Coventry City manager Andy Thorn has returned from his summer holiday and immediately issued the challenge to his players to fight for the right to play.
Thorn is preparing for a competitive pre season campaign and he wants those players still at the club to be fit and committed and any player who lacks fitness or desire will not play.
The squad are scheduled to return to pre season training at the Ryton training ground on July 1st and Thorn will not tolerate any lapses in fitness.
Thorn has to contend with the uncertainty over who will be in the squad, with defenders Martin Cranie, Richard Keogh and Richard Wood (Pictured below) all in talks with the club and subject to speculation over their futures. Added to this, the club is still under a transfer embargo until their accounts have been filed and cannot sign new players.
With the unwelcome news that defender Cyrus Christie will be out of action until around Christmas following a knee operation, Thorn is hoping that Wood and Nathan Cameron both recover from their own knee injuries in time for the start of the new season which kicks off on August 18th.
Thorn told the CT's Andy Turner: “There are definitely no gimmes. It will be the same as last pre-season when Cyrus Christie came back and did really well and went into the starting team. Gael Bigirimana did really well and did the same, and Conor Thomas came into the team.
“If players come back fit and they’re flying and do well in the pre-season, they’ll play. Everyone has to pull their weight. I’m not having anyone dropping out and not working hard because we can’t afford that.”
Wood has attracted interest from League 2 outfit Chesterfield, although no offer has been made. Keogh has been the subject of bids from Bristol City and Cardiff City, both of which were rejected and Martin Cranie is out of contract with the club in the summer and is in talks with the club about extending his stay at The Ricoh.
More: http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/coventry-city-fc/coventry-city-fc-news/2012/06/08/92746-31139909/
Picture copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/SB