Match Thread Supporter's Meeting with Doug King Match Thread (19 Viewers)

[Theonlywayisskyblue]

I fundamentally disagree with the premise that Doug King always wanted to sack Robins.

A lot of the arguments in favour of this premise was the supposed undermining of Robins position i.e. signing players without MR’s input, sacking AV, the Performance Director and ofc, the coaching structure. Robins signed off on all signings, decided he could no longer work with AV and decided on the flat structure. King’s first act was to give AV and MR contract extensions so this idea it was King’s plan all along is just nonsense.

King strikes me more of a ruthless pragmatist. Results were stagnant for a prolonged period, he believed (rightly or wrongly) that MR was exposed without an elite coach with him and he acted to get rid of MR when the results turned.

I don’t like the decision to sack MR, at all. I will acknowledge that there’s a perfectly logical thought process behind the decision. The onus is on King and the hiring panel to is to not fuck it up.

If DK did always want to sack him then giving him an expensive 4 year contract not long before firing him is an expensive way to do it, isn't it ?

 

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[Mucca Mad Boys]

This is just made up nonsense and what is really worrying is the forum rep liked it!

Seriously, where to start with it? @Paxman II please take off the tin foil hat!

King literally outlined the Performance Director’s role (for people who couldn’t work it out) and Dean Austin was hired before King came in and was MR’s man.

Then there’s the coaching structure, it was introduced after AV left so didn’t undermine their relationship. MR decided on said coaching structure and unless King lied last night and MR in press releases at the time, 100% the case that MR hired them all.

I just genuinely believe that there is a sizeable chunk of the supporters that refuse to consider that MR can make mistakes. He’s only human and there was a risk he was going to get exposed when he made the decision he did.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

If DK did always want to sack him then giving him an expensive 4 year contract not long before firing him is an expensive way to do it, isn't it ?

Exactly, it’s an idea that never made any sense so I cannot understand why so many peddled this nonsense idea.

 

[Grendel]

You have literally made up a scenario.

And @Sky Blue Pete likes it!

 

[TomRad85]

And @Sky Blue Pete likes it!

Not great really is it. The whole post is absolute anal gravy.

 

[Nick]

Robins "I interviewed the Coaches and planned the structure." "Every single decision that’s made here is my decision, in terms of the football side of things"
King: "Robins decided on the coaches and structure"

Fans: "King has hired all of the coaches himself and Robins and Adi were pissed off because they are shit."

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

This is a very odd take on those two games to me. We absolutely dominated parachute payment Luton for 90 minutes and then stomped on a Boro side that has scored 9 goals in 2 games since. Derby was poor I will grant you but I reckon he would have done Sunderland and I didn't see the sense in going into that without a manager.

It really isn't an odd take.

Against Luton, we were largely on top for 90 minutes yet still found ourselves 2-0 down at half time. Don't you think that was a slight cause for concern given their form?

Yes, Middlesbrough are a good side, but if you're trying to say that a red card after 22 minutes didn't automatically shift the dynamic of the game into our favour then I don't really know what to say.

Despite the scoreline, I wouldn't suggest we dominated that game either. We looked pretty vulnerable once they went down to 10 men and only appeared remotely comfortable in the last 15 minutes when realistically tired legs set in and we were able exploit their lack of numbers more.

Both results papered over the cracks and the Derby game highlighted that. The only odd take was using these results as some kind of proof of a monumental turnaround when quite clearly there was still a great deal of work to do.

 

[MalcSB]

So that was before the CET interview I think.
And they limped along working together for another 6 weeks.

Interview was published 10 days or so after the Wolves game.

semifinal was about 4 weeks after interview

 

[MalcSB]

Yeah, I know. That was the joke though, the doctor bit and I would have said the same thing if it had been a bloke. It was nothing to do with her being a woman and everything to do with her being a doctor.

Thats the problem, say anything negative about the Performance Director and it’s because the role is occupied by a woman. So many people on here have talked about a number of players being “confidence” players. Robins talked about players being affected by negative comments on social media etc. the Performance Director is a psychologist ffs and part of the role is to strengthen the players mentality.

 

[MalcSB]

This has been playing on my mind, because I know that I heard DK say it (whether it was a faux pas or not, I don’t know) and and if it’s true, the cracks were appearing even before the play off final.

He said, referring to Mark and Adi’s falling out, that it happened in: ‘March or April of last year…’

Could easily have been an innocent slip, and he meant this year, however, I dunno. It just makes me wonder how long it’s actually been since they had been at loggerheads.

Probably meant last season.

 

[MalcSB]

I took it as him saying it happened last season. Confusing it with "last year" is easily done when under pressure, as last nights event was. It happens on here too sometimes.

King namedropping Andy Turner as the catalyst was the surprising thing for me.

