Coventry City

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Coventry City midfielder Josh Eccles said there are "exciting times" ahead despite the loss at Burnley and a three-week wait for a new head coach to be appointed.

The Sky Blues fell to a 2-0 defeat at Turf Moor on Tuesday night in temporary boss Rhys Carr's third game in charge since Mark Robins was sacked.

Eccles said it was a "disappointing" result but doesn't believe a lack of certainty at the club has impacted recent performances.

"I wouldn't say it's affected the boys," Eccles told BBC Radio CWR's Sky Blues Fancast.

"I think the coaches and staff here have kept us at ease. Rhys has been tremendous, and he said if I hear anything, I'll be the first one to tell you.

"We're still waiting. It's exciting times, but who knows what can happen and when."

Eccles said Coventry have the "fighting spirit" to keep going even when they fall a goal behind and is already looking to the next game against Cardiff on Saturday to bounce back.

"They're below us, so it's going to be a massive six-pointer, shall we say," Eccles added.

"I feel like we've got to take the anger and disappointment out of this game and put it to the game on Saturday. We've got to go and smash them.

"Obviously, it's at home, so we know we're going to have the fans backing us and put on a good performance and get the three points and see if we can get the clean sheet as well."

You can listen to Josh Eccles' interview with the Sky Blues Fancast on BBC Sounds.

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Frank Lampard has been heavily linked with becoming Coventry City's new head coach since Mark Robins was sacked three weeks ago.

Here's a look at what supporters appearing on BBC Radio CWR's Sky Blues Fancast think of Lampard as a potential new boss.

CJ Joiner: "I wouldn't be against Lampard coming in at all. I think he did have a reasonable record at Chelsea given the circumstances you're working in.

"Forget about that second spell, but the first spell, he did very well, I thought. Got to a cup final, fourth place. I think he did very well there."

Matt Cattell: "Doug [King] is in a position here; if he made the decision too quickly, makes the wrong appointment, everybody is going to turn toxic and go against him.

"We've got a good calibre list there of potential candidates, to be talking about Lampard and [Lee] Carsley and [Steve] Cooper."

Adam Sloman: "I think Lampard would be a good appointment. I just want to get someone in post and get behind them now.

"And stop all the questioning that has been going on and some of the negativity that it's brought out of us as a fanbase.

"I think Cooper's sacking probably comes a week too late for him to really be a candidate. But it would be nice to just get it done and dusted."

Image source, Rex Features

Coventry City's interim head coach Rhys Carr believes there is more to come from Norman Bassette.

The 20-year-old scored his first goal for the Sky Blues in their 2-2 draw with Sheffield United last weekend and is in line to start Tuesday night's Championship match at Burnley.

Bassette joined from French side Caen in August, signing a four-year deal but had made just two Championship starts with a further four appearances off the bench before his performance against the Blades.

"He's already a good player but he's going to be a really good player," Carr told BBC CWR.

"Norman's enthusiasm is infectious and his willingness to work for the team is brilliant - you'd rather have a player you have to reign in than trying to get more out of them."

Bassette made his senior international debut for Belgium in their 1-0 defeat by Israel in the Uefa Nations League earlier this month and Carr thinks that will only help him develop.

"He's a confident boy anyway but the cap he won for a top footballing nation like Belgium has given him a bit more of a spring in his step - he started (against Sheffield United) and it worked out well," Carr added.

Coventry City may be without a manager but the Sky Blues fared well during their 2-2 comeback against promotion contenders Sheffield United on the weekend - and will hoping to put in another strong performance as they visit 4th place Burnley on Tuesday.

The Clarets, though, have only lost one of their last 13 league games (W6 D6) to leave them just two points behind league leaders Leeds United and possess a particularly strong record against the visitors.

• Burnley have only lost one of their last 10 league games against Coventry City (W6 D3), a 1-0 away defeat in November 2010.

• Coventry are winless in their last five league visits to Burnley (D3 L2) since a 2-1 win on the final day of the 2006-07 season.

• Burnley are looking to keep five successive home clean sheets in the league for the first time since August 2009 (6), while they last did so in the same season in January 2005 in the Championship.

• After earning just three points in eight away league games between April and October (D3 L5), Coventry have collected five points from their last three such games (W1 D2).

• Burnley manager Scott Parker’s only previous season against Coventry came in 2021-22 in the Championship in charge of Bournemouth, drawing 2-2 at home and winning 3-0 away.

Image source, Rex Features

Coventry City midfielder Jack Rudoni says all he and his team-mates can do is "remain in the present" as they await to see who will become the next manager.

Former Chelsea and England star Frank Lampard is understood to remain the main contender to succeed Mark Robins.

