Coventry City are hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone after last Saturday's goalless draw with Sheffield Wednesday. It's been a turbulent season for the Sky Blues, having had a long, drawn-out takeover bid finally accepted and the departure of former boss Iain Dowie, but new manager Chris Coleman will be hoping to end the campaign with the club's Championship status still in tact. Coleman has moved to keep the goals-against column down to a minimum by signing goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel on loan from Manchester City. And, as givemefootball's Mark Shail discovered, the son of Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel is just glad to be playing first team football again after ending a successful three-month loan spell at Cardiff.
Q:YOU MUST BE PLEASED WITH A CLEAN SHEET IN YOUR FIRST MATCH FOR COVENTRY AGAINST SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY?
A:I didn't have a lot to do but I would rather play in those sorts of games than be really busy. To be fair, I thought we created enough chances to win and if we keep playing like that the ball has to go in the net. We were unlucky the way their keeper played – he made some great saves.
Q:WHAT ARE YOUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE SIDE?
A:It doesn't seem as though we should be down there but that's the predicament we are in and we are going to have to do something about it. We are still above the relegation zone and there are a couple of games coming up that we think we can win and we are very confident that we can get out of this.
Q:YOU'VE HAD PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE OF A RELEGATION DOGFIGHT WHEN YOU WERE ON LOAN AT BURY, HAVEN'T YOU?
A:Yes, I was in a relegation battle at Bury and it went to the last game and we stayed up with a 2-2 draw at Notts County. Defensively Coventry are very good and there was great communication between the back four, and our two centre backs will head anything, so there's no worry in that department. We just need a deflection or something to get the ball in the back of the net and then we will start scoring goals.
Q:HOW DID YOUR MOVE TO COVENTRY COME ABOUT?
A:I nearly came here about three times. I went to Thailand with our chairman (Manchester City chairman Thaksin Shinawatra) and when I came back I went to see Mr Eriksson to say I wasn't happy at being on the bench and wanted to out on loan, and he agreed.
Q:IT MUST HAVE BEEN FRUSTATING RETURNING TO CITY AND NOT PLAYING REGULAR FIRST TEAM FOOTBALL?
A:It is frustrating when you are training all week, you get to a match, do the warm-up and then that’s you done. I just wanted to play again. He (Eriksson) put out a circular that I was available and Coventry came in for me. I nearly came here when Tim Flowers was at the club because he had been my coach at Manchester City but it never happened because of the transfer embargo on the club and a few other complications.
Q:AND YOU ARE GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN A CRUCIAL PERIOD OF CITY'S SEASON?
A:There is a lot of pressure coming to Coventry in the predicament there are in. The Championship is the most unpredictable league in Europe because on any given day, anybody can beat anybody. I can't really say what I'm going to bring to the squad. The only thing I can do is my best. I don't think you can talk about anything specific I am going to bring – I am just going to do my best.