The Adi interview is still available on the CovTel site and there is nothing damning in it at all. So why would Robins get upset ? Adi would have had to get permission to talk to the press so candidly. As Adi's boss, Robins would have known about it beforehand and could have blocked it if he didn't want to be undermined.

King said the interviews were unauthorised.

 

[Otis]

I really don't think it matters what we believe and think about this anymore. It's done. It's dusted.

We need to move on.

All focus on the new manager, whoever that will be

 

[stupot07]

Having considered what was said by King at the meeting of minds, I thought he managed to put a pretty good spin on things. It was not clear just how Robin's had a major 'fall out' with Vivash which is on the face of it a big pill to swallow given they had succeeded together for nearly 8 years! Not sure the spin from King about Robin's saying Vivash had to go is quite how it went down.
I've highlighted plenty of times on here that the issues were around the new structure put in place, namely the coaching staff and other backroom staff. I believe still that this undermined not only Robin's role but also largely Vivash's. It was indeed a case of Kings demand to put in place what he believes with a whole team of coaches, performance directors etc for everyone to work with.
My take is still that Vivash's role was untenable as he refused to accept a lessor role on the coaching side. Robin's decided he had to accept in order to move forward and see where it goes. Looking back at comments of Robin's after games he is clear his role had been diminished. Robin's failed to persuade Vivash to stand against it together, and they had a fall out and Robin's explained Vivash would not work under these terms, it would be difficult unless something changed. That meant King dismissal of Vivash, not as he said that Robin's said he had to go. So Robin's loses his right hand man and progressively the set up was getting more awkward by the day there on in. But being such a pro he soldiered on and a poor start just wasn't what was wanted. However he was slowly getting to grips with it and most likely he knew he had bags of credit in the bank to push on and see what transpired. But King obviously decided it was not going to work out, having listened to the snitchers from the 'team' and his desire to appoint a single head coach among coaches system. Not fair on Robin's one bit. Hence the shock by everyone. Robin's would have adjusted over time, and got it right but King has an idea and planned the way forward half knowing Robin's was more old school, and would not be a perfect fit. So he pulled the plug rather than adjust his terms and approach. So yes it's all on King.
Appoint the wrong guy now and he is in for a very rough ride. As someone pointed out football clubs are not normal corporate spaces, they require a large dose of humility from a coach/manager at the head of the line that every player looks up to and wants to play for. Pep has a team but he is very much in charge. That's a lesson King needs to heed.
I am absolutely certain that Robin's will turn up at a club with Vivash at his side in the near future. King simply has to get this appointment right. The sort of person he is looking for is an Ian Dowie type. Those old enough to know will remember he was a stats man with laptop in hand and would have worked under the type of set up King is putting in place today.
Finding that kind of coach won't be easy. With a performance director and recruitment guy brathing down your neck every day qustioning your decisions it won't suit many. Football is played on the grass not on a computer screen. Time will tell but finding someonbe with better credentials than Robin's is a very tough ask. Perhaps it is the Graham Potter types, young, coach orientated wanting to have just team responsabilities.

 

[Gibbo]

Robins "I interviewed the Coaches and planned the structure." "Every single decision that’s made here is my decision, in terms of the football side of things"
King: "Robins decided on the coaches and structure"

Fans: "King has hired all of the coaches himself and Robins and Adi were pissed off because they are shit."

We know from history that people do not always tell the absolute truth in public and statements should not always be taken at face value

Robins was never likely to say in public that it had been imposed on him, altho there is a reasonable chance that it was, and rather than lose face he took ownership of it. Robins is great at straight batting when there is all sorts of shit going on behind - he did throughout the SISU years.

Until MR writes his memoirs we will never know for sure but I still find it hard to fathom that there was a Robins / Viveash fall out of such nuclear proportions, given their history having been through SISU

