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Coventry City Football Club

Konjic tests prove optimistic for Sunday

Bosnian Mo Konjic is hoping to shake off a groin injury in time to keep his place in the line-up for the visit of Leicester City on Sunday. Konjic hopeful of Saturday return

Konjic was forced to leave the field after 82 minutes at Valley Parade suffering from a strained muscle, and immediately after he departed, Bradford hit their winner.

The big defender has been outstanding in the four matches he has played so far this season but fears that if he misses this weekend he will once again become the forgotten man of Highfield Road.

Since joining from Monaco two years ago Konjic has never been able to sustain a decent spell without injury and that has led to him being unable to manage more than five consecutive appearances.

It seems that jinx may now have struck again although tests yesterday showed that the player only has a slight strain and could be back in action for the visit of Peter Taylor's men.

The week will be a strong test of Konjic's determination to succeed in English football as he knows he faces competition for his place from five other centre halves at the club.

He is hoping to rest until Wednesday before attempting to join in full training with his team-mates in preparation of the game.

Picture: Konjic hopeful of Saturday return

Experienced reserve team line up

Coventry City's second string take on Southampton at Highfield Road tonight with a few well known Sky Blues stars expected to line up.

Full back Marc Edworthy will start the game after being a substitute at Valley Parade and Swedish goalkeeper Magnus Hedman is also expected to use the opportunity to get a full 90 minutes under his belt.

Scot Colin Hendry should be in the centre of defence alongside either Richard Shaw or Barry Ferguson, as the centre halves try to make their claim for the berth that could be vacated by injured Mo Konjic.

Up front Gordon Strachan will be hoping to give a run out to two of either Ysrael Zuniga, Cedric Roussel and Craig Bellamy as all three have been suffering from a lack of football in recent weeks.

Strachan will be at the clash to decide whether Hedman looks sharp enough to take his place back from teenager Chris Kirkland for Sunday's midlands derby.

He will be hoping that the Swedish number one passes the second string test as he admitted recently that it may be time to give Kirkland a rest.

Thompson eager for sky remedy

Midfielder David Thompson has admitted that he and his team-mates were stunned by their defeat at Bradford City last weekend Thompson still stunned at Valley Parade defeat

But Thompson believes a TV trial against Leicester will prove an ideal remedy.

He refused to accept that the Sky Blues had caved in under pressure at Valley Parade and insisted that their performances were now worthy of collecting points.

He said: "We never even felt under pressure against Bradford to be honest with you and the amount of chances we created I can't believe we only scored one goal.

"I thought their first goal was offside but that is what happens when you are down there that is the kind of luck you get but if you are creating the chances eventually things will go for you.

"I've got to say it does kick you while you are down but we are on the telly against Leicester on Sunday and we will come out fighting."

And Thompson admitted that the team were hoping latest signing Lee Carsley could prove a Sky Blue tonic.

"We are looking forward to getting him in and giving us a boost in midfield by passing the ball and making a few tackles."

Picture: Thompson still stunned at Valley Parade defeat

Wanderer's linked to Palmer

Bolton are now being linked with former City player Carlton Palmer if their bid to get Colin Hendry fails.

Sam Allardyce is said to be weighing up making a move for the former England international despite Hendry being prepared to foot the £125,000 bill to make his move to the Reebok possible.

35 year old Palmer may only be interested though in going to a club where he can dip his feet into the murky waters of management.

Monday, December 04, 2000

Hendry anxious to move

Colin Hendry's move to First Division Bolton could be back on after the Scotland international offered to finance part of the deal himself. Hendry: I gotta get out of this place

Hendry is desperate to get away from Coventry after falling out of favour at Highfield Road and according to reports a loan move to Wanderers is on the verge of going through after the player offered to help out with the finances.

Hendry knows that he needs first team football in order to push his way back into the Scotland squad and he realises that he is not going to get it at Coventry.

Trotters boss Sam Allardyce is desperate to strengthen the centre of his defence and with moves to sign Pierre Njanka and Paul Butler seemingly on the back burner, snapping up Hendry on a three-month loan deal could be the answer to his problems.

Picture: Hendry: I gotta get out of this place

Bellamy concerns surface

Craig Bellamy will today discuss his Highfield Road situation with manager Gordon Strachan after being left out of the City side again.

The striker was on the substitutes bench for the visit of Aston Villa last week and despite scoring when restored to the starting line-up against Ipswich in the Worthington Cup he was axed again at the weekend.

This time Moroccan midfielder Moustapha Hadji was preferred to the Wales star leaving fans fearing that Strachan now believes Bellamy is not ready for the Premiership.

The 21-year-old will talk to his boss today to establish the reasons behind the decision although he has admitted himself that his start at Highfield Road has not been up to scratch.

The £2.5 million midweek capture of Lee Carsley means that Strachan has now been handed all of the money which the club made from the sale of Robbie Keane.

Along with the Blackburn midfielder, Strachan has purchased Bellamy, David Thompson and Honduran duo Ivan Guerrero and Jairo Martinez.

Of all these only Thompson has made any impact since his arrival and many City fans will again be questioning the wisdom of Keane's record sale.

Carsley aiming to be saviour

Midfielder Lee Carlsey will today train with his new team-mates for the first time determined to help them end their Premiership slump.

Gordon Strachan has lined up several practice games so that Carsley's new team-mates can quickly adjust to playing with the Eire star in their engine room.

Defenders Gary Breen and Barry Quinn already know the player from international duty and club captain Paul Williams played with the tough tackler 23 times in the 1994/95 season at Derby County so he should find it easy to settle.

The 26-year-old has been unsettled at Blackburn Rovers this season and was desperately looking for a move back to the Premiership.

Now he has been handed that by Gordon Strachan the player says he is determined to keep the club in the division where they have played for over 30 years.

Carlsey will be thrown straight into the deep end on Sunday where he will make his Sky Blues debut in front of the TV cameras against Leicester City. It's likely he will play at the expense of either Paul Telfer or Carlton Palmer although the latter is the more likely of the two with the former Sheffield Wednesday star transfer listed.

Strachan - let's stick together

Gordon Strachan says the whole club has to pull together from top to bottom if they are to come through the current slump. Strachan: we're all in it together

Coventry went down to two late goals at Bradford City on Saturday, to eventually go down two-one against Bradford City. But the fact that - in Strachan's eyes at least - the players did everything asked of them, only served to heighten his post-match disappointment.

"We are all in a slump, but it is not for the want of trying on our part," he said.

And he asserted that everyone at the club had a part to play in resurrecting the side's season.

"It's not about what I've got to do, it's about what we've all got to do. At this moment we're known as losers, and that means everybody - all the way down to the physios. It's now about everyone doing everything they can to help the 11 on the pitch.

"I've asked the players to do certain things and they've done them. But at this moment our technical level isn't great because of the position we're in.

"I couldn't give my players any stick because basically I feel sorry for them. They didn't get their just rewards."

The fiery Scot is not alien to this situation by any means and although there is a perilous look about City's position at present there is little doubt that Strachan enjoys the backing of the majority of the support. This alone will serve to keep the "pressure" off while the club is in a state of transition.

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