Coventry City striker Stuart Beavon says the players are hoping to benefit from having former Manchester United striker Mark Robins as their new manager.
He told today’s press conference after one week of training at Ryton under Robins, and ahead of tomorrow’s important home game against promotion-chasing Bradford City: “Things change when a new manager comes in. There are different methods in training.
“He’s trying to get the way he wants to play across. Hopefully we will all benefit.
“He brings his ideas across. We’re working at getting those in.”
Asked if Robins’ experience as a top-rate striker for the Red Devils under Sir Alex Ferguson and then top-flight Norwich City could help Beavon personally, the forward who signed from Burton Albion in January said: “Yes, being a forward should help.”
Of the seemingly improbable immediate challenge to avoid relegation from League One, with possibility eight wins needed from 11, Beavon said: “We know it’s a massive task.
“We’re going to go and give everything we’ve got and hopefully pick up much-needed points.
“Against Bradford, we need to go into that game and we need three points, and then look forward to the Southend game.
“Every game is tough. They’re looking to go for promotion. We’ve got to make sure we’re ready for that.”
Asked by the Coventry Observer whether the players were continuing to work on improving consistency of performance, highlighted many times in recent weeks publicly by former boss Russell Slade and the players themselves, he said: “We were well aware of not picking up enough points.
“We need to keep working hard. Things haven’t changed. We need to start picking up points.”
Asked about the forthcoming trip to Wembley in the Checkatrade Trophy on April 2 against Oxford United, a club close to his family upbringing and near to his former club Didcot, he said the league was the main priority.
The 32-year-old added: “It’ll be a fantastic day out for the fans. It is massive for them. It’s a day at Wembley for them, and for me personally I may never get the chance to play there again, so it will be a good day for everybody concerned with the football club.
“However, I’ve said from day one it is a luxury, and the most important thing is giving us the best chance to preserve our league status.”
