Hull City boss hails Mark Robins after FA Cup heroics ahead of crunch Coventry City showdown
The two clubs go head-to-head this evening with both desperately searching for three points
Coventry City must shake off their FA Cup semi-final disappointment and focus on the bread and butter of the Championship on Wednesday night when they host Hull City.
Both sides know only victory realistically keeps their faint hopes of a play-off place alive. Although the Sky Blues have an extra game in hand on the rest above them, victory against the Tigers is a must if they’re to hunt down West Brom and Norwich in the final days of a compelling Championship season.
Tigers boss Liam Rosenior was at Wembley on Sunday to see Mark Robins’ men come within a VAR decision of performing one of the greatest FA Cup comebacks in history, having been 3-0 to Manchester United before coming back to make it 3-3 in the final 20 minutes and then see a last minute extra-time goal ruled out for offside.
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Rosenior says Robins and his players did the Championship proud under the Wembley arch and showcased just what quality the second tier can boast.
“All credit to them. Firstly, they represent themselves so well, they never gave up. I’ve said it before whenever we’ve played against his teams, he’s a man I massively respect,” the Tigers head coach told Hull Live ahead of the big CBS Arena clash.
“So to see his team represent him, themselves, and the club in a way that they did, they were really unfortunate not to go through and win the game in extra time. They represented the Championship in a really, really good way. This league is so hard, there’s so many good teams, and they showed the strength of their own team, but they also showed the strength of the Championship this season.”
Rosenior, a boyhood United supporter, felt, like the rest of the 83,600 or so inside Wembley that at 3-0 with 20 minutes left, the game was over, until the Sky Blues’ incredible fightback, and then they could have won it at the end of extra time when Victor Torp’s goal was ruled out after a VAR check.
“I thought it was done, but with the spirit that Mark creates in his teams, they change their shape from a back five to a back four and then when you get a goal (it changes everything) – I have to say the fans were magnificent as well, the energy in the stadium, the atmosphere picks up, and then it was just wave after wave of attack and that is what the FA Cup is, it’s what it’s all about.
“It was a wonderful occasion. I was really fortunate to be there and scout them, but it was just a really, really good spectacle and a really good game.
“It was madness with VAR, obviously, we’re not used to it in this league. It’s amazing, football and the finest margins can make all the difference, they change the whole flow of your season or get you to an FA Cup final. The decision was made and all in all, I don’t think Coventry walked off the pitch with any regrets and now we’re really looking forward to pitting our wits against them.”
Having played more than 120 minutes on Sunday, the Sky Blues now have to go again, but Rosenior says rather than the tired, Coventry’s players will be buoyed by their display against United.
