Support Content Like This If you feel this Season Preview is worth paying for, please consider leaving a donation of an amount you comfortable with (£2 suggested) via: https://bit.ly/3lVZand A lot of time and effort goes into putting together these Season Preview and Reviews, any donation would be greatly appreciated but I am happy for anyone to enjoy this content for free – any shares via social media would also be a great help. Thanks, Dominic The Sideways Sammy 2020-21 Season Preview 1 Opening Words Football is back! While recent success has been achieved amid our off-field problems, it has largely been Six months since Matt Godden’s satirical down to the influence of one man – Mark elbow-touch celebration against Ipswich Robins – who may or may not last during this Town, Coventry City finally return to league interim period the club is in before a new action. It’s fair to say that a lot has changed stadium and may or may not be able to since then. sustain this current momentum. From coping with life amid a pandemic, the Despite everything, it’s hard not to feel various arguments surrounding the excited at the prospect of a new season curtailment of the season, promotion being following promotion. While there were things quietly confirmed, new signings arriving, the to enjoy about League One & Two football, announcement of plans for a new stadium, this is a level where there are big clubs to the confirmation of our stay in Birmingham, play just about every week. Even without the and pre-season friendlies. The set of prospect of travelling to these grounds or circumstances that has preluded this season experiencing a larger volume of away is certainly unique. support, the prospect of brushing shoulders With the Sky Blues having missed out on the with big clubs and being within touching ‘new normal’ of football behind closed doors distance of the elite is positively enthralling. over the summer, our enthusiasm for the Having recruited from a position of strength return of league action at the club is likely to over the summer, the squad looks in as good be greater than at other Championship clubs. a shape as we could have hoped for as we The convenience of being able to watch our prepare to face the challenge of the games from the comfort of your living room Championship. The history of recently is going to be novel at first, that is likely to promoted League One sides shows how wane the longer football remains a spectator- difficult the step up can be, but it’s a less sport. challenge that any ambitious club should That connection between club and fans is relish. further threatened by the extension of our Hopefully this season preview will provide a stay in Birmingham. The events over the deeper insight into what kind of challenge we summer have simultaneously rendered a face and how the Sky Blues shape up. short-term return to Coventry seemingly impossible, while a longer-term one now Just a note that all stats in this season seems a viable prospect. If this new stadium preview are accurate as possible as of 9am on at the University of Warwick is built, owning 7th September 2020. If you spot any errors, our own ground could transform the future feel free to get in touch via social media or of this club – helping us establish ourselves as through the website. at least a Championship club over the long- term – the worry is the cost of a potential further five years, or more, in exile. The Sideways Sammy 2020-21 Season Preview 2 Contents 4-27 Club-By-Club 65-67 Tactical Preview Previews A look at the different A look at how each of the tactical options available Championship clubs to the manager this shape-up ahead of the season. new season. 68-72 Predictions Player Profiles 28-62 Where I nail my colours A look at the each of the to the mast for both the Coventry City players division and for Coventry who make up our first- City. team squad. 61 Young Players To Watch A look at which youth- team players could be making their league debuts this season. 