From Cov Telegraph
Iain Dowie insists it's business as usual tomorrow as he attempts to bolster the Sky Blues' Championship challenge against second-placed Charlton Athletic.
"This is a bigger game for us," said the City boss who is looking for a repeat of the committed performance that blew Sir Alex Ferguson's men away in the Carling Cup on Wednesday night.
"Man United is over. It is done and dusted and it is back to the grindstone because this is a huge game for us and we have to cope with it the best way we can.
"We have got to re-focus for it. We enjoyed the night and then had time in the pool yesterday morning to prepare for the Charlton visit."
Tomorrow's Ricoh Arena fixture takes on added spice as the manager hopes to prove a point against the club who sacked him after just 12 Premiership games little more than a year ago.
Dowie insists he has no hard feelings towards Charlton for pulling the plug on his brief managerial career at The Valley - but he is keen to show the Addicks that they made a mistake.
"I had a great time there and have no problem because I can look everyone in the eye from the chairman to the players who are still there," he said. "I worked hard while I was there but it is just one of those things. "I am not the first manager to get sacked and I won't be the last. "I would have liked longer but didn't get it, but I wish them every success - after tomorrow.
"Every game you have a point to prove and there will certainly be added spice, just like there was when we played Palace and if you don't believe that then you are not keeping it real."
And one of his key decisions will be whether to play keeper Andy Marshall - whose magnificent save from Fraizer Campbell proved crucial - or revert to Dimi Konstantopoulos, who shipped three goals at home to Bristol City and four at Ipswich.
As for his players, Dowie is demanding they hit similar heights as Wednesday's inspired display against the Premiership champions.
"That has set the standard and that level of performance is in our players," said the City boss who hopes the fans will now come in numbers and give the same level of support at the Ricoh Arena.
"They have made me proud and I have felt that display has been coming.
"To go there with 11,000 fans hopefully gives them a bit of belief and I want them to come tomorrow with similar noise.
"They have seen lads who have given their all for the Sky Blue shirt and there is not one single player who didn't play his heart out."
Kevin Kyle and David McNamee come back into contention after recovering from injury as Dowie's Carling Cup heroes wait to see if the manager will stick with a winning side or bring in a few fresh legs.
And one of his key decisions will be whether to play keeper Andy Marshall - whose magnificent save from Fraizer Campbell proved crucial - or revert to Dimi Konstantopoulos, who shipped three goals at home to Bristol City and four at Ipswich.
http://iccoventry.icnetwork.co.uk/0300coventrycity/0100news/tm_headline=back-to-business&method=full&objectid=19861752&page=1&siteid=50003-name_page.html 
Comments
AFKA - can we have a sunday morning headlines thread this week?
PLEEEEEEEAASSSSEEE
He was a terrible choice (with the benefit of hindsight, although I had my doubts from the start) and did a very poor job with transfers and results in his short time at the club BUT he took his sacking with good grace and has never slagged us off.
He seems to be a really nice bloke as well, he's moved on (at a high personal cost) and so have we so can't we just drop the hate?
1 SOLITARY player that you signed is left at the club - tells it's own story
REID -
Hold on, that's where it all started!
Dowie: I could have kept Charlton up
Last updated at 20:28pm on 28th September 2007
Iain Dowie says he would have kept the Addicks up
Iain Dowie believes Charlton would not be facing Coventry in the Championship this afternoon had he kept his job at The Valley.
The 41-year-old was sacked by the London club last November after 15 matches in charge. He comes face to face with Charlton, now managed by Alan Pardew, for the first time since his dismissal.
And Dowie, who took over as Coventry boss in March, believes he would have saved his old club from relegation had he been given more time.
He said: "I had 15 games at Charlton and we won five so my win rate was 33 per cent. Alan's, in the end, was 34 per cent.
"It was a job in progress. I brought in one or two players and it takes time to gel, but I believed in that group.
"Boards of directors have got responsibilities and with the money in the Premier League it brings pressure that makes decisions happen."
Dowie is guarding his side against an 'after the Lord Mayor's Show' display following their 2-0 victory at Manchester United in the Carling Cup on Wednesday.
But, he insists, three points are more important than getting one over on the club who sacked him.
"In every game there is something to prove," he said. "I had a good time there and a good relationship with the people.
"People can judge, but I was sad to lose my job there. Life is too short to look back and have recriminations."
Those five wins Included 3 league cup wins so in fact Mr Dowie won 2 of his 12 league games which are the ones that keep you up or send you down.
After the wigan defeat Charlton were 20th out of 20 teams, the 7th consecutive game that Charlton were bottom of the league.
But we would have stayed up...................!
Come on you Reds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A pro what exactly? Certainly a professional football manager does NOT do the things he did. He's all talk.
If I were there, I would not boo him - I'd throw rotten tomotoes, or should I say oranges!
I'd like to give a subject of refexion to those who seemingly have nothing against Dowie.
Imagine you lived with someone who you trusted and found 'really nice', who then lied, cheated and wasted all your money. Then as a result you subsequently had to downsize from a house to a one bedroom appartment and sell other assets like your car, would you still be thinking 'on, well, he's a nice bloke, fair play to him?'
Second thoughts....Dowie is a Ba*tard!
:-)
Jimmymelrose.....what a guru mate lol
I love you mascot88!
However I am glad we went down as I am enjoying this season far more than the previous 3 or 4.
With the players he signed - No Way.
.
And Dowie, who took over as Coventry boss in March, believes he would have saved his old club from relegation had he been given more time.
He said: "I had 15 games at Charlton and we won five so my win rate was 33 per cent. Alan's, in the end, was 34 per cent.
b][/quote]
Three of Dowie's wins were in the Carling Cup - which don't contribute to staying up. He achieved 8 points out of 36 in the Premiership, which is 22 per cent. Pardew managed 22 out of 57, which is 39 per cent.
Under Pardew we would have got 44 points and stayed up.
All I would say is having spoke to Murray on many occasions, I would trust him and his side of what went on as opposed to Dowie who was a proven liar in court.
We will never know, but I think Dowie would have got us relegated as I can't believe Traore, Faye, JFH, Marcus Bent etc would have suddenly started to play like top Prem players.
Covered end. That's all very well, but unless people like me can hear his side of 'what went on', then we'll have to form our own conclusions. And the fact is that the buck stops with Murray.
Anyway - that's the frustrating thing - we'll never know!
And Dowie talks rubbish, as demonstrated in court and now by this piece from the Coventry evening paper.
If people prefer to believe in Dowie rather than individuals with a lengthy track record of personal commitment to Charlton that's up to them. I don't personally think the public evidence is persuasive.