Dennis Lawrence joins Coventry City for the Championship playoffs.Mark Robins, the manager of Coventry City, has praised the contributions of Adi Viveash, his right-hand man, and Dennis Lawrence, the first team coach from Trinidad. Coventry City has qualified for the English Football League Championship Division Playoffs, which means they could play in the English Premier League in 2023–2024.
After securing a crucial final-day point in a 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough on Bank Holiday
Monday, the Sky Blues guaranteed a top six finish and a chance to return to the Premier League, securing their spot in the Championship playoffs.
Robins praised the staff working in the background, citing in particular Lawrence, who was nominated Championship Manager of the Week in 2022 after filling in for
The former T&T defender and national team head coach, took charge of Coventry after manager Robins and assistant manager Viveash, both received a positive Covid-19 test on the morning of the match.
“I have a good team and had great people around me for a long, long time and that definitely helps. Adi (Viveash) has been phenomenal, absolutely fantastic, as has Dennis Lawrence (first team coach) and Aled Williams (goalkeeper coach)—there are only really the four of us on the grass and I step back from that and let them get on with it,” Robins stated.
“They paint the pictures and it helps me to manage the club,” Robins stated. “The club has needed managing, along with chief executive Dave Boddy—there are too many people to mention—and everyone who has been here has played a part.”
Robins returned for a second spell at Coventry in 2017 after the club have been relegated to League Two and immediately set about turning around the fortunes, starting with Wembley success in the Checkatrade Trophy before leading City back to League One at the first time of asking via the playoffs.
Two seasons later, he guided an evolving squad to the League One title and a long-awaited return the Championship and, in their third season up, they now stand on the edge of even getting to the Premiership, by joining automatically promoted champions Burnley and Sheffield United.
Starting May 13, fifth-placed Championship Division finishers Coventry City will meet fourth-placed Middlesbrough in a two-leg series, with the team that advances taking on the winners of another series between Luton Town and Sunderland for a Premier League spot. Coventry have beaten Middlesbrough 1-0 and also drew 1-1 in the Championship this season.
