Sky Blues just missed out on signing a loan goalkeeper hours before the transfer deadline yesterday.

Manager Gordon Strachan, anxious for experienced cover for Magnus Hedman while veteran Steve Ogrizovic recovers from his shoulder injury, tried to get Alan Miller from West Bromwich Albion.

But he was unable to tie up a loan agreement for the 28 year old keeper and the move did not come off. It now appears that the teenaged youth goalkeeper Chris Kirkland will be on the substitutes’ bench in place of Ogrizovic.

Coventry meanwhile are in Scotland in a bonding exercise as they build up for the final eight matches of the season.

They beat Dundee 1-0 in a friendly match last night with the goal being scored by Trond Soltvedt, who puts himself right in the frame to play against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough next Saturday.

The team has been enjoying some relaxing golf in Scotland and had hoped to watch the Scotland-Bosnia Euro 2000 qualifier in Glasgow tomorrow, but the NATO bombers put paid to that.

Their bombing raids on Kosovo made the airspace too dangerous over Bosnia and the Bosnia international squad was stranded in Sarajevo.

It is the second time City’s new defender Mo Konjic has been stranded in his own country. He spent 36 hours at Sarajevo airport six weeks ago when heavy snow prevented flights leaving.

Now he faces a long train journey into Croatia to find an airport which is open.

Roland Nilsson has taken a ferryboat home to Sweden for two weeks rest and recuperation after fracturing two ribs and puncturing his lung in last weekend’s match at Arsenal.

Nilsson was discharged from hospital in Warwickshire today and immediately set off to join his family. Doctors advised against flying so he went by ship.

Before he left he said:

"I still hope to be able to play for Coventry before my contract expires in June. There are eight weeks to the end of the season and the doctors have told me I could start training again in six weeks. But I want to be playing again by then.

"Either way I intend being at Highfield Road on the last day of the season to say farewell to the Coventry fans."