Just because DK has grabbed hold of the narrative does not make it all 100% true.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Having considered what was said by King at the meeting of minds, I thought he managed to put a pretty good spin on things. It was not clear just how Robin's had a major 'fall out' with Vivash which is on the face of it a big pill to swallow given they had succeeded together for nearly 8 years! Not sure the spin from King about Robin's saying Vivash had to go is quite how it went down.
I've highlighted plenty of times on here that the issues were around the new structure put in place, namely the coaching staff and other backroom staff. I believe still that this undermined not only Robin's role but also largely Vivash's. It was indeed a case of Kings demand to put in place what he believes with a whole team of coaches, performance directors etc for everyone to work with.
My take is still that Vivash's role was untenable as he refused to accept a lessor role on the coaching side. Robin's decided he had to accept in order to move forward and see where it goes. Looking back at comments of Robin's after games he is clear his role had been diminished. Robin's failed to persuade Vivash to stand against it together, and they had a fall out and Robin's explained Vivash would not work under these terms, it would be difficult unless something changed. That meant King dismissal of Vivash, not as he said that Robin's said he had to go. So Robin's loses his right hand man and progressively the set up was getting more awkward by the day there on in. But being such a pro he soldiered on and a poor start just wasn't what was wanted. However he was slowly getting to grips with it and most likely he knew he had bags of credit in the bank to push on and see what transpired. But King obviously decided it was not going to work out, having listened to the snitchers from the 'team' and his desire to appoint a single head coach among coaches system. Not fair on Robin's one bit. Hence the shock by everyone. Robin's would have adjusted over time, and got it right but King has an idea and planned the way forward half knowing Robin's was more old school, and would not be a perfect fit. So he pulled the plug rather than adjust his terms and approach. So yes it's all on King.
Appoint the wrong guy now and he is in for a very rough ride. As someone pointed out football clubs are not normal corporate spaces, they require a large dose of humility from a coach/manager at the head of the line that every player looks up to and wants to play for. Pep has a team but he is very much in charge. That's a lesson King needs to heed.
I am absolutely certain that Robin's will turn up at a club with Vivash at his side in the near future. King simply has to get this appointment right. The sort of person he is looking for is an Ian Dowie type. Those old enough to know will remember he was a stats man with laptop in hand and would have worked under the type of set up King is putting in place today.
Finding that kind of coach won't be easy. With a performance director and recruitment guy brathing down your neck every day qustioning your decisions it won't suit many. Football is played on the grass not on a computer screen. Time will tell but finding someonbe with better credentials than Robin's is a very tough ask. Perhaps it is the Graham Potter types, young, coach orientated wanting to have just team responsabilities.

This is more long winded and cumbersome than CCFC playing out from the back.

 

[MalcSB]

Having had time to think about it. King was very clever and planned every move.
He opened with the bombshell of Robins being responsible for Adi going,and spent time going into detail about the situation and how he had tried to act as the peacemaker.
This completely transformed the whole situation immediately, and got everyone thinking about Mark forcing Adi out.
Whilst of course good old Doug was trying his best to keep the team together.
So good old Marky wasn’t our hero,Doug was. Robins is the ruthless one who splits up the partnership that works, replaces it with something that doesn’t and hence fails and has to go.
Nobody was there to say anything different,so bingo the whole room is gobsmacked.
Nice one Dougie, you played a blinder

What did you expect? He was always going to be prepped before the interview.

 

[MalcSB]

Having considered what was said by King at the meeting of minds, I thought he managed to put a pretty good spin on things. It was not clear just how Robin's had a major 'fall out' with Vivash which is on the face of it a big pill to swallow given they had succeeded together for nearly 8 years! Not sure the spin from King about Robin's saying Vivash had to go is quite how it went down.
I've highlighted plenty of times on here that the issues were around the new structure put in place, namely the coaching staff and other backroom staff. I believe still that this undermined not only Robin's role but also largely Vivash's. It was indeed a case of Kings demand to put in place what he believes with a whole team of coaches, performance directors etc for everyone to work with.
My take is still that Vivash's role was untenable as he refused to accept a lessor role on the coaching side. Robin's decided he had to accept in order to move forward and see where it goes. Looking back at comments of Robin's after games he is clear his role had been diminished. Robin's failed to persuade Vivash to stand against it together, and they had a fall out and Robin's explained Vivash would not work under these terms, it would be difficult unless something changed. That meant King dismissal of Vivash, not as he said that Robin's said he had to go. So Robin's loses his right hand man and progressively the set up was getting more awkward by the day there on in. But being such a pro he soldiered on and a poor start just wasn't what was wanted. However he was slowly getting to grips with it and most likely he knew he had bags of credit in the bank to push on and see what transpired. But King obviously decided it was not going to work out, having listened to the snitchers from the 'team' and his desire to appoint a single head coach among coaches system. Not fair on Robin's one bit. Hence the shock by everyone. Robin's would have adjusted over time, and got it right but King has an idea and planned the way forward half knowing Robin's was more old school, and would not be a perfect fit. So he pulled the plug rather than adjust his terms and approach. So yes it's all on King.
Appoint the wrong guy now and he is in for a very rough ride. As someone pointed out football clubs are not normal corporate spaces, they require a large dose of humility from a coach/manager at the head of the line that every player looks up to and wants to play for. Pep has a team but he is very much in charge. That's a lesson King needs to heed.
I am absolutely certain that Robin's will turn up at a club with Vivash at his side in the near future. King simply has to get this appointment right. The sort of person he is looking for is an Ian Dowie type. Those old enough to know will remember he was a stats man with laptop in hand and would have worked under the type of set up King is putting in place today.
Finding that kind of coach won't be easy. With a performance director and recruitment guy brathing down your neck every day qustioning your decisions it won't suit many. Football is played on the grass not on a computer screen. Time will tell but finding someonbe with better credentials than Robin's is a very tough ask. Perhaps it is the Graham Potter types, young, coach orientated wanting to have just team responsabilities.

