Richard Shaw has made no secret that he would like to become the new manager of Coventry City and the 3-2 win over Birmingham City in the Capital One Cup last Tuesday will have done his chances no harm at all, but he is not the only applicant.
Shaw, assisted by coach Lee Carsley, will be in charge for Coventry's trip to Crewe on Saturday and a good performance and a win will further enhance his chances, but chief executive Tim Fisher has said he hopes to have a new manager installed by the Stevenage game on Sunday 9th September. Whether that man will be Shaw remains to be seen.
Shaw has applied for the job, but the club has received around 40 applications already. Many of these applications will have no chance of succeeding, but there will be some very good candidates among them and the club may have someone else in mind who they think may be the man for the job but who has not applied.
The deadline for the receipt of applications for the job, which has been advertised on the League Managers' Association website, is given as 5:00pm on Monday 3rd September.
As is usual in such cases rumours abound as to who has applied for the job, former Coventry City player Noel Whelan is one who is thought to have applied, but another name mentioned is Oldham Athletic's Paul Dickov, but that rumour was refuted by Oldham chairman Simon Corney as well as by Coventry City.
All of the rumour and innuendo surrounding the post does not bother the current, temporary incumbent and probably favourite for the job Richard Shaw.
Shaw said: "I expect by the weekend there will be about 150 applicants but that’s out of my control. I like to think that I have got a good chance. I do want it and I would love the chance to manage this football club and I believe I know the players well enough and that I can affect their performance and do a good job.
“I’ve enjoyed every minute so far and all I can do if try to improve the players on the training pitch. Results and the people above will dictate what happens but hopefully I can show them that I am enthusiastic enough to be given a chance.”