Looks like a masterstroke, Coventry City’s £1.2 million gamble
Coventry City has improved recently following a dismal start to the season in which they only triumphed once in their first eight Championship games.
After going on a seven-game unbeaten streak, they are currently just three points out of the play-off positions in eighth place in the Championship.
It seemed as though manager Mark Robins had shaken off any play-off hangover. The previous season, his team lost the play-off final against Luton Town on penalties after a 1-1 draw, and as a result, they were not promoted to the Premier League.
A difficult summer for Coventry
As a result, with both of Coventry’s players from the previous season leaving, it became an extremely busy summer for Robins and the recruitment team. For £15 million, dynamic midfielder Gustavo Hamer departed for Premier League newcomers Sheffield United, while powerful striker Viktor Gyokeres moved for £20 million to join Portuguese powerhouse Sporting Lisbon.
The departures of Sean Maguire, Michael Rose, and Fankaty Dabo left the Sky Blues’ roster lacking in some key areas.
Afterwards, Coventry made 11 acquisitions, including the club record-breaking signing of Haji Wright, a striker, from Antalyaspor.
| Coventry City – 2023/24 Signings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player Name | Signed From | Loan/Permanent |
| Haji Wright | Antalyaspor | Permanent |
| Ellis Simms | Everton | Permanent |
| Liam Kitching | Barnsley | Permanent |
| Milan van Ewijk | Heerenveen | Permanent |
| Bobby Thomas | Burnley | Permanent |
| Tatsuhiro Sakamoto | KV Oostende | Permanent |
| Brad Collins | Barnsley | Permanent |
| Jay Dasilva | Bristol City | Permanent |
| Joel Latibeaudiere | Swansea City | Permanent |
| Yasin Ayari | Brighton | Loan |
| Luis Binks | Bologna | Loan |
Tatsuhiro Sakamoto showing his worth
The signing of Japanese international Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, nevertheless, seems to have slipped under the radar.
Sakamoto left KV Oostende in the Belgian top division, where he had spent the previous 18 months, to move to England. Prior to moving there permanently in the summer of 2022, he was on loan from Cerezo Osaka in his native Japan for the second part of the 21/22 season.
He would go on to play in 32 games across all competitions in the previous season, the season Oostende was demoted from the first division following 10 years in the top flight.
Because Sakamoto had never played in England before and was a member of a side that had just been demoted, Coventry was able to seize the opportunity and bring him to the Midlands. At the time, this decision was risky.
Sakamoto was also expensive for a chance in the Championship, as the Sky Blues had to pay £1.2 million to sign a three-year contract with him.
However, Sakamoto has made this signing appear like a genius in the first half of the season.
He is a versatile option for Robins, primarily playing on the right flank for Coventry. This season, his incredible dribbling skill has caused many difficulties for Championship defences.
Sakamoto has made 22 appearances in the Championship and has six goals and two assists. It is especially noteworthy because he has made all of his appearances in the last ten Championship games, while he was unable to score for Oostende in the previous season.
With five of his six goals coming in the previous four games—two braces in the 3-1 victory over Middlesbrough and the 2-0 triumph over Sheffield Wednesday—he has demonstrated a remarkable eye for goal lately. In December, he contributed two assists in three games: a 2-0 victory over Birmingham and a thrilling 1-1 draw at Elland Road with Leeds United.
What initially looked like a gamble now really seems to be paying off for the Sky Blues.
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