Did you put King’s account into a liquidiser to come up with that?

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

We know from history that people do not always tell the absolute truth in public and statements should not always be taken at face value

Robins was never likely to say in public that it had been imposed on him, altho there is a reasonable chance that it was, and rather than lose face he took ownership of it. Robins is great at straight batting when there is all sorts of shit going on behind - he did throughout the SISU years.

Until MR writes his memoirs we will never know for sure but I still find it hard to fathom that there was a Robins / Viveash fall out of such nuclear proportions, given their history having been through SISU

Just because DK has grabbed hold of the narrative does not make it all 100% true.

You’re right in saying just because DK grabbed hold of the narrative doesn’t make it true. Equally, to tell a bare faced lie in public is risky because Robins or even Viveash could rebuke the comments made in public.

Why does anyone believe that MR would stand for DK meddling in the coaching set up? MR doesn’t strike me as someone who would accept these things being taken out of his hands after all his success with us.

It doesn’t have to be one incident in particular that led to MR and AV falling out, they’ve been colleagues for 7 years and that’s a long time. The pair may have decided they needed to go their separate ways, similar to a divorce, it’s an accumulation of things.

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

I hope we sign a new 'Deck Chief' asap, so that this theorist nonsense stops and we can start talking about tactics and said incumbent. It's going to be tortuous if there is a void of actual news between now and the Sheff Utd game.

 

[Seamus1]

There have been a number of references to John Dawkins’ podcast; his reaction to the conference. Does anybody have a link to it? The latest That CovPod (podcast) I see on Spotify or my podcasts app is for the reaction to the Sunderland game.

 

[The watchmaker]

It really isn't an odd take.

Against Luton, we were largely on top for 90 minutes yet still found ourselves 2-0 down at half time. Don't you think that was a slight cause for concern given their form?

Yes, Middlesbrough are a good side, but if you're trying to say that a red card after 22 minutes didn't automatically shift the dynamic of the game into our favour then I don't really know what to say.

Despite the scoreline, I wouldn't suggest we dominated that game either. We looked pretty vulnerable once they went down to 10 men and only appeared remotely comfortable in the last 15 minutes when realistically tired legs set in and we were able exploit their lack of numbers more.

Both results papered over the cracks and the Derby game highlighted that. The only odd take was using these results as some kind of proof of a monumental turnaround when quite clearly there was still a great deal of work to do.

2-0 down yes I was concerned for Robins and disappointed because we were playing really well. Yes, the leaky defence is something that has really needed sorting. But games are 90 minutes long and we stormed back in a way that was reminiscent of our finest performances last season. Really enjoyed that game.

Of course Boro going down to 10 had an impact on the game but it's not easy to win games in the championship and when the chips (decks?) were down, the players turned up and delivered, got the points, looked on it. I didn't say this pointed to a 'monumental turnaround' but in isolation those were good games, they were big wins.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

Having had time to think about it. King was very clever and planned every move.
He opened with the bombshell of Robins being responsible for Adi going,and spent time going into detail about the situation and how he had tried to act as the peacemaker.
This completely transformed the whole situation immediately, and got everyone thinking about Mark forcing Adi out.
Whilst of course good old Doug was trying his best to keep the team together.
So good old Marky wasn’t our hero,Doug was. Robins is the ruthless one who splits up the partnership that works, replaces it with something that doesn’t and hence fails and has to go.
Nobody was there to say anything different,so bingo the whole room is gobsmacked.
Nice one Dougie, you played a blinder

I don’t think he presented himself as a hero. He needed to set the record straight because of the toxicity around the club brewing for a while. Specifically, on the coaching structure and Dr Roberts role in the club.

The reason it was such a curveball for many on here was because they refused to believe that MR could be have been at the centre of the changes. The narrative was that it was all Dr Roberts and Doug King’s master plan to undermine and sack Robins.

The MR and AV came to a surprise to me but that’s it really. MR said in press releases that he was impressed with all the candidates “we” interviewed - these are all on the club website still.

 

[The watchmaker]

I really don't think it matters what we believe and think about this anymore. It's done. It's dusted.

We need to move on.

All focus on the new manager, whoever that will be

I feel like people are slowly getting there. Now looking forward to a few months of healing and solidarity before the Robins out lot turn on the new guy once more.

 

[bigfatronssba]

You didn't get an answer about the licence (not lease) because he can't give you one

When asked about rescheduling his 5 year plan he again could not reply. He is constrained by the licence term.

