The two parties may well face each other at the creditors’ meeting on Wednesday at The Hilton, called following the club going into administration. Team Sisu believes it has spotted a weakness, though, with a chilling of relations between the two over publicity strategy. His players, Joe Elliott and Gary Hoffman are holding a high pair - an agreement to buy half the Ricoh and the backing of the city council which owns the other. Sisu’s opponents also have a wealthy banker, Preston Haskell IV. Even as a proposal, it’s a clever high card to play by Sisu, whose American banker may be £60million down but is seemingly prepared to gamble more. Plenty of green belt, stacks of opposition. Logic suggests that means north-west or north-east, let’s say a sweep from Keresley across to Ansty/Binley Woods. Property experts in the city were sceptical when the Sisu chief executive made his claim believing that there wasn’t anywhere in Coventry to build a stadium and, if there was, the council would never give planning consent.Ī bit below the belt as planners are supposed to be like refs and unbiased over crunch decisions.īut now it’s clear that the club is looking at the Warwickshire fringe – “at a site nearer than the Ricoh for many Coventry fans,” according to one insider who ruled out anywhere on the southern edge of the city boundary. But it strengthens Sisu’s hand if it comes down to convincing the Football League it has a long -term commitment to the club and is therefore a worthy holder of the so-called “golden share,” the right to compete in the league. If his pledge that Sky Blues have left the Ricoh for good and Sisu will build a new stadium within three years is a bluff then you have to admire his nerve.Įven if genuine, it’s not an ace by any means. Cool Hand Tim Fisher has dramatically upped the ante in the poker game going on for the prize of Coventry City Football Club.