Mark Robins admitted it was a “challenge” for the Sky Blues to adapt their game plan for yesterday’s trip to Brentford after Tyler Walker tested positive for Covid-19.
The Sky Blues were beaten 2-0 by the Bees yesterday afternoon, but were forced to change their squad late in the day after it was confirmed that Walker had tested positive for Covid-19.
Walker, who will now self-isolate for the next 10 days, had been heavily involved in the manager’s plans leading up to the game, but had to be withdrawn in the wake of his positive test, however, Robins was able to confirm that Tyler and his family are okay with the forward asymptomatic.
Robins said: “We've worked on something for a while and then we had we had a positive Covid test and things had to change, Tyler tested positive yesterday, he’s asymptomatic, he's obviously following the rules now and he'll be out for nine more days.
“We'd done all the work that we that we needed to do and then obviously when we spoke yesterday we were still waiting for the test to come back, they'd just been tested again yesterday, we were tested Thursday and one of the tests came back positive.
“The way we do it there were four people that were in the same category but then they were tested individually yesterday, and there was one positive so it just threw everything up in the air really because we’d worked on things to come in to today's game but there was too much work done to unpick it all in a short space of time.
“These are the challenges that you have to face at the minute and everybody is going to be the same, I said it yesterday, you go into a game with all the best laid plans, you mitigate as much as you possibly can, but this virus gets everywhere.
“Out of probably around 14 rounds of testing we've had one positive so whilst it’s disappointing for Tyler, he’s okay and his family are okay and that's the main thing really when you’re talking about this virus.”
The manager also gave a fitness update on Fankaty Dabo after the fullback missed Saturday’s match with a hamstring problem.
“Fanky was injured and his wife is expecting today so that was the reason he wasn’t involved, he’s got a hamstring issue that he’s got to work on which gives us a headache as we’ve lost both Franky and Julian, once we can get them back and firing things will look a little bit different.
“Pasky has done what he needs to do, Sam came on in the second half, both of them have done pretty well, it gives us a different balance to the team and trying to get that right is tough without the players that are missing and there’s not a great deal I can do to change things in that position.
“We’ve just got to keep going and try to build confidence, whilst you’re losing games there are things that you can do and take some real positives out of it.”
Robins was full of praise for Max Biamou as the striker continues to fight for his place in the squad and hopes he can have an impact at the club this season.
“I think Gervane is working hard to try and get himself closer to things, people were interested in taking Max, but he wants to stay and fight for a place which is absolutely his right to do and is testament to his character and what he’s been about.
“Hopefully, he can keep doing that, he’s trying to help the younger players as well and feels he can have an impact, I’m not going to count against him, I think he’s a great lad, he’s done brilliantly for us and he remains part of the group.”