COVENTRY City manager Russell Slade has spoken of the difficulties of being Sky Blues manager, adding issues need addressing on and off the pitch.
But, on the eve of a crucial match at Bury, he made clear he was committed to the job until the end of the season.
Asked at a press conference at Ryton training ground this morning how he was standing up personally – after Saturday’s deeply concerning 1-3 home defeat against relegation rivals Swindon left the Sky Blues 11 points from safety at the bottom of League One, he said: “It’s proving a really tough job at this moment in time.”
Slade, who took over from interim boss Mark Venus in December, initially until the end of the season, continued: “You have to sit back and break things down a little bit.
“It’s easy to come out with generalised statements or concerns.
“Very often, and I think it’s the case here, it’s a lot of little things that are needed witinin the football club, within the time.. it’s in the detail sometimes.. things that need putting right on and off the field.
“What’s required here is a rebuilding job at the football club… and putting things, strategies in place so the club to build on a solid foundation again.
“Very often it’s a lot of little things that need addressing when things have gone wrong.”
Asked if he would still be in charge when those changes are made beyond this season, the 56-year-old former Orient, Cardiff and Charlton boss added: “That’s something that between now and the end of the season we’ll sit down and talk about it.
“I love managing a football team. I wanted to come here. I still think I can help this club in the short-term and long-term but there are certain things we need to address as we go along.
“The end of the season will be an opportunity to address many of those things.
“In the short-term, there’s no question of us fighting and getting as many points as we can. Who knows, if we can back up a win and go three games unbeaten, it could leave us with a possibility of staying up. I know that’s a long shot…
“There is no way we will be giving up. If we pick up three points on Tuesday, then we’ll go again on Saturday (against Shrewsbury). Every game is a big game.”
* More to come on our website later from today’s press conference.
