Sideways Sammy

Callum Doyle

Appearances: 46, Minutes Played: 4,201, Goals Conceded: 44, Goals: 0, Assists: 1

Having ended last season out of favour in League One with Sunderland, the addition of Callum Doyle last summer looked to be something of a punt to fill out the back-line on a limited budget. Doyle has gone on to make that punt look a smart one, and then some. The talent was clear early on, but a lack of physical attributes looked to be Doyle’s major shortcoming, as he has bulked out and gained experience over the course of last season, that natural talent has really shone through.

Excellent on the ball and increasingly commanding in the tackle and in the air, Callum Doyle ended the season looking like someone who is ready to make the step up to a higher-level. His progress at Coventry City accelerated over the second half of the campaign due to having the stability of Kyle McFadzean and Luke McNally alongside him, allowing Doyle’s technique both with the ball and defensively to shine through as he gained experience and confidence. Doyle has gone from looking like a boy playing men’s football to being able to impose himself on much more experienced and physical strikers. At just 19 years old, if Callum Doyle can continue to progress at the rate he did last season, he will have a long career at the highest level.

Dominic Hyam

Appearances: 2, Minutes Played: 200, Goals Conceded: 4, Goals: 0, Assists: 0

While things turned out well for the team despite the sale of and failure to permanently replace Dominic Hyam at the end of last summer, that he went on to win player of the season at Blackburn Rovers should underline what Coventry City have lost. There is no reason why Hyam wouldn’t have been an important part of the defence last season, which would have left Mark Robins and the recruitment team with less work to do in the transfer market this coming summer, with only one senior centre-back currently contracted.

Kyle McFadzean

Appearances: 39, Minutes Played: 3,628, Goals Conceded: 33, Goals: 2, Assists: 0

It was yet another season where Kyle McFadzean defied the gravity of his age to remain an integral figure in Coventry City’s back-line. There has been little indication of a decline in McFadzean’s ability, with him continuing to be the imposing, physical presence that the Sky Blues’ defence is just not the same without. Aided by the team opting to defend deeper, thus leaving him less exposed to pace, McFadzean played a key role in setting the tone at the back, by heading crosses away and imposing himself on opposing forwards, as well as all of the intangibles fans are unable to gauge from the stands.

If there had been any doubt as to Kyle McFadzean’s impact on the team, the spell when he was out around December-January laid bare just how rudderless Coventry City can be at the back without him. His return to the side – which also coincided with Luke McNally’s addition to the squad – marked a sea change for the Sky Blues at the back which swept them into the play-offs. While there will always be a concern with McFadzean as to how soon and swift his decline may be, he provides Mark Robins an important point of reference upon which to build a new defence over the summer.

Luke McNally

Appearances: 22, Minutes Played: 2,225, Goals Conceded: 16, Goals: 0, Assists: 0

The prospect of adding a young loan defender to the squad back in January with just two minutes of Championship football in their entire career was far from an encouraging one. However, Luke McNally showed right from his debut that he was more than ready to make a positive impact at Coventry City. A powerful defender with a strong mastery of the basics of defending – i.e. winning challenges and positional play – McNally’s pace further benefitted the Sky Blues’ defensive play, making it difficult for teams to exploit space in behind the back three. While McNally’s passing leaves something to be desired, his ability to dribble with the ball into midfield on occasion has provided a nice balance with the passing quality that Callum Doyle provided on the other side of the defensive trio.

Heading into a summer where Kyle McFadzean is Coventry City’s only other contracted centre-back, securing a return for Luke McNally looks to be a priority matter for the club. Provided he is available on reasonable terms and richer Championship clubs don’t steal in for him, McNally would be a no-risk addition to the squad. Not only would he start the coming season as first-choice at right centre-back, but McNally would provide Mark Robins with his viable option as a long-term successor for Kyle McFadzean in the heart of the defence. Aside from one poor display against Stoke City, Luke McNally hasn’t put a foot wrong in a Sky Blue shirt.

Jonathan Panzo

Appearances: 32, Minutes Played: 2,541, Goals Conceded: 24, Goals: 1, Assists: 1

A big and quick centre-back, Jonathan Panzo made a big early impression at Coventry City but his naivety and lack of nous as a defender saw him fall out of favour over the course of last season. Panzo’s best spell in the side came just before the World Cup, where he was able to benefit from the presence of Kyle McFadzean alongside him to bark orders and fight some of his physical battles. When McFadzean was injured, Panzo’s performances became more erratic, with his display against Wrexham in the FA Cup – where he was responsible for at least two goals conceded and got himself sent off – a low point that he never got the opportunity to recover from.

It is the technical and mental side of defending that are Jonathan Panzo’s biggest weaknesses, he was caught out of position quite a few times last season, and was also beaten in challenges that he should have been favourite to. It is important to remember last season this was Jonathan Panzo’s first full campaign in the Championship, having played previous little senior football beforehand. He will have learned some key lessons in what it takes to establish himself as a defender at this level, if he can heed them, Panzo’s physicality, pace and technical ability should then come to the fore.

Michael Rose

Appearances: 26, Minutes Played: 2,063, Goals Conceded: 34, Goals: 0, Assists: 0

After a couple of seasons to get used to Championship football, this last campaign had the makings of a sink or swim year for Michael Rose, and it has proven to be the former. The Scot had a handful of decent performances, but scuppered any kind of momentum from those showings with sloppy errors that forced Mark Robins into considering alternative options in defence. That he is the only centre-back (Dominic Hyam, aside) to have a goals conceded to games played ratio of over one tells its own story. Whenever Michael Rose was on the pitch last season, the defence almost always looked weaker.

The frustration with Michael Rose is that he clearly has the ability to be a solid player at Championship level. He is good on the ball, solid in the challenge and, according to his team-mates, at least, is pretty fast, however, there is a difference between having the raw attributes and being able to apply them on the pitch which Rose has struggled with, concentration seeming to be his biggest issue. Released at a time when Mark Robins would have wanted to keep as many defenders around as possible shows how low in the manager’s estimation that Rose dropped over his final season at the club.