see the different approaches taken by different clubs over he international break. We are trying to take advantage of a bit of a breather for some while the international players have been away and playing and training. Some players have been off, gone abroad and got a bit of sun, but we’ve been back in since Sunday working into this game.”

What's your score prediction against Huddersfield? Tell us in the comments section.

2024-03-28T15:02:21Z dg43tfdfdgfd