In the final part of Rob Gurney and Will Oelrich’s Coventry Q&A, they focus on the benefit of few Coventry players featuring at the World Cup and away-day experiences.

Gareth asked: Do you think the fact so few City players were involved in the World Cup compared with other Premier League teams could give us a real edge at the start and perhaps at the end when fatigue may set in for other teams who have players who have had little rest?

Advertisement

Will: I get your point and to an extent I agree. But the fitness levels required to play in the Premier League now are miles above what they used to be.

Players are such elite athletes that they can build sharpness quickly, and most keep themselves in top condition throughout the off‑season. It might affect the opening couple of games and especially for those returning late from the World Cup where we might see reduced minutes for some rather than full 90s but with the standards as high as they are, it won’t take long for them to catch up.

Where it may play a part is later on in the season. Teams juggling Europe and cup competitions, playing three times in a week, will have to rotate and that’s where the Sky Blues could capitalise. It all depends on the club’s focus: is it purely about staying in the Premier League, or is there appetite to chase something in the cups?

Frank Lampard has been crystal clear about fitness from day one. When he arrived, he made it a non‑negotiable, and it’s something he’s passionate about. It’ll be a major factor in how he manages the squad heading into the new season.

Advertisement

• Back Where We Belong – a six-part documentary charting Coventry’s 25-year journey back to the Premier League. Listen on BBC Sounds here

Glenn asked: What’s your favourite away day covering Coventry City and what’s your worst one?

Rob: These sort of questions are always impossible with just one answer! For obvious reasons, for what it meant, Blackburn last season now leaps to the top of my list. So many incredible memories generated that night; to be treasured for a lifetime.

Honourable mentions must go, though, to White Hart Lane 1997, the Greatest Escape, and Villa Park in both 1998 and 99. But I’m lucky enough to have seen City win away at all the top clubs over the years, the first time around, and hopefully there are a few more treats in store in the coming months.

Advertisement

Villa Park again features in my “worst” category, 2001. Say no more. But also Sheffield United in the FA Cup quarter-final replay in 1998. Losing on penalties.

I’m still convinced we’d have beaten Newcastle in the semi-final at Old Trafford, and who knows then in a one-off game against Arsenal in the final? As Frank Lampard says, though, you need to experience the bitter disappointments to appreciate it fully when the good times come around.