Fletcher's Follow Up

In the wake of Micky Adams' departure and the inevitable discussion that has ensued, I feel that it is important, before we move on, to clear up the three main areas of doubt that have remained since my open letter.

Firstly, in appointing a new ‘progressive' manager we are looking for someone who is not only technically capable of taking on the job, but also someone who is committed to our long-term goals and open minded enough to consider new methods and approaches to management. This means that candidates will not be judged solely on how successful they are right now, but also on what methods they intend to use at Coventry and how willing they will be to work with other people to continually improve their methods thereafter.
We intend to give Adrian Heath sufficient time to show whether he has these qualities and if so then we will add his name to the shortlist of candidates that will unfold.

Secondly, we have learned from studying success in many walks of life that it is nearly always preceded by a clearly stated vision and a well thought out plan.

Operation Premiership is thus designed to align everyone in the club to a clear vision. If all the ingredients and finances come together quickly then it may be possible to achieve success in one or two seasons, but we of course realise that it often takes a little longer. By stating a three-year objective we have given ourselves an achievable timeframe to work to and something to focus everyone's minds on. If we had not stated any timetable at all then it would have just given myself, my staff and others license to procrastinate. We are therefore clear about our three-year aim and everything we do is still working towards it.

Thirdly, some of the goals set out in my last letter have been described as ‘spin'. I appreciate that Coventry fans have often been let down in the past, and that the inevitable frustration has led to a certain amount of cynicism. This I expect, but I want to assure you that every part of that letter has been carefully thought through and we are already taking steps to put those principles into place. Every time our actions win another cynical fan around, we know we will be one step closer to our dream.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank those of you who have made statements of support in the last few days and thank those who have continued to come to the games when the team weren't delivering the type of football you deserve.

I hope you will see the recent changes and those to come as positive steps forward for your Club and join us in our single-minded pursuit of success.

Best Wishes

Paul Fletcher