If the guy hadn’t wasted his time by insulting King, he could’ve asked a direct question about the lease that King couldn’t have avoided answering

 

[Diogenes]

My thoughts

Having considered what was said by King at the meeting of minds, I thought he managed to put a pretty good spin on things. It was not clear just how Robin's had a major 'fall out' with Vivash which is on the face of it a big pill to swallow given they had succeeded together for nearly 8 years! Not sure the spin from King about Robin's saying Vivash had to go is quite how it went down.
I've highlighted plenty of times on here that the issues were around the new structure put in place, namely the coaching staff and other backroom staff. I believe still that this undermined not only Robin's role but also largely Vivash's. It was indeed a case of Kings demand to put in place what he believes with a whole team of coaches, performance directors etc for everyone to work with.
My take is still that Vivash's role was untenable as he refused to accept a lessor role on the coaching side. Robin's decided he had to accept in order to move forward and see where it goes. Looking back at comments of Robin's after games he is clear his role had been diminished. Robin's failed to persuade Vivash to stand against it together, and they had a fall out and Robin's explained Vivash would not work under these terms, it would be difficult unless something changed. That meant King dismissal of Vivash, not as he said that Robin's said he had to go. So Robin's loses his right hand man and progressively the set up was getting more awkward by the day there on in. But being such a pro he soldiered on and a poor start just wasn't what was wanted. However he was slowly getting to grips with it and most likely he knew he had bags of credit in the bank to push on and see what transpired. But King obviously decided it was not going to work out, having listened to the snitchers from the 'team' and his desire to appoint a single head coach among coaches system. Not fair on Robin's one bit. Hence the shock by everyone. Robin's would have adjusted over time, and got it right but King has an idea and planned the way forward half knowing Robin's was more old school, and would not be a perfect fit. So he pulled the plug rather than adjust his terms and approach. So yes it's all on King.
Appoint the wrong guy now and he is in for a very rough ride. As someone pointed out football clubs are not normal corporate spaces, they require a large dose of humility from a coach/manager at the head of the line that every player looks up to and wants to play for. Pep has a team but he is very much in charge. That's a lesson King needs to heed.
I am absolutely certain that Robin's will turn up at a club with Vivash at his side in the near future. King simply has to get this appointment right. The sort of person he is looking for is an Ian Dowie type. Those old enough to know will remember he was a stats man with laptop in hand and would have worked under the type of set up King is putting in place today.
Finding that kind of coach won't be easy. With a performance director and recruitment guy brathing down your neck every day qustioning your decisions it won't suit many. Football is played on the grass not on a computer screen. Time will tell but finding someonbe with better credentials than Robin's is a very tough ask. Perhaps it is the Graham Potter types, young, coach orientated wanting to have just team responsabilities.

Doug King is exactly what Coventry needs right now, and it’s about time people start realizing that. This isn’t a situation where Coventry should be pandering to those clinging to the past or throwing a pity party for anyone who can’t adapt to the direction King is taking the club. We’re not in the era of old-school football management where one manager is the unquestioned boss of every little detail—this is the modern game, and King understands that. His vision for Coventry isn’t built on sentimentality or nostalgia; it’s built on results, efficiency, and an elevated level of professionalism that’s long overdue. The idea that some people feel sorry for Vivash because he didn’t want to be “undermined” by having a performance director around is just laughable. It’s 2024, not 1994. Top clubs worldwide have coaching teams, analysts, performance directors, nutritionists, sports scientists, and data-driven strategies, all working together. This isn’t a new concept, and for anyone to be offended or to claim that it "diminishes" their role is nothing short of a low-T reaction. Coventry isn’t here to nurture anyone’s outdated sense of entitlement. King is about progress and results, and the performance director is an integral part of that. This individual isn’t there to “undermine” anyone; they’re there to make sure every single department of this club operates at the highest level, free of egos and personal agendas. If anything, the resistance to this new system is just an indication of who’s really not cut out for the next level of football. Football is no longer just about gut instincts and barking orders on the training pitch; it’s about using every advantage possible, and if you’re not on board with that, maybe you’re the one who’s not fit to be here. The notion that King has somehow wronged Robin or that Robin’s role has been “diminished” is ridiculous. If anything, he was given the opportunity to step up within this new structure and lead Coventry into a new era, but instead of rising to the challenge, he and his supporters want to act like he’s a victim. Real leaders don’t complain when things change; they adapt, they find new ways to thrive, and they focus on the bigger picture. King didn’t dismiss Vivash because Robin “told him to go”—King made the call because Vivash wasn’t willing to work within a collaborative, forward-thinking setup that could actually take Coventry places. Let’s be honest: if Vivash was so indispensable, he would have found a way to make himself relevant within this new structure, rather than clinging to the idea that his word alone should be gospel. King’s decision to bring in more staff, more structure, and a dedicated performance director wasn’t some power trip—it was the next logical step for a club looking to compete at a higher level. If that makes some people uncomfortable, that’s on them. People need to stop acting like this is some personal vendetta against Robin or Vivash and start realizing that Coventry is bigger than any single individual. King has a vision that aligns with the modern realities of football, where every decision is backed by data, where departments operate with oversight, and where no one person’s ego is allowed to dictate the direction of the entire club. It’s the simps and soyboys who can’t handle the reality of a structured, competitive environment who are making this about King versus Robin, rather than acknowledging that this is about progress versus stagnation. Coventry isn’t here to play the same old game—it’s here to elevate, to compete, to dominate. Robin had his shot to prove that he could thrive in this setup, and if he wasn’t able to, that’s on him, not on King. King’s only “crime” here is setting Coventry up to be a club that thinks long-term, a club that’s adaptable, and a club that’s not afraid to make the hard choices for the sake of winning. People need to stop viewing football through the lens of “loyalty” and “tradition” and start seeing it as a business, as a competition, as a place where only the strong survive. King didn’t just walk in and decide to turn everything upside down for fun—he saw what was missing and what needed to change. The fact that Robin didn’t last in this environment isn’t a failure on King’s part; it’s a testament to his vision and his commitment to making Coventry a club that’s no longer satisfied with mediocrity. If Coventry’s supporters want to be truly competitive, they need to get on board with King’s methods and stop idolizing a system that’s outdated and inefficient.

