With the 43-year-old happy where he is, that could allow the Sky Blues to swoop in for him at some point.
The Sky Blues may have anticipated a hiccup at the start of this season for three reasons.
For starters, the play-off final against Luton Town would have had a psychological impact, with Fankaty Dabo’s missed penalty proving to be the difference between the two sides in the end. Being so close to winning but losing on penalties would have been a huge setback for them, and a hangover would have been expected. In addition, they lost two players over the summer: Viktor Gyokeres and Gustavo Hamer. Coventry’s goal in the play-off final highlights how important they were to the club before moving on to Sporting Lisbon and Sheffield United.
The third and final reason why Mark Robins’ side may have been expected to have a slow start to 2023/24 is that they brought in a lot of players over the summer – and those players will have needed time to settle in.
But the Sky Blues would not have expected to be in 20th place and just five points above the drop zone after yesterday’s 3-2 defeat against Preston North End.
Should Mark Robins’ Coventry City future be in doubt?
Coventry have been on the rise for much of Robins’ tenure as manager, rising from League Two to the top of the Championship.
Robins deserves a lot of time to turn things around in the Midlands after doing extremely well despite off-field problems under SISU, with the club even playing a chunk of their home games away from the Coventry Building Society Arena. If they reach January and are in the relegation zone, it’s understandable if owner Doug King makes a managerial change.
Sometimes a change is needed to freshen things up, and Bristol City and Millwall have done just that.
However, because he has previously proven to be a success at the CBS Arena, you would bet on Robins to turn things around.
To show respect for Sky Blues’ current manager, the club should not be lining up candidates to replace him just yet, but one man could end up being a good Robins successor if a change is required.
Could John Eustace be the ideal fit for Coventry City if they make a managerial change?
According to the South London Press, John Eustace is now believed to be settled in the Midlands, which is not surprising.
For starters, he doesn’t need to take a job right now because he will be receiving compensation after being fired by Birmingham City last month, so he won’t be eager to leave his current location.
In addition, he has spent a significant portion of his life in the Midlands, having been born in Solihull and having played for Coventry City as well as Stoke City and Derby County.
If Eustace is settled in his current location, he may be tempted to take on the Coventry job – and the fact that he is close to home may allow him to thrive in this role at the CBS Arena.
He would be a good candidate for the Coventry job if he was already doing a good job at another club at this level, especially as a man who knows them well. He’ll have been keeping a close eye on things as a local and a former player.
The great thing about Eustace is that he’s comfortable playing with a back three and a back four, and that versatility will pay dividends if he comes in and they’re still struggling.
Other Midlands clubs, such as Derby and Stoke, could make a move for him, but Paul Warne has the ability to turn things around at Pride Park, and Alex Neil is getting the Potters back on track.
