Doug King is learning as transfer decision hurts Coventry City.
The Doug King honeymoon phase is officially over. The owner of Coventry City deserves a lot of respect for how he managed Viktor Gyokeres’ lengthy departure to Sporting Lisbon, playing hardball to get £20 million – a more than decent return for the striker who cost City just over a million. Gustavo Hamer’s departure was a foregone conclusion in a summer of upheaval, and the only way to respond was to receive the best price possible.
The ambitious businessman then shelled out significant sums of money to buy players in a bid to replenish and strengthen the Sky Blues squad to the tune of around £22.3m from the transfer fees we know, and slightly in excess of that when taking into account the undisclosed fees for Brad Collins from Barnsley and compensation paid to Swansea for Joel Latibeaudiere.
It hasn’t all been plain sailing, however, and the new kit fiasco that left hundreds of fans disappointed and frustrated at not receiving their pre-ordered shirts on time followed difficult and unpopular decisions made about increased season ticket prices and corporate box fees. But on each occasion he’s fronted up, explained his decisions and taken feedback from the fans on board.
Like many a successful business mind before him, King has had to get his head around the fact that football is not like any other. It doesn’t function in the same way, doesn’t always follow the same logical rules of more tried and trusted businesses. It’s often more complex, more nuanced because outcomes can be determined by uncontrollable elements like form, injuries, characters and the strength of opposition.
The way King has been hands on and immersed himself in the running of the club has been impressive. He hasn’t just sat back or appointed others to do the job like his predecessor, he’s rolled up his sleeves and got stuck in to the task of turning Coventry City into a club that’s going places. But key to any success for anyone coming into the industry without any level of football acumen must surely be to listen to the people that know. And in this case it’s Mark Robins.
After selling one of the division’s top players, Hamer, on transfer deadline day, the manager stated that he sought a centre-half and a creative midfielder. That contradicted King’s public declaration in a radio appearance the same morning, that one more signing was probable before the 11 p.m. deadline. This guy was defender Liam Kitching, who brought City’s defensive choices up to the required level of depth, with five contending for the three vacant positions.
But the Sky Blues’ inability to secure a quality operator in such a crucial part of the pitch – a position aggravated by Ben Sheaf’s injury – has come back to bite them. It’s a learning experience for King, but if he learns anything from his current emotional problem and lack of depth, it must be to listen to the experts.