63-64 The Manager Mark Robins, in profile. The Sideways Sammy 2020-21 Season Preview 3 Club-By-Club Previews The Sideways Sammy 2020-21 Season Preview 4 Barnsley Last Season: 21st in the Championship Squad Manager – Gerhard Struber the age of 25 towards adding the requisite experience to the squad The innovative Austrian coach led Player Pos to help mould those youngsters. Barnsley to an unlikely survival Bradley Collins GK January centre-back signing, last season. Plays a high intensity Jack Walton GK Michael Sollbauer, has been brand of football that can suffocate particularly influential in this Jordan Williams RB the life out of opponents. regard. Kilian Ludewig RB Key Player – Alex Mowatt Ben Williams LB With just the one new signing thus Clarke Oduor LB The former Leeds United prospect far – winger Dominik Frieser from has really matured at Barnsley as Austrian side, LASK – Struber will Aapo Halme CB the team’s leader in the centre of again be asked to make the most Bambo Diaby CB the park. A well-rounded out of the squad he inherited last Mads Andersen CB midfielder who can win the ball year. There are high hopes for the Michael Sollbauer CB back and distribute, his set-piece energetic Callum Styles to have a Alex Mowatt CM delivery is another useful source of big season in central midfield, creativity for the team. Callum Styles CM young goalkeeper Jack Walton is another name to look out for. Marcel Ritzmaier CM Overview However, a lot rests on the ability Matty Wolfe CM Having survived with the last kick of forwards Cauley Woodrow, Romal Palmer CM the season, Barnsley will be hoping Conor Chaplin and Jacob Brown to Mike Bahre AM to kick on this time out. While the become consistent goalscorers Dominik Frieser W club faces a financial disparity after promising, but streaky, against much of the division, their campaigns in front of goal last Elliot Simoes W source of optimism stems from time out. Jacob Brown W having retained their influential Barnsley are going to be a team Luke Thomas W manager Gerhard Struber, who this year that no-one is going to Cauley Woodrow ST had been key to their survival last look forward to playing. The year. Conor Chaplin ST intensity of their pressing will George Miller ST Struber built on the high-pressing make it difficult for their Patrick Schmidt ST philosophy that had been opponents to get into any kind of Victor Adeboyejo ST implemented by his predecessor, rhythm. They could be an outside Daniel Stendel, managing to shout for the play-offs, but they increase the intensity while adding look short on that killer touch in a level of tactical acumen to stiffen the penalty area to truly upset the things up at the back. Struber’s apple-cart this season. arrival at Barnsley has importantly heralded a shift in transfer policy from only signing players under Squad Size Average Age Apps 19/20 Goals 19/20 25 23.1 653 57 The Sideways Sammy 2020-21 Season Preview 5 Birmingham City Last Season: 20th in the Championship Squad Manager – Aitor Karanka other end via a moment of individual quality, set-piece or A defensive-focused coach who has Player Pos counter-attack. recent experience of leading a club Andres Prieto GK into the Premier League Karanka’s additions to the squad Zach Jeacock GK Birmingham City are hoping that further emphasise his focus on Agus Medina RB Karanka can instil the structure building from a defensive base. Josh Dacres- and focus that has been lacking in Former Middlesbrough stalwarts RB Cogley recent years. George Friend and Adam Clayton have been brought in as the team’s Maxime Colin RB Key Player – Lukas Jutkiewicz leaders, although I’m not sure they George Friend LB A key figurehead in this add anything different to what Kristian Pedersen LB Birmingham City side, Jutkiewicz’s pre-existing, and younger, players Steve Seddon LB presence up front for the Blues can such as Kristian Pedersen and Gary Geraldo Bajrami CB help drag the team through poorer Gardner already provided. performances and scrape The more exciting additions of Harlee Dean CB something out of games. Marc Roberts CB wingers Ivan Sanchez and Overview Jonathan Leko at least add some Adam Clayton CM much-needed quality on the The sacking of Garry Monk at Charlie Lakin CM counter-attack to supplement the Birmingham City ahead of last talented French winger Jeremie David Davis CM season was an attempt to move the Bela. However, the Blues look to be Gary Gardner CM team towards a more progressive, still be in need of a goalkeeper and attractive style of football. Last Ivan Sunjic CM a couple of strikers with a week year saw the team in transition – left before the start of the Josh McEachran CM partially a result of Financial Fair Maikel campaign. CM Play restrictions – which makes Kieftenbeld the appointment of Aitor Karanka My worry for Birmingham City Caolan Boyd- AM Munce this summer the truer start of this this season is that Karanka’s style new era at St Andrew’s. of football isn’t quite what the Dan Crowley AM owners are looking for. That could If the club’s owners are expecting Jon Toral AM cause some tension further down Karanka to play a brand of passing Odin Bailey AM the line and lead to another football associated with the land of disruptive campaign for the club, Ivan Guzman W his birth, they may be in for a with the possibility they could get Ivan Sanchez W surprise.