Barnett's hopes dashed

Last updated : 10 May 2010 By Covsupport news service. RD

Coventry City's sacked manager Chris Coleman was keen to make Leon Barnett loan deal into a permanent one, but now he has gone, any deal now looks to be highly unlikely.

City fans are split in their opinions about the defender, but Barnett himself has admitted that a permanent deal is remote.

“It was not a good way to end the season and the boys didn’t really expect that,” said Barnett about the dismal way the season ended in a 4-0 drubbing by Watford.

“It was a bad game for us and we have to hold our hands up and admit that we weren’t the best team on the day.”

Looking at his loan spell at The Rich, the 24 year old said, “It has been a difficult loan spell in some respects. I have had a few good performances but then the red cards have been negatives and overall I suppose I could be happier."

“I always want to do better than the last game but unfortunately that didn’t happen on Sunday.”

Before he was sacked, Coleman had publicly said he wanted to keep Barnett at The Ricoh, but the player said “The gaffer said he wanted to do something but I don’t know whether he had changed his mind. I have no idea."

“I am just going to take time out and relax away from football and hopefully come back with a positive head and look what offers are there. I don’t know whether I will be going back to West Brom or be loaned out or on a permanent deal, but at this moment in time I don’t know what’s going to happen.

“It has been a mediocre season for me. A lot of people expected me to play when I came here and I have been kept out a few times by James McPake and Richard Wood, and overall it has been pretty mediocre loan for me. I just want to come back and hopefully do better next season.”