Mark Robins is known as a legend to many Coventry City supporters, however like all football managers he’s had some great transfers and some questionable signings.
Here we look at Robins’ top five best and worst transfers he’s made since re-joining Coventry City in 2017.
5. Best – Michael Doyle, Worst – Marcel Hilssner.
After the dreadful season of 2016/17 where the Sky Blues were relegated to League Two, it was announced during the summer that Michael Doyle had returned to his former club on a free transfer from Portsmouth where he previously won the division. This was Robins’ first signing at the club and proved to be absolutely crucial, having gone the previous season without any leadership, Doyle was the perfect man to be brought in. He knew and loved Coventry, which made it only right for him to be the club captain. The hard Irishman brought the real League Two sense to Coventry, bringing that bit of fight and aggression to the team, and also bringing it out of the team which later got the Sky Blues promoted first time of asking through the Play-Offs which was essential as no one’s sure of what would have happened to Coventry without promotion.
It’s a harsh one to call but it already looks like Marcel Hilssner is out of favour in the Coventry City team, having not made a single appearance in the first team as of yet, Hilssner is staking his claim in the under 23’s. Having been signed on an undisclosed this summer from Paderborn SC, he claimed he had a “really powerful left foot”, however Sky Blues fans are yet to witness it. Hopefully his career doesn’t stagnate at Coventry however I find it very difficult for him to get into the first team, with the formation Robins wants to play.
4. Best – Marc McNulty, Worst – Gervane Kastaneer.
Another signing before the start of the League Two season, Marc McNulty was brought in to add goals to the Coventry City team… and he did. McNulty gave Coventry fans reason to cheer week in week out once he found his scoring boots and went on to score 23 goals in the league being the first Coventry City player to do so since the 1960’s. His goals were vital in a free-flowing Mark Robins team where it was finally enjoyable to watch the Sky Blues after previous years of disarray and get the Sky Blues that promotion back to League One that was needed.
Again, a player that is still in the Coventry City squad, it’s hopeful that Gervane Kastaneer can turn his career around however it looks bleak. When brought in Kastaneer was described as “Championship quality” by Mark Robins which got Sky Blues fans excited. He went on to score early in his Sky Blues career with a worldie of a goal against Bristol Rovers however failed to really appear since. He is probably best known in his Coventry City career from his amazing slide tackle that got himself sent off against Portsmouth back in the 3-3 draw in August 2019, but ever since the Curacao international has only been involved in cup games or the under 23’s. However, with the injuries to certain players, Robins has named Kastaneer on the bench in recent games, is their still time to turn his Coventry career around?
3. Best – Liam Kelly, Worst – Junior Brown.
I promise there are players that weren’t signed before that League Two season on the list however it was such a crucial season in the rebuild of Coventry City. Vital to the rebuild is current club captain Liam Kelly. Kelly was a very experienced signing at the time but no one predicted how crucial he was to the team. Not only was the chant with him and Michael Doyle so great, he also began to get a lot of praise in the years without Doyle. His calm head on the pitch has really helped Coventry City develop as a better team and he looks a player that only keeps getting better, dropped out of the team recently due to injuries and good performances by Ben Sheaf, it can’t be forgotten how crucial Kelly was in both promotion seasons getting the Sky Blues back where they belong in the Championship.
Congratulations to Sky Blues skipper Liam Kelly, who makes his 100th appearance for the club tonight ? #PUSB pic.twitter.com/4fzePz3OqC
— Coventry City (@Coventry_City) February 4, 2020
Unfortunately, the signing of Junior Brown was a “not meant to be” signing, having come in as a “good League One” player, Brown found it hard to establish himself as first choice left back at the club. Having also signed Brandon Mason in the same window it gave Robins good competition in the left back role however Mason always seemed to have the edge. And when Mason was out, under 18’s player Sam McCallum stepped in and impressed keeping Brown out of the team until finally being released by manager Robins.
2. Best – Matt Godden, Worst – Abu Ogogo
There’re very few players that get better with age however forward Matt Godden is one of them. Having signed from Peterborough in August 2019 for a reported fee of £750,000, it is arguably the best money Robins has spent. The centre forward who has it all in a striker, maybe lacking a bit of pace, showed his money worth popping up with some great goals and consistent finishes earning Coventry City the League One title in his first season at the club. It doesn’t stop there, it was questioned whether or not Godden could step up to the Championship but he’s showed everyone he very much can. Starting the season off with four goals he has really showed his clinical trait as a forward. It’s tough for a striker to get limited chances and get their chances on target however Godden is one step ahead and scores with very limited chances. Great striker.
Very similar to Junior Brown, Abu Ogogo was brought in with a League One reputation from Shrewsbury Town. However, failed to hit the ground running. It may have been because of the big injury he sustained at the end of his Shrewsbury days because he just didn’t seem the same player that he used to be, it’s a shame to see as he was a very good player however his time was cut extremely short with the Sky Blues leaving Coventry in January and transferring to Bristol Rovers, where he seems to be doing a lot better and playing matches, fair play to him.
Before we get to the best signing Mark Robins has made we’ll talk about his worst ever signing. Staking his claim as the worst Mark Robins signing is … James Pearson.
Yes, James Pearson, remember he did actually play for Coventry City albeit for around 15 minutes I’m sure, but there’s a picture of him in a Sky Blues shirt so that’s evidence, right? The defender, who is the son of former Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson, did make 1 appearance in Sky Blue, in the then Checkatrade Trophy. However, Pearson found himself released by Coventry City at the end of August, the month they signed him in for unknown reasons. A strange one for Robins.
Now the one you’ve all been waiting for who is the best signing Mark Robins has made at his second stint as Coventry City manager. Drumroll. Dominic Hyam.
It’s funny how football works isn’t it, Hyam was initially brought in by Robins for the development squad on a free from Reading. However, he was thrown straight into the deep end making his first Sky Blues appearance in the opening game of the season against Notts County and hasn’t looked back since. Having fierce competition with many centre halves at the time, Hyam is the only one that still remains from that season becoming crucial in the League One season playing a great part in a back three and he keeps improving. Only being judged off of the first 11 games of the season, Hyam doesn’t look out of place at all in the Championship, and has been the most standout performer of the season so far, with some brilliant defending and he also got his chance as captain for a game. Will he be a future Coventry City captain? Will he ever get that Scotland call up he deserves?
There’s been a lot of signings over the last few seasons so it was hard to drill it down to a best/worst five. Is there anyone that deserved a place on the list? Is there anyone that didn’t deserve to be on the list?
