McAllister aims high with Coventry

Macca
By Paul Holmes
August 5 2002

Coventry player-boss Gary McAllister has revealed his high hopes for the coming season.

Coventry have lost Marcus Hall, Magnus Hedman and Gary Breen this summer but McAllister feels that his team can challenge for promotion providing the clubs doesn't sell anyone else.

McAllister told his thoughts to BBC Radio 5 Live: "I believe Coventry are capable of housing a Premier League side in their city.

"They managed to stay in the top flight for such a long time. I am a little bit disappointed that I have come back and they are in the First Division.

"But as long as we don't lose any more players, Coventry can be challenging those teams that will be going for automatic promotion or promotion through the play-offs.

"That's part of the reason I have come back. We have got to go into the new season with the belief that we are going to be challenging for the top six places.

"We are one of six or eight teams who will be thinking along those lines.

"Obviously the three teams that have been relegated from the Premiership - Leicester, Derby and Ipswich - will want to bounce straight back.

"Then there are three or four others who have run close to the play-offs or have been unlucky in the play-offs in the past couple of years and they're going to be thinking it will be their year.

"It is going to be very challenging. There are also going to be some good local derbies in around the Midlands which is going to make it all very spicy."