[25 APR 01]

Listen to Gordon Strachan talk about what it takes to survive, let alone achieve anything, in the Premiership and sooner or later you will hear the words "mental strength".

Gordon's philosophy is built around his team being mentally as well as physically strong for the weekly battle for Premiership points. Arguably, it was a lack of the former, rather than the latter, that let them down at Ipswich.

After a fine run of results, bar the defeat at Old Trafford, which looked to have put them on the route to recovery, the Sky Blues, according to their manager, started the match at Portman Road as though they had won it before kicking a ball. By that, he didn't mean that they were complacent, but rather that they were not really up for the challenge, not really up to the task of taking on each of their remaining matches as a "must-win" affair and being ready to battle until they were sure of the three points.

The consequence of that, and the results from the matches involving Middlesbrough, Derby County and Everton, mean that we are locked into a situation where we must win at least two of our remaining three fixtures, and might even have to win all three to stay up.

Yes, we've done it before, but no, I am not going to forecast what we will do. As most people say when faced with walking under a ladder, I am not really superstitious, but I have made it a rule not to predict what will happen when Coventry City play, just in case it's the Kiss of Death…

However, if you are fearing the worse, bear in mind that Manchester City are still two points further adrift than we are, yet their 1-1 draw at Manchester United was hailed with cries of "maybe it's not over yet for Man City" from the TV commentators. So if it's not over for them, it sure ain't over for us either!

Nonetheless, the task remains:

(a) take maximum points from a home match against Liverpool - on a roll right now, with superb form domestically and in Europe and, with one of those typical football ironies, Gary McAllister turning himself into an Anfield legend.

(b) take maximum points from a visit to Villa Park where we have enjoyed only brief, though memorable triumph. Who will forget that Moldevan moment? Hartson heroics or a Bellamy belter would not go amiss that day.

(c) take maximum points from a last day of the season home match against a Bradford City who, although technically still hanging on by their Carbone inspired finger nails will almost certainly be officially relegated by then. Talking of ironies, don't forget that their current line up includes one Eoin Jess.

Not impossible - and three victories may not be absolutely necessary; a draw and two wins might be enough.

But now is the time for positive thought and, yes, the mental strength advocated by the manager. I may not be prepared to forecast lest I put the proverbial mockers on the whole thing, but I have to believe that we can do it, and it will need everyone with Coventry City at heart inside Highfield Road on Saturday to hold on to those positive thoughts - players, coaches, directors, supporters and anyone else not included in that list.

Supporters and players most of all. So many times in the past we have done it together, and we can again.

Remember how that chorus of "Go For It City" rolled around Wembley in '87? A song that the fans had barely given voice to prior to that. What happened? Ask Lloyd McGrath. Ask Gary Mabbutt. Ask John Sillett and George Curtis.

We did it then and we can do it again, but only if we "all sing together" from the first whistle to the last.

Mental strength is what we need. It's time to think positive.