2010/11 Predictions

Originally posted by Top of the Hill

Originally posted by Top of the Hill

Whilst I wouldn't be surprised to see Coventry struggling, I think that it's a bit unfair on players from 4,5,6 and below to describe the step up to level 3 as 'very difficult'. Many players who make the step up are amongst the best players in those leagues, and are often more than a match for many level 3 squad players. Whilst expecting them to suddenly be one of the stars of the club overnight might be too far a step, players from lower leagues routinely make sizeable contributions to the success of level 3 clubs year in, year out.

Some of the best traffic across the leagues is those making their way up, looking for new, tougher challenges and facing them head on, rather than those drifting downwards looking for a level to suit their commitments but with still half an eye on the recompense they once commanded.

What the new season will show is whether Coventry are selecting from the local cream, or doing a Manchester and grabbing at anything that moves. I'd expect it to be the former, under which scenario a mid-table finish is probably the most likely outcome. But irrespective of what's happening in the Midlands, let's be under no illusions that there are players in lower leagues more than capable of playing their part at this level, just as there are players at this level who would look at home in the Championship.

TOTH – You make a very good point on clubs being promoted into level 3 and no doubt Redruth has unique geographical factors associated with the local recruitment of players. 
On the other hand the challenges for Coventry is that they are stepping down from level 2, lost all of their professional players and have only retained a very few of these players, presumably on a semi-professional basis. Secondly, Coventry don’t have the luxury of having built up a strong squad morale through a promotion winning squad, rather  than having to cobble together a team across this summer of levels 4,5 and 6 players. Coventry doing  a Manchester at level 3? Don’t think so, but given the squad assembled to date – a season I still believe of struggles on the horizon for Coventry, but time will tell.