EXCLUSIVE: Coventry are back in the Premier League for the first time in 25 years, since former star Gary McAllister downed his old club, but the Scot is buzzing to see the Sky Blues back in the big time
Gary McAllister is a Coventry City legend, but the Scot played an unfortunate part in downing his old club in their last Premier League season.
Frank Lampard’s side played with class as they swept the Championship title and secured a return to the top-flight for the first time since the 2000/01 season. The Sky Blues have been through the wringer since, fighting liquidation and playing without a home for years.
But Coventry are back, and McAllister is incredibly happy about that. The midfielder played 174 times for the club, but his second spell was in the Championship, after he assisted Sami Hyypia minutes before scoring in a 2-0 win at Highfield Road to dent Coventry’s survival hopes.
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Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star Sport, on behalf of Lottoland football betting, McAllister recalled his unfortunate impact on Coventry’s relegation, he said: “I didn’t celebrate that goal massively. I knew it wasn’t the direct result, but it didn’t help. It was at the end of the season.
“Yeah, I had a good four years at Coventry and I’ve got a lot of respect for the club. I’m delighted. You know, even just getting back to the stadium, I don’t know when that was, maybe three or four years ago, was a massive plus.”
McAllister lauded the hugely risky decision to sack Mark Robins as manager after the now Stoke City boss guided Coventry back to the Championship and narrowly missed out on promotion to the top-flight, replacing him with Frank Lampard.
“For the fans and the owner, Doug King took a big risk in sacking Mark Robins and bringing Frank in, but it worked.
“Mark got very close on two or three occasions, but Frank has managed to get them over the line and back to where I think they belong.
“I think Coventry are a Premier League club, and they just need to try to survive this season. I think recruitment is going to be key. They’ve been linked with the goalie (Carl Rushworth) they had there last season. I think he did really well.
“I’ve seen numbers of £30 million getting thrown around. Some of the numbers today are just crazy, but that’s the price you’ve got to pay.
“I think he’s key, but then they’ve got to lean on the players who got them up. They’ve got to use that spirit and togetherness they showed to win the league, and then recruit really well on top of that. He’s (Lampard) got to use that camaraderie and what they gained from winning a trophy and winning a title.”
Coventry are on the verge of securing Rushworth’s permanent signature and have signed Swiss defender Aurele Amenda from Eintracht Frankfurt in a £17m deal, midfielder Frank Onyeka from Brentford and Lou Tchaouna from Burnley.
Giving his verdict on their summer business, McAllister continued: “Obviously, the level jumps up massively when you go from the Championship to the Premier League.
“I think they’ve signed the Swiss defender Amenda. He was part of the Swiss national squad at the World Cup, and they’ve brought Tchaouna from Burnley.
“So, they’re adding players, but Frank will be working to a budget. I’m sure he’s under no illusions that he’s got a number to work with, so he’s got to work well.
“I was chatting the other day about how his links with Chelsea might do him a favour, because I’ve seen a couple of former Chelsea players linked with Coventry. You know, I’ve seen Tomori and Loftus-Cheek mentioned in some of the press the other day.
“Getting people of that ilk through the door, who have experience at the elite level, at the top level, and are proven, would help the players he’s got in the present squad, the squad that came up from the Championship.”