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KEVIN HALLS as ever gives food for thought with his blogs. I always find it's easier to appreciate great football performances if you're watching games as a neutral.

However like him I've seen some great performances by opposition players that often shined through the dissapointment of a City defeat

In the nineties through the Channel four coverage I loved to watch Italian football on Sunday afternoon I've continued to follow it since.

As a result I loved the period when players I admired in Italy came to play in England

FOLLOWING on from the Phyllis Pyle blog it got me thinking about all the players and teams she's seen over all those years watching the Sky Blues, I bet she's got lot's of stories to tell ?

I never got tired of listening to my father telling me about the matches he'd seen and how it was so much better in "his day."

But we're all like that I guess because myself I always go on about the sixties and seventies because to me they were great decades especially for football.

IN the middle of last season when I was challenged to come up with an alternative to the hapless Chris Coleman I mentioned Aidy Boothroyd.It could be said I was one of his earliest supporters

As the season develops we'll see whether my early faith in him is justified. In a hectic pre season spell he said we can achieve big things this season and hes not interested in mediocrity.

He said the biggest space on a football field is between the players ears. He said some players will need careful treatment because they are all individuals

After the Coleman era being clear of the relegation zone might be seen as progress. So after four games being three points from the top and just off the play offs looks pretty good

IN the Coventry Telegraph today there is an article on a lady called Phyllis Pyle who has just celebrated her one hundreth birthday.

She is a Coventry City supporter and has been since the age of twelve making her probably the oldest living Sky Blue fan, and longest too I should think with a staggering eighty eight years of support.

And in 1987 she was at the F.A.Cup final to see the City win the Cup,and she got told off for standing on her seat celebrating the victory, she was 76 years old at the time.

Saturday's team selection showed that no matter who the player is, they can not be guaranteed a starting place. Following a 2-1 victory against Derby, Boothroyd rang the changes. Out went Westwood, Turner, Doyle, Eastwood and Jutikiewicz. Turner was injured and would have played following his man of the match performance the previous week.

Changing a winning team, needs a brave manager and it is something that Boothroyd had stated he wouldn't be afraid of doing. I for one applaud it.

The four five one formation we employed, like Derby did to us the week before, looked like getting us a point until some indiscipline from Carl Baker.

One of the current luxuries at Boothroyd's disposal is the size of the current squad that allows him the luxury to make so many changes and to bring in some quality players. Having players like Gunnarsson, Clingan, Wood and McPake featuring on the bench so often this season would have been un-thinkable last season. What would some of our previous managers given for a bench with those players on?

With the high profile offered to so many footballers these days, their every move highlighted by the tabloid press, as if they were some sort of figurehead to look up to. Add to that the increasing role of agents, constantly telling them that they are worth their weight in gold, is it any wonder so many of them are looking for a "New Challenge" or "More Security" for the future.

It looks to all the world as if Kieran Westwood has fallen into this trap, thinking (or believing his own press) that he is "Better than Coventry City" or "Too big for the Championship".

Where does he go from here, probably onto the bench of a Premier League Club as second or third choice. He is a good keeper, but far from being a great keeper. He was everyone's player of the season last year, but against what competition? He has had some good games for CCFC and has made many very good saves, but that is his job.
He is not a Peter Shilton, or Pat Jennings, does not have the natural ability of a Joe Hart, or the commanding of the box of a Peter Schmeichael or Brad Friedel.

We have had potential great keepers in the past, with the accolades heaped upon a young Chris Kirkland, the world seemed to be at his feet. He got his move to the Big Time at Liverpool and a belated England Cap, but where does he sit in the International scene now?

There are many other decent keepers in the lower divisions waiting to take his place and we should all wish him well, he has been well rewarded for his services here, but maybe he needs reminding that the grass is not always greener!

Steady yourselves: I'm about to say something that isn't about Marlon King or the possible motives for putting a cat in a wheelie bin...

The Sky Blues actually have a match on the horizon!

It's easy to forget about Millwall away this Saturday when there's so much to talk about. But let's not forget that neither Marlon or Lola will be playing, so maybe we should turn our attentions away from the popular pair, just for a moment...

WITH his imminent arrival it's time for those who've taken particular views on the matter to decide what they do next

I've written before on the subject and suggested its not a simple matter,but most fans are taking definite stands one way or the other. The blogs on banter have attracted particularly fierce comment

Those who feel they can't support a Coventry City with Marlon King in it will presumably not come to the Ricoh whilst he's here. That's a principled stand any one could understand

Those who've contended his private life is immaterial should ask themselves what sort of person they want to be a Coventry player, There's been a debate about whether Marlon King is a good player. It's also worth asking if he's a good person

With the signing of marlon king now looking increasingly likely, there have been calls from both sides regarding the should we or shouldn't we thought camps.

There is no doubting his ability as a footballer, but the ethical option is a lot more difficult to square in peoples minds.

If he scores the goals that take us to the promised land, he will probably be remembered in the future as a great signing, if we fail to make the top 6, then i suppose he will be looked upon as a bit of a failure and a gamble that needn't have been taken.

Who is right and who is wrong only time will tell, but in my book, everyone deserves a second chance and an opportunity to wipe the slate clean, let's all hope he proves to be an inspired signing for Coventry City, what I can say with some certainty, judging by the comments on the forums, is that the jury is still out.

I know one thing though and that is that we wouldn't have picked up a player of his class and ability, had it not been for his problems off the field.

Good luck to him and lets see what the future holds?

ALL this talk over Marlon King has got me thinking back to when the City bought Speedie from Chelsea.

Speedie turned into a bit of a Sky Blue legend, but at the time his signing was a little controversial because he had a reputation as a hothead who was forever getting sent off and booked.

And for that reason a lot of clubs were put off by that but not the City thankfully, because he quickly became an Highfield Road favourite.