JOE Edwards admits Coventry City might have to ‘evolve’ their style of play in order to achieve promotion to the Premier League.
Edwards took control of the club’s pre-match media duties with head coach Frank Lampard supporting midfielder Jamie Allen, along with some of his teammates, at a close family funeral.
The Sky Blues responded to a difficult run of results over the Christmas period with back-to-back home wins against Leicester City and Millwall respectively.
And Coventry assistant coach Edwards believes the victories have restored some much-needed confidence to the side.
Edwards said: “After a difficult Christmas period, we feel like we’re back in a good moment now after back-to-back home wins.
“In this league, any time you get consecutive wins is big. It’s put a lot of belief and confidence back into the camp.
“As a squad, we’re in a much better place than we were a couple of weeks ago which is pleasing.
“When you’re where we are and you’re aware you’re being chased, every point you pick up is important and every point you drop is important.
“You couldn’t ask for a hungrier but more humble group of lads who want to come in and learn and work and improve every day.”
The Sky Blues make the trip to Norwich City tonight with Coventry seeking a first win at Carrow Road since February 2009 which also marks the club’s most recent success against the Canaries.
Norwich head into the clash having put five past struggling West Bromwich Albion last time out and Edwards is fully aware of the dangers Philippe Clement’s side pose.
Edwards added: “It’s been a difficult place to go for teams in the past. We had a really difficult day there last year.
“It’s been a strangely difficult place for Norwich this season. We don’t need any warnings to avoid complacency.
“We’re facing them off the back of a five-nil away win, it couldn’t be more telling of what the Championship throws up.”
Edwards also reflected on his decision to join Lampard at Coventry following spells as his assistant at both Chelsea and Everton.
And Edwards admits the club’s position in the table presents a new challenge for himself and Lampard with the Sky Blues leading the way in the Championship standings.
Edwards said: “When I spoke to Frank about coming to Coventry, one of the first things I said was: ‘if the goal is to make the play-offs, are there six teams in the Championship with better squads than Coventry, my opinion is no’.
“Football isn’t that straightforward, at the time things weren’t coming together. Fast forward 14 months and we’ve reached the play-offs and won even more games to be top of the league at the turn of the year, I woulnd’t have said ‘for sure’, football is not that easy.
“Frank and I haven’t been in this position before, where you’re the ones at the top being chased in a title race. This is a new challenge for everyone here.
“The team might have to evolve a bit. We’ve got our way of playing that has served us well and got us to this point but it’s not as simple as doing that for the next 18 games.
“If there’s anyone who’s absolutely obsessed and relentless about ‘how can we keep getting better?’ and ‘how can we improve?’ every single day, it’s Frank [Lampard].”
Coventry travel to Norwich on Monday, January 26 with kick-off at 8pm at Carrow Road.