 

[shmmeee]

My thoughts

Doug King is exactly what Coventry needs right now, and it’s about time people start realizing that. This isn’t a situation where Coventry should be pandering to those clinging to the past or throwing a pity party for anyone who can’t adapt to the direction King is taking the club. We’re not in the era of old-school football management where one manager is the unquestioned boss of every little detail—this is the modern game, and King understands that. His vision for Coventry isn’t built on sentimentality or nostalgia; it’s built on results, efficiency, and an elevated level of professionalism that’s long overdue. The idea that some people feel sorry for Vivash because he didn’t want to be “undermined” by having a performance director around is just laughable. It’s 2024, not 1994. Top clubs worldwide have coaching teams, analysts, performance directors, nutritionists, sports scientists, and data-driven strategies, all working together. This isn’t a new concept, and for anyone to be offended or to claim that it "diminishes" their role is nothing short of a low-T reaction. Coventry isn’t here to nurture anyone’s outdated sense of entitlement. King is about progress and results, and the performance director is an integral part of that. This individual isn’t there to “undermine” anyone; they’re there to make sure every single department of this club operates at the highest level, free of egos and personal agendas. If anything, the resistance to this new system is just an indication of who’s really not cut out for the next level of football. Football is no longer just about gut instincts and barking orders on the training pitch; it’s about using every advantage possible, and if you’re not on board with that, maybe you’re the one who’s not fit to be here. The notion that King has somehow wronged Robin or that Robin’s role has been “diminished” is ridiculous. If anything, he was given the opportunity to step up within this new structure and lead Coventry into a new era, but instead of rising to the challenge, he and his supporters want to act like he’s a victim. Real leaders don’t complain when things change; they adapt, they find new ways to thrive, and they focus on the bigger picture. King didn’t dismiss Vivash because Robin “told him to go”—King made the call because Vivash wasn’t willing to work within a collaborative, forward-thinking setup that could actually take Coventry places. Let’s be honest: if Vivash was so indispensable, he would have found a way to make himself relevant within this new structure, rather than clinging to the idea that his word alone should be gospel. King’s decision to bring in more staff, more structure, and a dedicated performance director wasn’t some power trip—it was the next logical step for a club looking to compete at a higher level. If that makes some people uncomfortable, that’s on them. People need to stop acting like this is some personal vendetta against Robin or Vivash and start realizing that Coventry is bigger than any single individual. King has a vision that aligns with the modern realities of football, where every decision is backed by data, where departments operate with oversight, and where no one person’s ego is allowed to dictate the direction of the entire club. It’s the simps and soyboys who can’t handle the reality of a structured, competitive environment who are making this about King versus Robin, rather than acknowledging that this is about progress versus stagnation. Coventry isn’t here to play the same old game—it’s here to elevate, to compete, to dominate. Robin had his shot to prove that he could thrive in this setup, and if he wasn’t able to, that’s on him, not on King. King’s only “crime” here is setting Coventry up to be a club that thinks long-term, a club that’s adaptable, and a club that’s not afraid to make the hard choices for the sake of winning. People need to stop viewing football through the lens of “loyalty” and “tradition” and start seeing it as a business, as a competition, as a place where only the strong survive. King didn’t just walk in and decide to turn everything upside down for fun—he saw what was missing and what needed to change. The fact that Robin didn’t last in this environment isn’t a failure on King’s part; it’s a testament to his vision and his commitment to making Coventry a club that’s no longer satisfied with mediocrity. If Coventry’s supporters want to be truly competitive, they need to get on board with King’s methods and stop idolizing a system that’s outdated and inefficient.

