‘My biggest achievement – this week’ -Coventry City boss said in packed FA Cup press conference

Mark Robins will be remembered as the manager who led Coventry City to the final four of the FA Cup for the first time since George Curtis and John Sillett in 1987, should the team pull off an unexpected upset in the 2024 edition.

The match against Premier League Wolves presents the 54-year-old Sky Blues manager with yet another exciting chance to write his name in the club’s history. He already feels secure in the knowledge that he is among the most successful managers in Coventry City’s modern history.

City are the underdogs, of course, just as they were against Tottenham in the final 37 years ago, but that doesn’t stop the players and fans alike from “dreaming” of making it through. To do that, Robins knows full well that his side will have to be at their best and, perhaps, catch Wanderers on an “off day.”

“The boot is somewhat on the other foot from the Maidstone game,” said Robins, “and you never know, upsets can happen. We saw from George’s (Elokobi) side in the last round where they were full of belief and confidence, and full of hope. And if you go into games with that cocktail then you have a chance in any game.”

In an unusually packed pre-match press conference compared to Robins’ routine weekly dates with the media, the manager was in an upbeat mood.

“It’s a brilliant game and you get very few opportunities to play in games like this in your career, so in that sense you have to try to make the best of it and do as much as you can do to get through,” he said.

Club owner Doug King asked for a cup run this year and Robins has duly delivered. And there’s also a sense of making amends for last season’s embarrassing third round exit when City went out to non-league Wrexham.

“The cup in itself is a world famous competition and we’re trying to make up for last year,” he said. “We want to give a good account of ourselves and cause them problems, but they are a good side.”

City can be buoyed by the fact that Wolves have injuries, including to two of their top players in Pedro Neto and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde. It means Wolves boss Gary O’Neil has only one senior forward to call upon in Pablo Sarabia.

“We know it’s a tough, tough ask. Although they have got a lot of injuries, they still have a lot of quality,” said Robins. “And we’re just hoping we can play well enough ourselves to progress through in the competition.

“They’ll feel that they should win. We have been watching them, but trying to do analysis on them is difficult because they have some missing and some who may come back, so we’re planning for a few different scenarios. But one scenario that’s going to run through is their quality and speed in every position, so we have got to be on our game, there’s no two ways about it, and move the ball quickly but also be calm and make good use of it.”

City have given a good account of themselves against top flight opposition in the past, most notably when they beat Stoke while in League Two and, more recently, going toe-to-toe with Southampton a couple of seasons ago when they went to extra-time at St Mary’s before eventually losing 2-1. So is he looking for a performance, first and foremost?

“I think that’s what you always look for,” he agreed. “It’s going to be interesting. The pitch is going to be like a billiard table, and there will be a big noise there from hugely expectant Wolves fans and from our supporters as well. But it’s a great game for everyone to test themselves in a really strong environment.”

One of City’s issues in recent games has been giving the ball away too cheaply – something Robins knows they simply can’t afford to do against such a quick and slick side.

“Wolves are brilliant on the counter attack in the Premier League, and they have got some brilliant talent that we have got to try to impose ourselves on,” he said. “Be calm in possession and keep the ball a lot rather than turn the ball over too often, because we could be in trouble if we do that.”

He added: “It’s going to be interesting and we have to play well out of possession, be calm in possession and also carry a threat.”

Robins and his players have clear ambitions to manage and play in the Premier League, so does he see this as a gauge to see how close they are to the level, or is this just a one-off in the cup?

“It is a one off but it’s also a chance to test yourselves against top opposition,” he said. “This is a side who are above Chelsea in the Premier League. So it’s an opportunity for everyone to showcase their talents, but also for us to showcase the club. That’s really important, to go there and put Coventry at the forefront of people’s thoughts; mostly our own supporters because we want them to carry us, and us carry them, as we have done for the last seven years whilst I have been here.

“We want to put on a really good performance that encourages everyone – nearly 5,000 of them – and drives us on and hopefully helps us get through. And there’s always a chance of that. And that can help keep that forward momentum going for the rest of the season, whatever that might hold.”