Rather than look for a successor for former assistant manager Adi Viveash, who abruptly departed the club last month, Mark Robins has added two veteran coaches to his backroom team.
In the wake of Viveash’s unexpected resignation, which shocked the team and was a major factor in their success over the previous seven years, the Sky Blues manager posted an advertisement last month for a head of first team coaching.
Instead, though, Robins has chosen to elevate two current employees, coach John Dempster of the under-21 team and coach Mark Delaney of the under-18 team, who both stepped up over the summer to assume a more significant role with the senior side.
Alongside Delaney and Dempster will be goalkeeping coach Aled Williams, who joined the Sky Blues in 2019, as well as fellow first-team coaches George Boateng and Rhys Carr, who joined in the summer.
“Welcoming Mark and John as first-team coaches gives me great pleasure,” stated Robins.
“When we have worked with them, both have pleased me, the other staff members, and the players. They will both bring a wealth of knowledge, wisdom, and experience to their new responsibilities.
“We can continue to develop players both individually and as a group if we increase the coaching resource at first team level, which will allow us to give our coaching more attention.
The fact that both John and Mark made an impression in that setting and were later added to the first squad underscores the Academy’s commitment to providing a platform for growth both on and off the pitch.
The Sky Blues have reorganised their first-team coaching provision, choosing to further enhance the high-level coaching resource with the recruitment of two new first-team coaches with outstanding backgrounds, according to a club statement.
“Throughout the preseason, Delaney and Dempster worked with the Sky Blues first team, demonstrating their expertise and familiarity with the players and staff of the City. Their appointments will aid the Club in setting up the team to succeed in its goals for the 2024–2025 campaign.
“John and Mark have both worked well at the Sky Blues Academy recently, highlighting the opportunity that the Club’s productive young program offers for both staff and players.
“Delaney and Dempster will collaborate with goalkeeping coach Aled Williams, who joined the Sky Blues in 2019, as well as fellow first-team coaches George Boateng and Rhys Carr, who arrived in the summer.
Delaney, 48, has a long history of both playing and teaching, making him a highly regarded and accomplished coach.
“Delaney began his career in Wales, where he played for Carmarthen Town. He later moved to Cardiff City, where he played from 1997 to 1999, and then to Aston Villa, a Premier League team. The right-back would go on to play 193 games for the Club in all competitions. Additionally, Delaney received 36 caps with the Wales national team.
“In 2008, after hanging up his boots in 2007, he returned to Villa as an Academy coach. He was appointed Senior Professional Development Phase Coach in 2015 and will leave the club in May 2022 after working with the Under 23s. Following a COVID outbreak in the first-team squad, he oversaw a Villa team composed solely of Academy players in an FA Cup third-round match against Liverpool in 2021.
“Mark became a member of the Sky Blues in September 2023 and assumed leadership of the Sky Blues under-18 team as Lead Professional Development Phase Coach. He has been collaborating closely with Mark Robins and his crew during the preseason on an interim basis; he will now be a permanent fixture at Ryton and the first team setup.
“Dempster, 41, became a member of the team in February 2020 and was appointed Lead PDP Coach in 2020. He was promoted to Senior PDP Coach in 2022. In that capacity, he guided the under-21 squad to victory in the Professional Development League in 2022–2023 and the Birmingham Senior Cup final. He has previously assisted Mark Robins and the Ryton coaching staff.
“Before hanging up his boots following a stint at Mansfield in 2015, John had a successful playing career that includes stints with Rushden & Diamonds, Oxford United, Kettering Town, and Scotland’s under-21 national team.
“After retiring, he was named Mansfield Town’s Academy Manager in 2015. He briefly served as interim manager in February 2018.” He was named Mansfield’s first team manager in May 2019 following a fruitful tenure at the Academy. He left the position at the League Two team in December 2019 to join the Sky Blues.”
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