But King said it wasn’t his vision, it was Robins’

 

[clint van damme]

My thoughts

Doug King is exactly what Coventry needs right now, and it’s about time people start realizing that. This isn’t a situation where Coventry should be pandering to those clinging to the past or throwing a pity party for anyone who can’t adapt to the direction King is taking the club. We’re not in the era of old-school football management where one manager is the unquestioned boss of every little detail—this is the modern game, and King understands that. His vision for Coventry isn’t built on sentimentality or nostalgia; it’s built on results, efficiency, and an elevated level of professionalism that’s long overdue. The idea that some people feel sorry for Vivash because he didn’t want to be “undermined” by having a performance director around is just laughable. It’s 2024, not 1994. Top clubs worldwide have coaching teams, analysts, performance directors, nutritionists, sports scientists, and data-driven strategies, all working together. This isn’t a new concept, and for anyone to be offended or to claim that it "diminishes" their role is nothing short of a low-T reaction. Coventry isn’t here to nurture anyone’s outdated sense of entitlement. King is about progress and results, and the performance director is an integral part of that. This individual isn’t there to “undermine” anyone; they’re there to make sure every single department of this club operates at the highest level, free of egos and personal agendas. If anything, the resistance to this new system is just an indication of who’s really not cut out for the next level of football. Football is no longer just about gut instincts and barking orders on the training pitch; it’s about using every advantage possible, and if you’re not on board with that, maybe you’re the one who’s not fit to be here. The notion that King has somehow wronged Robin or that Robin’s role has been “diminished” is ridiculous. If anything, he was given the opportunity to step up within this new structure and lead Coventry into a new era, but instead of rising to the challenge, he and his supporters want to act like he’s a victim. Real leaders don’t complain when things change; they adapt, they find new ways to thrive, and they focus on the bigger picture. King didn’t dismiss Vivash because Robin “told him to go”—King made the call because Vivash wasn’t willing to work within a collaborative, forward-thinking setup that could actually take Coventry places. Let’s be honest: if Vivash was so indispensable, he would have found a way to make himself relevant within this new structure, rather than clinging to the idea that his word alone should be gospel. King’s decision to bring in more staff, more structure, and a dedicated performance director wasn’t some power trip—it was the next logical step for a club looking to compete at a higher level. If that makes some people uncomfortable, that’s on them. People need to stop acting like this is some personal vendetta against Robin or Vivash and start realizing that Coventry is bigger than any single individual. King has a vision that aligns with the modern realities of football, where every decision is backed by data, where departments operate with oversight, and where no one person’s ego is allowed to dictate the direction of the entire club. It’s the simps and soyboys who can’t handle the reality of a structured, competitive environment who are making this about King versus Robin, rather than acknowledging that this is about progress versus stagnation. Coventry isn’t here to play the same old game—it’s here to elevate, to compete, to dominate. Robin had his shot to prove that he could thrive in this setup, and if he wasn’t able to, that’s on him, not on King. King’s only “crime” here is setting Coventry up to be a club that thinks long-term, a club that’s adaptable, and a club that’s not afraid to make the hard choices for the sake of winning. People need to stop viewing football through the lens of “loyalty” and “tradition” and start seeing it as a business, as a competition, as a place where only the strong survive. King didn’t just walk in and decide to turn everything upside down for fun—he saw what was missing and what needed to change. The fact that Robin didn’t last in this environment isn’t a failure on King’s part; it’s a testament to his vision and his commitment to making Coventry a club that’s no longer satisfied with mediocrity. If Coventry’s supporters want to be truly competitive, they need to get on board with King’s methods and stop idolizing a system that’s outdated and inefficient.

Take it to DMs you pair!

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

And @Sky Blue Pete likes it!

What do you think I was liking?

 

[Jamesimus]

