The deadline for Football League clubs to make loan signings is fast approaching and Coventry City remain one of the few sides in the Championship yet to use the provision to make ’emergency’ captures outside of the transfer window.
In resisting the temptation to add new faces to his squad, Chris Coleman has gone against the grain of the division.
Teams from high-flying Birmingham City and Wolves down to strugglers Nottingham Forest have all strengthened in this way.
The determination not to sign players for the sake of it comes from both Coleman and chairman Ray Ranson and although some tough times may be ahead, it has to be the right decision in the long term.
The Sky Blues have been down the road too many times of looking for a quick-fix.
Under Gary McAllister the team contained a host of players who belonged to other clubs, at times making up more than 50% of the starting XI.
Although there were some notable successes, for every Stephen Warnock there was also a Jamie McMaster.
Norwich have opted to use the loan system freely this season and there side has often contained a whole host of players borrowed from other teams.
Not only has that not been successful, it does take away a little bit of identity from the club.
Surely fans would rather see a young player given his chance rather than a second-stringer from elsewhere?
Any players who do come in at the Ricoh Arena now have to fit the profile of being young and hungry to improve.
An excellent article earlier this week on fellow City fans’ website www.gmkonline.com concluded, ‘(It’s) not perfect, but it’s not ‘instant success’ / operation premiership or any other the other deluded bollocks we’ve accepted in optimism on buying a season ticket for the last (how ever many) seasons’.
Vital Coventry echoes those sentiments wholeheartedly. Let’s hope that our patience is rewarded this time.
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