DEFENDER FIGHTING FOR PLACE
RICHARD Wood returned to pre-season more determined than ever to finally nail down his place in Coventry City's first team.
The 27-year-old defender wants to put a season of disappointment * during which he made just 12 starts * behind him and help lead the Sky Blues to League One success. He was back at Ryton two weeks before the rest of the squad to give himself a head start in the battle for places.
“I want to be on the team-sheet at Yeovil and I'll be doing everything I can to make sure I give myself the best chance of doing that,“ said the centre-back, who has been out since February with injury.
“I got a bang on my knee in the Reading game back on February 11.
It was an impact injury when I went in for a challenge with Jimmy Kebe and it took a chunk out of the cartilage underneath my kneecap.
“I had an op to repair and stabilise it but it was a bit more complicated than I had hoped so it has taken longer.
“I came in a couple of weeks before the other lads started back on July 1 to get as fit as I could and I have trained every day since then and I am slowly getting there. I'm just glad to have got my first 45 minutes of competitive football on Saturday.“
The departure of Martin Cranie and James McPake and imminent exit of Richard Keogh puts Wood further up the pecking order but the former Sheffield Wednesday player knows he can't take anything for granted with fresh competition from Kevin Malaga and at least one more centre-half yet to be signed.
“I don't know what's going to happen with the triallist William Edjenguele but he looks good, as does Kevin,“ he said.
“They are both big, strong units so it provides good competition for me and that's what every team and every player needs. I think it helps to spur each other on.
“I was really disappointed with my season last year when I didn't play enough so I really want to nail down my position in the side this year. All I can do is keep training hard and working hard and hope that the manager picks me.
“We'll just have to see what happens but I always give 100 per cent in training and I want that position and I want to play every week.“
As for his hopes for the new campaign and life in League One, he said: “With the lads who have come in so far, things are looking good for the new season. It was a good performance on Saturday * 8-0 is not bad when you consider the season before last we went to Hinckley and drew 0-0, so hopefully things are starting to look good in terms of getting a few goals.
“The players who have come are looking good in training and we've got a bit of experience in there as well in the likes of Kevin Kilbane, who I think is a very good signing, and I'm looking forward to seeing his quality.
“The quality of the squad overall is really good and we are more than good enough to get out of League One. We've just got to try to adjust to what teams are going to do to us and how they are going to play against us. But if we make sure we play our football and cope with the physical side of it then hopefully we'll do fine. But we know it will be a big test.“
Wood wants to get through his per sonal challenge before that, continuing his progress with a run out against Highland League side Brora Rangers tonight.
“We're up in Scotland this week and I just want to get as many minutes under my belt as I can,“ he said.
“I don't know if I will play in all three games but I am more than happy to because I want to play as much as I can to get my match fitness and sharpness right up so that I am ready and in the shirt from day one.“
RICHARD Wood returned to pre-season more determined than ever to finally nail down his place in Coventry City's first team.
The 27-year-old defender wants to put a season of disappointment * during which he made just 12 starts * behind him and help lead the Sky Blues to League One success. He was back at Ryton two weeks before the rest of the squad to give himself a head start in the battle for places.
“I want to be on the team-sheet at Yeovil and I'll be doing everything I can to make sure I give myself the best chance of doing that,“ said the centre-back, who has been out since February with injury.
“I got a bang on my knee in the Reading game back on February 11.
It was an impact injury when I went in for a challenge with Jimmy Kebe and it took a chunk out of the cartilage underneath my kneecap.
“I had an op to repair and stabilise it but it was a bit more complicated than I had hoped so it has taken longer.
“I came in a couple of weeks before the other lads started back on July 1 to get as fit as I could and I have trained every day since then and I am slowly getting there. I'm just glad to have got my first 45 minutes of competitive football on Saturday.“
The departure of Martin Cranie and James McPake and imminent exit of Richard Keogh puts Wood further up the pecking order but the former Sheffield Wednesday player knows he can't take anything for granted with fresh competition from Kevin Malaga and at least one more centre-half yet to be signed.
“I don't know what's going to happen with the triallist William Edjenguele but he looks good, as does Kevin,“ he said.
“They are both big, strong units so it provides good competition for me and that's what every team and every player needs. I think it helps to spur each other on.
“I was really disappointed with my season last year when I didn't play enough so I really want to nail down my position in the side this year. All I can do is keep training hard and working hard and hope that the manager picks me.
“We'll just have to see what happens but I always give 100 per cent in training and I want that position and I want to play every week.“
As for his hopes for the new campaign and life in League One, he said: “With the lads who have come in so far, things are looking good for the new season. It was a good performance on Saturday * 8-0 is not bad when you consider the season before last we went to Hinckley and drew 0-0, so hopefully things are starting to look good in terms of getting a few goals.
“The players who have come are looking good in training and we've got a bit of experience in there as well in the likes of Kevin Kilbane, who I think is a very good signing, and I'm looking forward to seeing his quality.
“The quality of the squad overall is really good and we are more than good enough to get out of League One. We've just got to try to adjust to what teams are going to do to us and how they are going to play against us. But if we make sure we play our football and cope with the physical side of it then hopefully we'll do fine. But we know it will be a big test.“
Wood wants to get through his per sonal challenge before that, continuing his progress with a run out against Highland League side Brora Rangers tonight.
“We're up in Scotland this week and I just want to get as many minutes under my belt as I can,“ he said.
“I don't know if I will play in all three games but I am more than happy to because I want to play as much as I can to get my match fitness and sharpness right up so that I am ready and in the shirt from day one.“
