Mark Robins has reminded his players that they have to earn the right to play and that he is ‘not running an academy’ at Coventry City.
Man management can be one of the toughest balancing acts for a manager, particularly trying to keep everyone happy in a relatively big squad. Although the Sky Blues boss doesn’t have a huge group, it’s a little larger than recent years in terms of strength in depth with plenty of senior options on the bench when everyone is fit.
The likes of Brandon Thomas-Asante and Luis Binks are two that have had to be patient, with the summer signing striker finally getting his first Championship start against Swansea, and then leading the line magnificently in place of Ellis Simms against Blackburn Rovers before struggling to hit the same heights against Sheffield Wednesday.
Binks, meanwhile, started the season in the left central defensive position but has lost out to Liam Kitching in recent weeks, albeit the latter struggling to find his form, resulting in many fans calling for Binks to be restored to the back four alongside Bobby Thomas.
Asked if it’s difficult trying to keep the likes of Binks and everyone else happy and motivated when they’re not in the team, Robins said: “If you saw Man Utd recently, Ten Hag changed two central defenders and Harry Maguire ended up scoring. They have to be ready to go, whether it’s Luis, Joel, Bobby Thomas or Kitch… Whether it’s Jay Dasilva or Bidders, I think we have cover in most positions and those players have to be at a level to be considered or when they get an opportunity because of an injury or it’s their turn or it’s a game they need to play in.”
He added: “I have to remind everyone, this is not an academy, it’s a first team environment where it is competitive, and they should compete every day. And generally they do. They are young men and they have times where they feel they want to play and it’s a case of having to earn the right and waiting for that opportunity. And inevitably it does. And they have to be ready to take that.”
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Asked about Thomas-Asante, who started the last two games as a striker, having previously been deployed wide on occasions, the City boss said:
“I didn’t bring him in as a winger, it’s just something we needed to do or felt was right to do, certainly against Spurs. But what I try to do is put the players on the pitch in the position where they are going to be the most effective. It worked against Spurs but against Swansea it didn’t, so it’s horses for courses.”
He added: “When players come with the ability to play in a number of positions then inevitably when a position becomes available sometimes you have to try it and see how it works. I will pick a team solely to win a football match and it can’t be a case of giving people minutes on the pitch. “This isn’t pre-season and it isn’t an academy, so they have to earn that, and that’s how the squad develops with everyone pulling in the same direction with the same goal. Egos have to stay out of the way and they have to grow with the team.
“It isn’t the case that you have to play every game, because that’s the case at most clubs now, and most have a strength in depth for this division.”
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