Much-travelled Steve Round, who has worked in various roles with Newcastle United, Everton, Manchester United, Aston Villa and England, has now also been linked with a role in the new Sky Blues hierarchy following his summer departure from Arsenal.

But Rudoni told BBC CWR: "We don't know who's coming in, so all we can do is remain in the present.

"The staff have been very good with us and tried not to make things too difficult."

Speaking after his corner was headed in by Bobby Thomas for a late equaliser to earn the Sky Blues a 2-2 draw against Sheffield United, Rudoni added: "There is a big sense of frustration that we didn't win.

"We just have to cut out conceding silly goals. But it was nice to get a good cross in for the goal. I'd had a few that weren't as good. It's not easy when you're trying to miss out six-foot-six strikers. But it was a nice little finish from Bobby."

The fact that Coventry had a man advantage for the whole of the second half was down to the red card received by Blades defender Anel Ahmedhodzic in a late first-half incident with City striker Norman Bassette.

The Belgian, only playing because of the injury to USA international Haji Wright, was accused of gamesmanship by Blades boss Chris Wilder, who suggested that Bassette had goaded Ahmedhodzic into losing his temper.

Rudoni said: "He's got a bit of that side to him. But sometimes you need that from a striker. He's a good lad. He cares. And he's still learning. He's young, energetic and he's doing really well. He's got a bright future and is a joy to play with."

Image source, Rex Features

It has really been a Coventry old boys' reunion in the city this week.

First, Mark Robins made his return to Coventry just a fortnight after being sacked - to be presented with an honorary doctorate by Coventry University.

Now, having been almost forgotten about in all the palaver over Robins' exit and Frank Lampard being the favourite to succeed him, it is the turn of two more former Sky Blues favourites - Gustavo Hamer and Callum O'Hare.

Hamer and O'Hare are expected to start, subject to fitness, when second-placed Sheffield United arrive on Saturday.

Both were part of the Sky Blues side that reached the Championship play-off final in May 2023 - but Hamer left for Bramall Lane three months later and O'Hare followed in July.

It is a matter of pure speculation as to what might have happened, had City kept hold of them.

As it is, Coventry sit 17th in the Championship table, 15 points behind Chris Wilder's Blades.

United have won their past four games on the spin, including the 1-0 derby win over Sheffield Wednesday in the most recent of them a fortnight ago, in which Hamer and O'Hare both played.

Image source, Clive Eakin - BBC Sport

Coventry City interim boss Rhys Carr had good news and bad news ahead of Saturday's lunchtime home date with second-placed Sheffield United.

USA international Haji Wright is out, after suffering an ankle injury late on in City's 2-2 comeback draw at leaders Sunderland on 9 November - their first game following the sacking of Mark Robins.

But, while the forward's likely length of absence is not clear, the Sky Blues do have captain Ben Sheaf and goalkeeper Oliver Dovin back in contention to play after missing the trip to the Stadium of Light.

"Everyone saw it," Carr told BBC CWR. "It was a bit of a nasty tweak he's got on his ankle. He's with the care of our medical team now. We want him fit as quickly as possible."

"But Ben Sheaf and Oliver Dovin are available for selection. And Jake Bidwell and Jamie Allen have been in training. They've had a longer period of time out so we need to just monitor them a little bit but they're closer to being available.

"Ben Wilson is probably a little further away but I see him in the gym every day. He's working his socks off."

With still no sign of an imminent appointment to succeed Robins - although Frank Lampard remains hot favourite with bookmakers - Carr will be taking charge of his second game.

"It's a new challenge but it's day by day," he added. "I'm just focused on doing the best job that I've been entrusted to do. How long that lasts is a day-by-day approach.

"The focus has to be on the football That's why we're all here. That's why we're paid as employees. We all want to win. Every single person, the staff, the players everybody wants to win."

Rhys Carr was talking to BBC CWR's Clive Eakin

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Former Derby defender Curtis Davies believes Frank Lampard would command the Coventry City players' respect if he becomes the club's new head coach.

Ex-England midfielder Lampard remains the favourite to replace Mark Robins, who was sacked earlier this month.

"I was his captain at Derby but then got injured quite early so I got to see Frank, I guess, from the outside looking in and standing beside him at times," Davies told the BBC Sport's 72+ EFL podcast.

"If he said something to players, usually they'd take it on board because of the level he had played at."

Lampard took Derby to the Championship play-offs in 2019 where they lost to Aston Villa in the final.

Sky Blues owner Doug King is planning a reorganisation of the club's management set-up with a sporting director to be appointed, which Davies believes would suit Lampard.