My thoughts

Doug King is exactly what Coventry needs right now, and it’s about time people start realizing that. This isn’t a situation where Coventry should be pandering to those clinging to the past or throwing a pity party for anyone who can’t adapt to the direction King is taking the club. We’re not in the era of old-school football management where one manager is the unquestioned boss of every little detail—this is the modern game, and King understands that. His vision for Coventry isn’t built on sentimentality or nostalgia; it’s built on results, efficiency, and an elevated level of professionalism that’s long overdue. The idea that some people feel sorry for Vivash because he didn’t want to be “undermined” by having a performance director around is just laughable. It’s 2024, not 1994. Top clubs worldwide have coaching teams, analysts, performance directors, nutritionists, sports scientists, and data-driven strategies, all working together. This isn’t a new concept, and for anyone to be offended or to claim that it "diminishes" their role is nothing short of a low-T reaction. Coventry isn’t here to nurture anyone’s outdated sense of entitlement. King is about progress and results, and the performance director is an integral part of that. This individual isn’t there to “undermine” anyone; they’re there to make sure every single department of this club operates at the highest level, free of egos and personal agendas. If anything, the resistance to this new system is just an indication of who’s really not cut out for the next level of football. Football is no longer just about gut instincts and barking orders on the training pitch; it’s about using every advantage possible, and if you’re not on board with that, maybe you’re the one who’s not fit to be here. The notion that King has somehow wronged Robin or that Robin’s role has been “diminished” is ridiculous. If anything, he was given the opportunity to step up within this new structure and lead Coventry into a new era, but instead of rising to the challenge, he and his supporters want to act like he’s a victim. Real leaders don’t complain when things change; they adapt, they find new ways to thrive, and they focus on the bigger picture. King didn’t dismiss Vivash because Robin “told him to go”—King made the call because Vivash wasn’t willing to work within a collaborative, forward-thinking setup that could actually take Coventry places. Let’s be honest: if Vivash was so indispensable, he would have found a way to make himself relevant within this new structure, rather than clinging to the idea that his word alone should be gospel. King’s decision to bring in more staff, more structure, and a dedicated performance director wasn’t some power trip—it was the next logical step for a club looking to compete at a higher level. If that makes some people uncomfortable, that’s on them. People need to stop acting like this is some personal vendetta against Robin or Vivash and start realizing that Coventry is bigger than any single individual. King has a vision that aligns with the modern realities of football, where every decision is backed by data, where departments operate with oversight, and where no one person’s ego is allowed to dictate the direction of the entire club. It’s the simps and soyboys who can’t handle the reality of a structured, competitive environment who are making this about King versus Robin, rather than acknowledging that this is about progress versus stagnation. Coventry isn’t here to play the same old game—it’s here to elevate, to compete, to dominate. Robin had his shot to prove that he could thrive in this setup, and if he wasn’t able to, that’s on him, not on King. King’s only “crime” here is setting Coventry up to be a club that thinks long-term, a club that’s adaptable, and a club that’s not afraid to make the hard choices for the sake of winning. People need to stop viewing football through the lens of “loyalty” and “tradition” and start seeing it as a business, as a competition, as a place where only the strong survive. King didn’t just walk in and decide to turn everything upside down for fun—he saw what was missing and what needed to change. The fact that Robin didn’t last in this environment isn’t a failure on King’s part; it’s a testament to his vision and his commitment to making Coventry a club that’s no longer satisfied with mediocrity. If Coventry’s supporters want to be truly competitive, they need to get on board with King’s methods and stop idolizing a system that’s outdated and inefficient.

 

[Pricey1984]

There have been a number of references to John Dawkins’ podcast; his reaction to the conference. Does anybody have a link to it? The latest That CovPod (podcast) I see on Spotify or my podcasts app is for the reaction to the Sunderland game.

x.com

x.com

Looks it it was done on Twitter/X whatever it's called now only

 

[Bugsy]

 

[Diogenes]

On a serious note, I was really impressed by how candid King was yesterday and regardless of what you think about him there aren't many club owners who would have done that. If anything he went a bit too far with how open he was.

It's done good, but still leaves things feeling a bit grimy now. Hopefully a new manager will.be announced sharpish so we can start looking forward to the next chapter.

I also think the comms team should do some videos on "a day in the life of" to really get to know some of the people running the club. If the club communicated more about those roles we wouldn't see half the clownery about them online.

 

[Nick]

We know from history that people do not always tell the absolute truth in public and statements should not always be taken at face value

Robins was never likely to say in public that it had been imposed on him, altho there is a reasonable chance that it was, and rather than lose face he took ownership of it. Robins is great at straight batting when there is all sorts of shit going on behind - he did throughout the SISU years.

Until MR writes his memoirs we will never know for sure but I still find it hard to fathom that there was a Robins / Viveash fall out of such nuclear proportions, given their history having been through SISU

Just because DK has grabbed hold of the narrative does not make it all 100% true.

Ah so Robins made it all up to save face that he was involved with the new coaching and that he was in charge of the footballing side...

 

[clint van damme]

On a serious note, I was really impressed by how candid King was yesterday and regardless of what you think about him there aren't many club owners who would have done that. If anything he went a bit too far with how open he was.

It's done good, but still leaves things feeling a bit grimy now. Hopefully a new manager will.be announced sharpish so we can start looking forward to the next chapter.

I also think the comms team should do some videos on "a day in the life of" to really get to know some of the people running the club. If the club communicated more about those roles we wouldn't see half the clownery about them online.

New man coming in is crucial as far as calming everything down goes in my opinion.

 

[Perennial Lurker]

Take it to DMs you pair!

Wait till @BlueSkiesForever writes his brief account