Coventry City reported back to Ryton this week to prepare to resume their Championship season, with all eyes on gearing up for Saturday’s trip to Watford.
Sky Blues manager Mark Robins will be checking on three of his senior players who have been receiving treatment over the international break in the hope of getting nearer to a return to action. Two – midfielder Ben Sheaf and winger Tatsuhiro Sakamoto – are key figures and regular starters when fit, while the third, summer signing Raphael, is a bit of an unknown quantity, having only featured in one behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly so far.
Sheaf, in particular, has been a significant miss with many believing the team’s stuttering start to the new campaign is due to City having struggled to take control in central midfield. Here’s what we know so far about the injured players and when they’re hoped to return.
Ben Sheaf
What’s he done:
The newly appointed Sky Blues skipper suffered an ankle ligament injury at Stevenage in pre-season, resulting in five weeks out. He recovered to play the last 20 minutes of the Carabao Cup tie win over Oxford United, paving the way for a league return against Norwich City. However, he limped off in pain during training at the CBS Arena on the Thursday before City’s last match after aggravating the original injury.
What’s been said:
Mark Robins explained to CoventryLive after the Norwich loss on Saturday, August 31: “…it was a massive blow on Thursday when we lose him for however long we are going to lose him for.”
Asked what he’d done, he revealed: “It’s an aggravation of the same injury. We trained at the stadium on Thursday and he caught the ball on the end of his toe when a cross came in and he was taking a touch to shoot but he actually didn’t take the touch, tried to shoot, one touch. It would have been better if he’d have taken a touch because he wouldn’t have got injured, but the ball came across at some force and then he went through it and it just opened the injury up again, so it’s given him a little bit of pain.
“So whilst it’s not the same injury as before, it’s an aggravation. The break has come at a good time, I guess.”
When’s he due back:
Although the manager didn’t give CoventryLive a specified timescale for his return, the implication was that it could be several more weeks, given that he’d called it a “massive blow.” However, in contrast to that, Robins told BBC CWR that he hoped the player would be “back on the grass” this week, in the lead up to the trip to Vicarage Road, and that he “hoped” Sheaf would be available for the Watford game.
Tatsuhiro Sakamoto
What’s he done:
The popular Japanese winger suffered an ankle injury when tackled against Norwich last time out, resulting in him leaving the stadium in a protective boot.
What’s been said:
Speaking after the 1-0 defeat against the Canaries, Robins said: “We ended up getting Tatsu injured again after last season when they targeted him. Different manager, same outcome. (Callum) Doyle has left one on Tatsu, hurt his ankle and absolutely nothing happens. It’s just par for the course and it’s just not right.”
Asked how serious the injury is, the manager said: “He’s in a boot so we have to wait for it to settle down to see how bad it is.”
When is he due back:
Unclear at this stage. Update expected on Friday.
Raphael
What’s he done:
The summer signing from Australian top flight club Macarthur FC suffered a significant thigh strain injury in the opening pre-season game of the season, beind-closed-doors against Port Vale. He’s not featured since.
What’s been said:
Providing an update on August 23, Robins said: “He’s had a setback. His thigh hasn’t settled down, so he is going to be a while. But we have to use this time to make sure he is physically in a good position.”
When’s he due back:
Unspecified at this stage but given the fact that he missed the entire pre-season he’ll no doubt be handed a game or two in the Under-21s before working his way onto the first team bench.
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