"I think being a head coach (rather than the manager) would be fine for Frank," he added.

"While he'd want the final say on what players are brought in he wouldn't be offended if they're going out recruiting players for the Championship because you're going to have a director of football, who probably knows more about the Championship than Frank currently does."

After relative success at Derby, Lampard suffered mixed fortunes in two subsequent managerial stints with Chelsea and one at Everton.

"When you carry a name like Frank Lampard you've always got that slight chance (of getting another job) so I don't think this would be his last chance but he wants to be that Championship manager pushing towards the Premier League," Davies added.

"I don't think he ever envisaged his career being in the lower leagues of the EFL so I think depending on how he does (if he gets the job) it's more about his motivation to continue doing it if it doesn't work out."

Image source, BBC Sport

Coventry produced a remarkable comeback after going two goals behind to earn a 2-2 draw at league leaders Sunderland in their first game since Mark Robins was sacked last time out.

The managerless Sky Blues are just one point above the drop zone and face another stern test when they welcome high-flying Sheffield United on Saturday who are joint top and have won four on the bounce.

• Coventry City have lost just one of their last nine home league games against Sheffield United (W6 D2), netting 3+ goals in four of those matches.

• Sheffield United have failed to score in two of their last four league games against Coventry, having found the net in nine of their previous 10 against them. They did win the last such meeting between the sides 3-1 in December 2022, however.

• Coventry City have lost nine home Championship matches in 2024 – they've only lost 10 home league games in four previous calendar years, most recently in 2003.

• Sheffield United have spent 51% of their Championship games in the lead this season, the highest percentage of any side - they’ve also trailed for the lowest percentage (4.4%, just 65 minutes).

• Coventry's Jack Rudoni has made 295 passes that start in the attacking third of the pitch in the Championship this season, with only Luton's Alfie Doughty making more (336).

Image source, Rex Features

Coventry City midfielder Jamie Allen has told BBC CWR he's making good progress towards returning to the squad after two months out of action with a knee ligament injury.

The 29-year-old has missed the past nine Sky Blues games after coming off injured early in the 2-1 home defeat to Swansea on 21 September.

Allen won't publicly set a target for when he might be ready to play again, but he hopes to be in full training soon.

"It's going really well. I'm feeling strong," he said. "I've spent the last two or three weeks out on the grass doing straight line movements and then going into curving in different directions and my knee is feeling good now.

"I can't really put a date on when I'll be back in case something goes wrong but hopefully not too long."

Allen has passed 150 appearances for the Sky Blues after arriving in 2019 but has only started two Championship games this season and played a total of 126 minutes across six matches before his injury.

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Sky Blues summer signing Raphael Borges Rodrigues has made his long-awaited comeback from injury.

The Dutch-born Australia Under-23 international winger joined Coventry from A-League side Macarthur in May but suffered a thigh injury in his first appearance of pre-season against Port Vale.

He was named on the right flank in the Coventry under-21 side, which also featured Fabio Tavares, to face Barnsley's under-21s at the Coventry Building Society Arena on Tuesday afternoon.

Raphael was denied a goal on his return when Barnsley's goalkeeper foiled his stinging drive from distance shortly after the half-hour.

The 21-year-old was substituted with the Sky Blues trailing 2-0 just after the hour mark but the hosts fought back to draw 2-2 with two Joseph McCallum goals.

Image source, Rex Features

Mark Robins will return to Coventry this week, less than a fortnight after being sacked by the Sky Blues.

The former City manager will collect an Honorary Doctorate from Coventry University, who are honouring Robins for his contribution to the community, in addition to the impact on the football club.

The 54-year-old led Coventry to within a penalty kick of the Premier League and to four Wembley visits over a seven-year span in his second spell in charge of the club.

He will become an Honorary Doctor of Administration at a ceremony at Coventry Cathedral later this week.

“It is said that all good things come to an end but it is right that we acknowledge the enormous and positive impact Mark has made here in Coventry,” said Professor John Latham CBE, Vice-Chancellor of Coventry University.

"Mark Robins has played a crucial role in helping Coventry City come out of a dark few years and helped restore pride and belief among the fan base.

"His outstanding leadership and dedication to Coventry stretches further than just on the football pitch and we are proud to bestow this honour upon him for his contribution both on and off the field over the past near decade."

Image source, Rex Features

The chances of Lee Carsley returning to Coventry City as head coach appear to have diminished after the FA indicated he'll be staying with England's Under-21s.

The former Sky Blues midfielder ended his interim spell in charge of England with a fifth win in six games on Sunday evening, thrashing the Republic of Ireland 5-0 at Wembley.

