Then there were nine for Sky Blues job

Richard Shaw is one of nine people on the shortlist to become the next permanent manager of Coventry City with interviews set to take place this week against the backdrop of Sunday’s home televised defeat at the hands of Stevenage in front of less than 10,000 spectators.

Another poor second-half display did for the Sky Blues and surely spelt the end of Shaw’s own managerial ambitions, his comments afterwards that the players ‘have been great and not given us a minute’s problem’ at odds with what fans have witnessed too often on the pitch both this season and in years past.

Few would dispute Shaw’s assertion that the team needs ‘a few nasty characters and a few generals’ having lost the midfield battle comprehensively to a Stevenage side who defended deeper after the break and hit City well on the counter attack.