Deadline day
looked set to be one of the quietest on record for Coventry City.
The third Thursday in March used to be by far the busiest transfer day of the season
but the Bosman Ruling has seen its importance decline and only one deal was completed at
Highfield Road today.
West Ham, on the point of selling Paolo Wanchope to Leicester City for £4 million were
linked with a move for Noel Whelan, but the club confirmed there was little prospect of
any major deals being completed.
Young Irish defender Barry Ferguson completed a loan deal to Second Division Colchester
aimed to bring the highly-rated player first team experience. Coventry did the same thing
last season with John Eustace joining Dundee United allowing him to taste senior football
for the first time.
Manager Gordon Strachan is convinced that it helped the Birmingham-born player become a
first team prospect and is hoping Ferguson will show similar progress.
Meanwhile Paul Telfer put himself in with a chance of starting a senior game for the
first time since the first weekend of February with a strong performance in the Reserves
last night.
The full back, who has been out of action with a knee ligament injury since the defeat
at Manchester United, came through 90 minutes against Nottingham Forest and scored in the
2-0 win.
He put the Sky Blues in front with a powerful volley after 36 minutes and young Steve
McPhee rounded off the scoring in the 69th minute, heading home a cross from
Runar Normann.
Defender Gary Breen did have to come off in the second half after injuring his back.
The injury was not serious but Gordon Strachan, watching from the dugout was clearly
taking no chances and substituted him immediately.
Ysrael Zuniga is unlikely to feature at Highbury as he will have left to play for Peru
against Paraguay in a World Cup qualifying game.
