Cotterill struggles to cover his losses.WHILE Micky Adams Michael Richard "Micky" Adams (born 8 November 1961 in Sheffield) is a professional football manager in England and former player. Playing career Adams began his playing career at Gillingham and also had spells at Coventry City, Leeds United and Southampton. takes heart that his back four is back to full strength this week, Burnley boss Steve Cotterill Stephen John Cotterill, born July 20, 1964 is an English football manager, currently manager of Burnley. Playing career He started his playing career in the non-leagues as a forward who could play centrally or in wide positions, playing non-professionally at clubs like is forced to field a depleted back line. Out go centre-backs John McGreal John McGreal (born June 2 1972 in Birkenhead, England) is an English footballer who is an experienced central defender. Having been the linchpin of Ipswich's rise to premiership success, and playing European football John was released after injury and signed for the Clarets and Wayne Thomas
The arena became the venue for Coventry City's home games at the start of the 2005-06 season, following 106 years at the Highfield Road stadium. The first competitive football match played at the Ricoh Arena was against Queens Park Rangers on 20 August 2005, in , forcing right-back Michael Duff
The re-shuffle will see winger Wade Elliott fill in at right-back and John Spicer take the vacant wide midfield position. "I don't think we could permutate any more in the centre of defence," said Cotterill who was this week toying with the idea of dipping into the loan market for emergency cover, just as Adams was last week. "At this moment in time, we just need to take it game by game because we might be completely different next week in terms of the players we have available. "If we had a settled 11 for the last10 games we would have picked up a few points on the way and would have been very confident, but I think, in my honest opinion, the top six is out of our reach because of the run we've just been on." Obviously losing Ade Akinbiyi to Sheffield United in the transfer window was a major blow to the Clarets' play-off hopes which have taken a nose-dive since Christmas, since when they have won just one game in nine - at home to Plymouth - including six defeats. That is in contrast to the Sky Blues recent run of form, as Cotterill is quick to point out. "I think they've had a good run of late," he said. "Their start wasn't the best, but I think they've turned it around and they are on a decent run of late. "I've known Micky for a long time, from our Third Division days when we were rivals, so I'll be looking forward to pitting my wits against him, and I'm sure we'll have a glass of wine afterwards. "I would imagine he and Alan Cork bounce things off each other, they're completely different characters, which is probably what you need, so they have a decent mix, and they're both good lads." And Cotterill knows full well the effect Dennis Wise is having at the Ricoh Arena. "Wisey's had a magnificent career, he's always been a good player, and if people say he's a good player now, you should have seen him a few years ago, certainly in his days at Wimbledon and Chelsea," he said. "I just hope he gets a manager's job before the game! "I think quite often you're only a couple of players away from the jigsaw, and they've brought a few experienced boys in, like Dennis and Don Hutchison, that sometimes pull all that jigsaw together, and they've been good signings." CAPTION(S): KEEP YOUR HEAD... Matt Heath (or possibly Robert Page) gets to grips with Gifton Noel-Williams during the Sky Blues' 4-0 disaster at Turf Moor in August.Picture: Richard Nelmes |
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