Coventry City have parted ways with long-serving manager Mark Robins ahead of the Sky Blues’ Championship clash against Sunderland this weekend.
Coventry City announced on Thursday morning that they’ve terminated the contract of the Championship‘s longest-serving manager, Mark Robins, following a successful seven-year spell with the club.
In two separate stints, former Manchester United player Robins oversaw a total of 420 games and won 171, with 387 of those games and 154 of those wins coming in his second spell as manager.
After returning to the club as manager in 2017, Robins would earn promotion from both League Two and League One, then reaching the Championship play-off final in 2023.
The Sky Blues lost 2-1 at home to Derby County in midweek despite back-to-back wins leading up to that game, now finding themselves in 17th place of the Championship table.
Coventry City name Rhys Carr interim manager for Sunderland game after Mark Robins sacked
In the club’s statement following the news of Robins’ departure, Coventry City revealed that they’ll name an interim manager for the game against Sunderland this weekend.
An excerpt from the Robins statement read: “The Club will take its time to appoint a successor to Mark, although the position will be that of Head Coach working within the new structure set up by the Club over the last two years.
“The club will shortly appoint an ‘Interim Head Coach’ who will take charge of the team against Sunderland on Saturday.”
Soon after, the club named first-team coach Rhys Carr as their interim boss.
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Coventry City’s recent record against Sunderland
Last season, Coventry City beat Sunderland 3-0 at the Stadium of Light, previously drawing the reverse fixture at the CBS Arena 0-0.
In fact, the Black Cats haven’t beaten Coventry since 2007. That win came in the 2006/07 Championship season and Roy Keane was the man in charge, eventually steering Sunderland to the title that season.
Robins had an unbeaten record as Sky Blues boss against Sunderland with eight games played and four wins.
The most memorable game was in the 2018/19 League One season when Coventry won 5-4 on Wearside, earning promotion the following season.
Coventry sacking Robins and placing Carr in charge this weekend makes a huge difference for Regis Le Bris and Sunderland, who’ll have been preparing for a Robins side this weekend.