Liam Kelly singles out the ‘well-liked’ Coventry City player to succeed him as captain

Liam Kelly has had his say on who he thinks would be his natural successor as Coventry City’s captain next season.

The outgoing Sky Blues skipper is moving on after seven influential and memorable years at the club where he had been club captain since taking over from Michael Doyle in February 2019 following his mid-term switch to Notts County. A number of players have filled in since then when Kelly was sidelined due to injury, illness or not being selected, with Kyle McFadzean the ‘go to’ man in his absence.

However, since his drop out of the team last November and subsequent January move to Blackburn Rovers, manager Mark Robins has turned to Ben Sheaf to take up the responsibility for the most part.

Among those who have also led the team out last season are Joel Latibeaudiere, Matty Godden and Jamie Allen, while Jake Bidwell, Callum O’Hare and Josh Eccles also took the armband following substitutions.

Asked if he feels 26-year-old Sheaf would be the perfect and natural successor to himself, Kelly said: “Yes, definitely. Ben is a very mature player who has been here a few seasons now and performed really well on the pitch and he’s a well liked person in the dressing room as well so…”

The veteran midfielder, however, who has been released after reaching the end of his contract this summer, insists it’s not a foregone conclusion and says Robins has a number of options for the task.

“There are a lot of mature players in there, there’s Joel (Latibeaudiere) who is an experienced player for his young age and then there’s Bidders (Jake Bidwell) who is an experienced head, so there are a lot of leaders within that dressing room.

“But yes, Ben has done a fantastic job when he’s played as captain.”

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