City bidding to bounce straight back

Bryan Richardson has stayed loyal to Strachan

BBC Sport Online looks at Coventry's chances of regaining Premiership status at the first attempt.

After losing their 34-year status as a top-flight team, Coventry will not want to prolong the agony much beyond one season.

Chairman Bryan Richardson has showed commendable loyalty by keeping faith with Gordon Strachan, but unless the Sky Blues start well, it could all come tumbling down on the fiery Scot.

The inevitable clearout has included the departure of high earners like Craig Bellamy, Mustapha Hadji and John Hartson.

Whether there is still enough talent at Highfield Road to keep Strachan's team among the promotion contenders is now the big question.

Certainly, the arrivals of Julian Joachim and Phil Masinga will compensate in some part for Hartson leaving.

  Summer transfers

IN

Julian Joachim (Aston Villa)

Phil Masinga (Bari)

OUT

Stephen McPhee (Port Vale)

Craig Bellamy (Newcastle)

John Aloisi (Osasuna)

Mustapha Hadji (Aston Villa)

John Hartson (Celtic)

But in the main, Strachan will rely on the same group of players who fought vailiantly against relegation.

The hugely proud Strachan will not want to be remembered as the man who took Coventry down, but not much has gone right for him over the summer.

Hartson's departure stunned the Coventry board who hoped the Welshman would stay for at least another year to help the promotion push.

Then the Sky Blues lost out to Celtic when Steve Guppy chose Glasgow rather than a short move across the Midlands from Leicester.

The one thing in Coventry's favour is that they know how to deal with pressure better than most.

If Strachan's team are still in the frame come late spring, expect them to overhaul any rivals in the quest for the Holy Grail.

But it's a big "if". Clubs just as illustrious as Coventry have tried and failed to get out of this most competitive of divisions.

If they get stuck among the also-rans, it could be a long and fruitless season.