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DION DUBLIN: I get so angry when I talk about Coventry - it is a very badly run club
PUBLISHED:06:30 GMT, 9 August 2013| UPDATED:06:30 GMT, 9 August 2013
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Dion Dublin scored 61 goals for Coventry City when they were surviving every year in the Premier League. In his debut Footballers' Football Column, the former Manchester United, Aston Villa and Leicester City striker explains why it makes his blood boil to talk about the Sky Blues' demise as they have had to face up to playing League One home games at Northampton Town's ground this season after chronic financial problems.
Footballers' Football Column with Dion Dublin
Coventry City should be in the Premier League. The overriding word when I speak about the club is disappointing. I'm disappointed that - having played for the club for four-and-a-half years and with some of the best players the English game has ever seen - it has come to this.
Gary McAllister, Gordon Strachan and George Boeteng and players like that were all at the club. Robbie Keane was there after me and it's just sad to see what they have come to.
=Its a very badly run football club. I loved my time there - the fans were great to me. For a club of that size I thought we did exceptionally well to stay in the Premier League - with the teams that were around us - for so long. We had two relegation fights and won them both and stayed up.
Best time of my career: Dion Dublin scored 61 goals in 145 league games for Coventry
Disgrace: Coventry fans are having to travel to Northampton Town to watch their team
I scored the most goals in my career at Coventry. It was good fun and there was great cameraderie. We weren't household names but a very hardworking team with very good managers in Strachan and Ron Atkinson.[/SIZE]
We just worked hard, but that seems to have all been thrown out of the window by bad management of the club for a number of years.
I don't know exactly what has gone on upstairs and I don't know how it has gone into such disarray, but it has gone from the Premier League to where it is now.
It is such a very badly run football club, it is sad to watch.
It is sad for the fans, because when we played at Highfield Road it was rocking. People didn't like coming to us there because it was small, tight and always full. In turn we played our hearts out for them. But the fans now have nothing to look forward to with all due respect.
The fans will still go and watch them in Northampton and support their club, but you've got to give something back to them.
They spend their hard-earned money and what have they got?
Mistake: Dublin said that the Sky Blues shouldn't have moved to the Ricoh Arena
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Looking back, it was a mistake to move into the Ricoh Arena. The atmosphere was never right, but you don't know that until you make the move. They could have gone there and it all worked out, which meant I'd be saying something different now.
But it hasn't been and you need to look at the facts. They've not filled it too many times and it is a stadium that has to be full to great an atmosphere. Highfield Road was half the stadium the Ricoh is, but it was old, rickety and fantastic for us.
The move to Northampton is a little bit poor really. If you're not playing at your own ground it is weird. You're Coventry City and not playing at Coventry City's ground. The fans have got to make another journey with more expense.
There is quality down the leagues - I've played down there and have experienced it. But it isn't the level a club of Coventry's size should be playing at. They will be watching the quality football the club has earned. They haven't earned anything else.
If you don't lay your foundations correctly then things will crumble from under your feet. There's no way you can be successful without blood, sweat and tears. You have to put the hours in and build collectively and above board.
I don't know what the future holds. I hope that it is the complete opposite to how it has been in the past. I want them back in a decent division.
Whenever I talk about Coventry I get angry. Talking of the club going into administration or having to fold is so sad.
There has been no money for the managers to spend and they have had to make do with what they have.
The players will block all that out. The feeling for them just before the season starts is 'am I fit enough?'
They will just want to get on with it now and getting kicked off. They'll want to get that match fitness back.
There is an apprehension that comes with the start of the season. What is that signing like? What's he like? You've got to get to know new players - knowing each other's games. It takes two or three weeks to get into it.
Better days ahead? With hard work, Dublin believes Coventry can get back in the Premier League
Fighting a losing battle: Manager Steven Pressley has little to spend
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...k-Coventry--badly-run-club.html#ixzz2bS8o2mac
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PUBLISHED:06:30 GMT, 9 August 2013| UPDATED:06:30 GMT, 9 August 2013
View
comments
Dion Dublin scored 61 goals for Coventry City when they were surviving every year in the Premier League. In his debut Footballers' Football Column, the former Manchester United, Aston Villa and Leicester City striker explains why it makes his blood boil to talk about the Sky Blues' demise as they have had to face up to playing League One home games at Northampton Town's ground this season after chronic financial problems.
Footballers' Football Column with Dion Dublin
Coventry City should be in the Premier League. The overriding word when I speak about the club is disappointing. I'm disappointed that - having played for the club for four-and-a-half years and with some of the best players the English game has ever seen - it has come to this.
Gary McAllister, Gordon Strachan and George Boeteng and players like that were all at the club. Robbie Keane was there after me and it's just sad to see what they have come to.
=Its a very badly run football club. I loved my time there - the fans were great to me. For a club of that size I thought we did exceptionally well to stay in the Premier League - with the teams that were around us - for so long. We had two relegation fights and won them both and stayed up.
I scored the most goals in my career at Coventry. It was good fun and there was great cameraderie. We weren't household names but a very hardworking team with very good managers in Strachan and Ron Atkinson.[/SIZE]
We just worked hard, but that seems to have all been thrown out of the window by bad management of the club for a number of years.
I don't know exactly what has gone on upstairs and I don't know how it has gone into such disarray, but it has gone from the Premier League to where it is now.
It is such a very badly run football club, it is sad to watch.
It is sad for the fans, because when we played at Highfield Road it was rocking. People didn't like coming to us there because it was small, tight and always full. In turn we played our hearts out for them. But the fans now have nothing to look forward to with all due respect.
The fans will still go and watch them in Northampton and support their club, but you've got to give something back to them.
They spend their hard-earned money and what have they got?
More from ...
Looking back, it was a mistake to move into the Ricoh Arena. The atmosphere was never right, but you don't know that until you make the move. They could have gone there and it all worked out, which meant I'd be saying something different now.
But it hasn't been and you need to look at the facts. They've not filled it too many times and it is a stadium that has to be full to great an atmosphere. Highfield Road was half the stadium the Ricoh is, but it was old, rickety and fantastic for us.
The move to Northampton is a little bit poor really. If you're not playing at your own ground it is weird. You're Coventry City and not playing at Coventry City's ground. The fans have got to make another journey with more expense.
There is quality down the leagues - I've played down there and have experienced it. But it isn't the level a club of Coventry's size should be playing at. They will be watching the quality football the club has earned. They haven't earned anything else.
If you don't lay your foundations correctly then things will crumble from under your feet. There's no way you can be successful without blood, sweat and tears. You have to put the hours in and build collectively and above board.
I don't know what the future holds. I hope that it is the complete opposite to how it has been in the past. I want them back in a decent division.
Whenever I talk about Coventry I get angry. Talking of the club going into administration or having to fold is so sad.
There has been no money for the managers to spend and they have had to make do with what they have.
The players will block all that out. The feeling for them just before the season starts is 'am I fit enough?'
They will just want to get on with it now and getting kicked off. They'll want to get that match fitness back.
There is an apprehension that comes with the start of the season. What is that signing like? What's he like? You've got to get to know new players - knowing each other's games. It takes two or three weeks to get into it.
Better days ahead? With hard work, Dublin believes Coventry can get back in the Premier League
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...k-Coventry--badly-run-club.html#ixzz2bS8o2mac
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
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