Coventry chief executive defends his actions

Coventry City chief executive Tim Fisher defends his actions and that of the club’s parent company Sisu in a full page feature interview in The Times today.   He thinks that he has been unfairly vilified.  Whilst he concedes that Sisu’s period in charge of the Sky Blues has not been ‘a roaring success … it is grossly unfair to say they have done anything other than have the best intent for Coventry.’

Coventry City chief executive Tim Fisher defends his actions and that of the club’s parent company Sisu in a full page feature interview in The Times today.   He thinks that he has been unfairly vilified.  Whilst he concedes that Sisu’s period in charge of the Sky Blues has not been ‘a roaring success … it is grossly unfair to say they have done anything other than have the best intent for Coventry.’

Even if one concedes this point, ending up ground sharing in the East Midlands can hardly be judged to be a good outcome.    It could be five years before the club returns to Coventry.  Indeed, in an accompanying box The Times describes Sisu’s record since 2007 as ‘abject’.

Mr Fisher evidently thinks that Coventry City Council is the villain of the piece.   Sisu have applied for a judicial review, taking the view that the Council acted unlawfully and with improper purpose.   Mr Fisher thinks they are motivated by a belief that ‘there is a better owner coming along.’   This might not be an unreasonable supposition.

As for the offer by former director Garry Hoffman to pay the rent at the Ricoh Arena to keep the club in their home city, Mr Fisher is dismissive: ‘It is not a real deal.  He says it is rent-free, but then wants take part of the money we earn through ticketing.   It’s a financing deal at 25 per cent.  Not even the Mafia charge that.’

This blog post from World Soccer Talk gives an overview of what has happened at Coventry City.