Coventry City boss addresses two big goalkeeper questions as ‘exciting’ new signing set for debut

New signing Oliver Dovin could make his non-competitive Coventry City debut against SV Darmstadt this weekend with fans eager to find out if the 22-year-old Swede will be installed as Mark Robins’ first choice goalkeeper for the forthcoming Championship season.

Certainly, he’s set to take the available No.1 shirt vacated by Simon Moore, and adds immediate competition for Brad Collins and Ben Wilson, who have retained their existing shirt numbers of 40 and 13 , respectively. That, of course, begs the question whether the manager will keep three senior Sky Blues stoppers again this season or look to move one on. Moore was surplus to requirements last term but opted to see out his three year contract rather than find an alternative club.

Asked whether Dovin has signed as his new number one keeper, Robins said: “Good question!”

Pressed as to whether there’s an answer, he added: “Not yet.”

Speaking about the quality of the £1.6m signing from Hammarby, the manager added: “He’s hopefully a good goalkeeper. He has a lot of good attributes; catches it, kicks it, throws it… He’s a talented boy, so I am hoping…

“He’s only 22 years of age and is someone we’re all excited about. He’s a good age for us and what we do, and I think that’s another one that the recruitment department have brought in, supported by Doug (King), so exciting times.”

Dovin, who has two senior caps for his country, travelled with the squad to Stevenage on Tuesday night but was a spectator, having only trained once as well as carrying a slight injury, sustained at his previous club.

“He’s got a bit of an impingement to his shoulder but he had a medical and passed that, so there’s nothing that’s too bad,” Robins said, reassuringly.

“But he’s only been in a day or so and only part trained, so we’re just being careful with him. He should be training on Thursday.”

As for the question of whether he is going to have three senior goalkeepers this season, the City boss said: “Yes. We have not brought him in with the idea of moving somebody on. Umm, but everything is possible.

“We have got young Belly (Luke Bell) there who is a really good goalkeeper, so he’s coming on as well. So there’s four there and obviously Cian Tyler as well, although he’s had his wrist injury for a while, so that will make a fifth one. And then there’s Dan Rachel in the Academy who has been training with us from time to time, so there is a decent pool of goalkeepers there.”