With the bout of bad weather now over for the time being, the Coventry City youngsters are now trying to get back to their best. They haven't been able to train very much or play games as they have been postponed because of the snow.
The game against Aston Villa last Saturday was called off and the previous week’s clash with Cardiff was cancelled. The next competitive game is away against Spurs.
Academy manager Gregor Rioch believes his player have to react quickly to their enforced inaction if they are to impress Chris Coleman and chairman Ray Ranson and to be awarded professional contracts.
Rioch said, “It is judgement time for our older boys, so they have got to kick on to try to cement their places at the club. We have got ten second years, although Jordan Clarke is included in that and already earned a professional contract. So there are nine boys in all who we will be making a decision on in March, so this is a very important time for them.”
The players hoping for recognition are strikers Shaun Jeffers, already in training with the first team, Robert Ogleby and Callum Wilson, midfielders Jacob Blackwell, Joel Grandison and Suleiman Leluu, defenders Nathan Cameron and Jamie Greenway, and goalkeeper Michael Quirke.
Rioch went on to say, “We are looking forward to getting a proper game again because the last time we played was against MK Dons last month. We managed to find a bit of grass last week and play a game amongst ourselves so we are hoping to get back at it this weekend."
“We have got a few players back from injury so we have pretty much a clean bill of health at the moment, which is good, and we are all looking forward to the second half of the season.”