While Thomas Tuchel set to take over the national team, FA CEO Mark Bullingham said Carsley still has a ‘vital role’ to play in developing talent for the senior squad, external.

"Lee will now return to the Under-21s and will continue to play a vital role supporting the seniors by developing England’s best young players,” he said.

"His leadership and coaching gives us the best possible chance of back-to-back U21 Euro wins next summer, and he will continue to play a big part in elite football development across the FA."

Frank Lampard is the heavy odds-on favourite with bookmakers to replace Mark Robins with Coventry owner Doug King confirming the former Chelsea and Derby boss has submitted his CV, while one-time Sky Blues striker Robbie Keane is a distant second in the betting.

Carsley was a development coach at Coventry early in his career and actually took over as caretaker first-team Sky Blues boss in February 2013 following Robins' departure to Huddersfield, although he left for Sheffield United that summer.

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Coventry City owner Doug King has confirmed Frank Lampard is a contender to replace Mark Robins as head coach.

With the popular Robins sacked last Thursday, former Chelsea and Everton boss Lampard has emerged as an early favourite but Sky Blues fans have mixed feelings over whether he is the right man.

BBC Sport invited Coventry supporters to give us their thoughts and these are just some of them:

Steve Clark - Mark Robins rescues Coventry after years of decline and despite off-field events. He then gets the sack and Frank Lampard is approached just due to him having a wardrobe full of England caps as a player but no great record as a manager. Not a great idea.

DMC - All Lampard will do is give Cov more column inches than usual.

Webby - He needs to rebuild his managerial career after a frankly shocking attempt at Everton and an even more awful second attempt at Chelsea. Dropping down a league or two probably best for him.

Filbo - Fortunate to have had some management experience, but the Championship is a tough gig. I'd like to see these guys cut their teeth in the lower leagues.

Foy - Why does everyone hate former top players and want them to fail as managers? Lampard, Rooney, Gerrard, get way too much hate. I hope if Frank gets the Coventry job, he does well. If not, he won't be the first player to struggle to transition into management. No need for the over the top hate campaign.

Tea Rex - Those having a pop at Frank Lampard don't understand what drives a man like him. He has more money than he'll ever need but loves the game and wants to prove himself. He could have walked away and avoided all the abuse. Give the guy a break.

FunnyOldGame - If Lampard came in maybe this is more his level. He did really well at Derby and managed to get some quality loans from Chelsea because of his links. He’s managed two basket cases in the premier league in Everton and Chelsea at a time when they were going through problems - hardly makes him a ‘bad’ manager.

Conradk - Would be nothing more than a vanity appointment. “Ooh look at us, we got Lampard!” Lucky you...

BBC Radio CWR hosted a fans forum with Coventry City owner Doug King on Monday after an unhappy response from fans to the recent dismissal of long-serving manager Mark Robins.

Here are the main takeaways:

• "I fully understand what he has done for this city and this community but I still made the decision"

• He explained how Robins "dismantled" the coaching staff because of internal conflict

• He feels the club are lacking a high-quality first-team coach/tactician but struggled to recruit, though he believes recruitment will not suffer if a head coaching position is offered

• He was surprised by the fans' reaction and felt he was in a "difficult position"

• There was not a replacement lined up before Robins' dismissal and the decision was made following a senior management meeting in October

• He does not intend to sell the club and plans to purchase the Coventry Building Society Arena once financially viable

• He has stated that a sporting director will be a "logical position" to add as the club look to appoint a head coach

• He does not want a "revolving door" of managers and wishes to build a "sustainable" club but feels that relegation would "squander" what they have already built, so his next appointment will be crucial

• Robins' exit has not affected the budget for the upcoming January transfer window

• Head of recruitment Dean Austin on the lack of loan signings: "If we bring loan players in, loan players expect to come in and play - and their clubs expect them to play."

• Austin spoke about maintaining relationships with other clubs and how he felt loan players would not get a significant amount of playing time.

You can listen to the full fans forum on BBC Sounds

Image source, Rex Features

Coventry fans, you could be seeing a new (and famous!) face in the dugout very soon.

Sky Blues owner Doug King has confirmed that former England and Chelsea legend Frank Lampard is in the running to replace Mark Robins following his dismissal last week.

Lampard has some good memories in the Championship, having led Derby Country to the play-off final in 2019 - but is that enough pedigree to replace long-serving Robins?

Is the former Everton and Chelsea manager the kind of appointment you were hoping for? Are you still sore about the controversial sacking that precedes it?

If Frank was on the phone to you right now, what would your advice be?

Let us know on #bbcefl, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) - don't forget to include your name on your messages!