This is Turbulent...Even for CCFC

I've been a City fan for my whole life. Went to my first game in 1994 and have been there through the high spots of Dublin/Hucks front-line. The pure talent of Robbie Keane and THAT comeback win at  Highfield Road against Man Utd.

For most of it as well, upuntil this season I was a season ticket at both Highfield Road and the Ricoh as I left Coventry for University.

Along the way, apart from a few bright spots, it's been mostly lowlights in the life of a City fan. Just three years ago, I listened on the radio on the way work as the club came 30 mintues away extinction following years of mis-management.

After avoiding that bullet, I thought I'd seen it all.

That was up until the calender turned to March 2011.

Since that time we have not won a game, but to be honest that is more common than every City fan would care to admit. We have lost a manager. Not one but two lifelong City fan's off the board and we lost the 2007 knight in shining armour Ray Ranson as Chairman.

Now unlike that 11th hour survival day a few years ago, I have watched this debacle to put it bluntly unfold from outside of Coventry, so my knowledge on the ins and outs of it all are not at 100%.

But to witness a club go through upheavel and change at every level in less than a month is staggering, but despite the almost armageddon aspect to it all, including the precarious position our on-field form- yes there is games of Football going on amongst all this- the feeling seems to be one of almost resignation and numbness to it from the beleagured faithful who traipse up to the Ricoh every other Saturday. Not one of a scene from Braveheart when a self-important top-tier club loses to someone it's not supposed to.


No Choclate Brown scarves or calls for Sky Blue Knights here!

But it is the nature of the beast we inherited in 2007 when we took what we could and believed that we would have something to talk about apart from May 16th 1987.
As like everything though with CCFC, that hasn't been the case. Decline has been the method of the club, not incline as we all might of thought.

The fact that possibly the finest keeper this club has seen for a decade is set to leave for nothing is almost the poster-board for the last few years.

What next? Well seeing as the current incumbents have spent heavily, including today to keep the club running. It seems that the incline in league position is a bit longer off even now than that it was when we were saved by the now departed Ray Ranson and his band of 'merry men'.

The situation the club find itself in is something that even a club who in its recent history-spent over budget and timeframe in the building of what most fans deem a uneccessarily grand stadium given the status of the ground being one we DONT ACTUALLY OWN.

As well as a club that if league positions stuck until May 6th, support the longest-serving team in England's second-tier.

That fact along with these last few weeks are something which shouldnt be the case, but sadly for me and all others who bleed Sky Blue.

Its just the way it is.


Please read a comment, would love feedback, just getting to grips with this blogging lark!

Capello Finally Shows his Metal

DISCLAIMER- MY FIRST EVER BLOG POST. 


He is the Italian maestro who has recieved criticism from every corner of this tiny nation in recent months. When less than a year ago he was being lauded as the next coming of Sir Bobby and Sir Alf.

Following a undoubtedly disastrous World Cup in South Africa, the clambering for the axe to fall was almost viral. He stood steadfast in his highly-paid job whilst all around him reached for the pitchforks and lighter fluid.

Along the way since his and the team's return from South Africa last July, he hasn't helped himself with some odd quotes and decisions springing up from his press appearances, from retiring David Beckham to the latest error coming with the Captaincy.

But it's this latest so-called 'gaffe' that I feel a bit of sympathy for him.

Yes, he could of publically handled it better. But the public support from his talisman and vice-captain Steven Gerrard and the corresponding words from his media savvy midfielder which showed that possibly the Italian played it by book when dealing with his strickened out-going captain, Rio Ferdinand.

Gerrard, said that he had spoke to Capello over the phone, after the Italian at the pre-game press appointments said that he came to the decision and looked to speak to Ferdinand face to face but was left waiting for his then-captain.

Couple that with his public confidence in the promising Jack Wilshere and his relenting of the 'too rigid' 4-4-2 formation he loved but everyone loathed and you see glimpses of the man who has lost just one qualifier and just two competitive games in his time in charge of the national team and was all but given an honorary knighthood just over a year ago.

Which, for me makes the criticism of him a little rich in my view. Something he is facing yet again ahead of tonight's uneccesary friendly at Wembley against the emerging Ghana team.

If this was just a one-off friendly played in mid-season with no qualifier to cushion the blow for the squirming club bosses around the top-echelon's of the game, then you can rest assured the touted XI for tonights game would be somewhat similar. So for the criticism to land at his feet for 'disrespecting' his opponents is, for me anyway, wide of the mark.

Tonight will see Wilshere, Parker and Matt Jarvis press their claims, something which has asked of him and the coaching set up even before Don Fabio strolled up Wembley Way.

All in all, with his team's confident showing this past weekend and also his seeming snub from his former captain on a personal level and the way he has meandered throguh the mine field of limited English up against the said pitchforks gathering at his every turn.

If they lose tonight, it matters little.

We are looking a good bet for the European Championships next summer if we negotiate a tough trip to Montenegro in a few months.

All a loss would do will be to give the gathered refreshed and new angles for criticism in a week where their target has played a blinder on the pitch and a few mis-steps aside off it as well and showed again why his bosses kept on adding the zeros to his pay packet.

Come on England!