"There's no argument that Coventry City have under-achieved in recent years," said Boothroyd to the CT's Alan Poole, "and I think that perhaps one of the problems has been that there hasn't been enough competition for places - you've had people who were automatic picks.
"If you've got that situation you're setting yourself up for a complacent dressing room which is no good for anybody. And this dressing room certainly isn't complacent any more.
"I know that a lot of supporters were surprised when they saw Nathan Cameron running out against Portsmouth, but he proved to me that he is ready for this level of football.
"He's very simplistic in what he does - he stops people playing and he's comfortable and confident in his own ability.
"Last Saturday he was perhaps a little over- elaborate at times but generally he doesn't take risks because he's very defensive minded - for him a clean sheet is everything, as it should be for all good defender.
"It's up to him to hold on to his shirt, and if he keeps playing like he is he'll do that.
"If he doesn't, there are people who desperately want to take it off him because he's keeping two very good players out of the team at the moment and he knows he has to be at his absolute best to do that.
"Competition is very fierce but I don't put players in the team just to give them a little taste, I pick them because I think they are my best option at that time.
"The fact is that nobody can play really well all the time but I have certain pre-requisites I expect from a player - whether he is playing out of his skin or he can't trap a cow, he has to work hard and contribute to the team.
"I like players to come off knowing that they've done their shift to help us get a result but somebody else has to go on to get us over the line. Whether it's tactical or physical or whether the opposition has a player we need to stop or a weakness we can exploit."