The prophets of doom are never loathe to their concerns about the state of the Sky Blues, but when people start praying for a new investor and manager, things must be getting bad.

Gordon Strachan has had a fairly easy time since taking the helm at Highfield Road. Every now and then there‘s a knee-jerk cry from a few with a rather narrow perspective for his sacking, but generally he has been safe.

Now the knives are sharpening, and some believe he could be getting his cards before long.

Most City fans are used to the Sky Blues losing, but they have been dreadful lately.

Some of this Strachan can be excused. There has been a big run of injuries concentrated on certain positions, making it hard to give the team a balance.

But it is up to the manager to motivate those who do play, and to make sure he has got the best person available playing in their best position.

Otherwise holes get left in defence, midfielders look spineless and the attack toothless and the faithful start doubting.

Will the work ever start on the new stadium, will new money come in to bail the team out? At this point the rumour mill and wishful thinking begins.

You can’t blame Eddie Jordan for not wanting to invest (officially, at least). He has enough to do to stop Jordan becoming the Coventry City of Formula One.

And can anyone seriously imagine Terry Venables returning to club football in Coventry? These may be fanciful solutions, but they aren’t practical.

The jury remains out on Strachan. More revelations like his spat with CWR’s Rob Gurney, who is no longer allowed to ask him any questions following a critical phone-in, will not do his cause any good.

But the decision shouldn’t hang on a single game, particularly a derby where until recently, Coventry have no history of doing well.

SEE: [23 NOV 00]: EDDIE JORDAN - I'M NOT CITY'S SAVIOUR