Coventry City manager Andy Thorn has admitted that his short stint in charge of the Sky Blues has been his toughest job ever and the 2-0 defeat at Barnsley last weekend was the lowest point he has reached in football management.
However in typical Thorn style, he refuses to give in and is determined to find a solution to his side's problems and guide them back to winning ways.
The defeat at Oakwell, usually a happy hunting ground for Coventry City, was the fifth defeat of the season and left them in the relegation zone, third from bottom, but Thorn has the international break to try to work some magic to lift his young side up the league table.
The 44 year old Thorn has only managed 21 games in his short managerial career and is still learning his trade. He is frustrated at not having funds to strengthen his squad, but rather moaning about something he has no control over, he simply gets on with the job as best he can.
He said the the CT, “This is the toughest thing I have ever done. It was the lowest I have been at the weekend. I really had a sit down and think because we have got to sort this out and quickly.
“It’s a real baptism of fire for me and I have learnt one hell of a lot in a short space of time, but I’ll get on top of it and I will make sure it works, don’t you worry, and will make sure we come out of the other side. We are just battening down the hatches at the moment.”
With just a couple of exceptions (Ipswich and Barnsley), Coventry have played quite well so far this season and have let slip at least seven points late on in games where they have conceded late or silly goals. City lost at Crystal Palace in the last couple of minutes, in a game they should have won and conceded late equalising goals to Reading and Blackpool, so instead of three wins they ended up with two draws and a loss.
As hard as conceding late goals is to take, playing well below par like they did at Oakwell was even harder for Thorn to stomach
He admitted, “It is difficult at times, especially when you go so close, but it was the performance more than anything that was so disappointing on Saturday. The boys are disappointed but they have to get back at it and back to putting in a good performance like we were before that.
“It is important that I stay positive because the boys are looking to me as well and I know we will come through it. As I have said, it is the toughest thing I have had to do but I am determined to get it right.”
Thorn is not only encouraged by the backing he has from the fans, he is also grateful for the continued support though these trouble times. He has sympathies with those fans, feeling sorry for them at spending their hard earned cash to watch either sub standard or being mugged late on.
He expressed his gratitude to the fans when he said, “When I was walking off the pitch at the end on Saturday I was so low because I just couldn’t believe the performance and when I looked up at the supporters I felt sorry for them and they were cheering and chanting my name which gives you a massive lift and keeps you going.
"So that was really good. I am giving it everything I can and if we keep giving it our best I am sure it will turn.”