COVENTRY City manager Chris Coleman says both he and his squad will be under no illusions about the tough start which faces them in the 2009/10 Championship season.

Coleman underlined it would be a difficult start no matter who they played in their first game of the new campaign.

But he also said he was pleased to get a home tie to kick off the new season, against Ipswich, adding he hoped to get the new campaign off to a similar start to last season when the Sky Blues kicked off 2008/09 with a 2-0 home win over Ipswich's local rivals Norwich City.

"It's difficult no matter who you get for the first game because this league is so tight in terms of competition and with it being the first game of the season the boys are going to be finding their feet again," Coleman said.

"It doesn't matter if you have Ipswich at home or Newcastle away, the start to the season is always frantic and I still believe four games in the first ten days of a new season needs to be looked at.

"We started off very well last season with our first game being at home and with four derbies again this season I'm really looking forward to that and I know the fans will be as well.

"Wolves and Birmingham have gone up but West Brom and Leicester have come back into the mix and if they are anything like the derby games we have with Wolves and Birmingham last season then I think it is really something to look forward to.

"I love derby games. My first game in charge of the club was against Leicester at the Ricoh and the atmosphere was unbelievable and if we can recreate that this season with the City supporters then it will be something special.

"You also have to look at Newcastle and Middlesbrough being in this league now, both monster clubs who are only going to make the Championship an even harder league than it was last season.

"But it's also nice to cap off this season with a home game because I know we've not had that luxury in the last couple of years so myself and the lads are looking forward to getting started and I'm sure the Sky Blues supporters will be as well.

For the full list of fixtures for the Sky Blues 2009/10 Championship campaign click here.