'Preston North End just always find a way against Coventry City'
Coventry City travel to the dreaded Deepdale this weekend and a Preston North End side that have plenty in common with the Sky Blues.
The Lilywhites had a similarly disappointing end to last season and equally frustrating start to this term, having lost their last five Championship matches to finish a point and place below City in 10th position with 63 points going into the summer.
Like Mark Robins’ men, they’d been hovering around the play-offs place all season and were only a decent run away from making the final cut that, like City, evaded them in the end as the campaign tailed off in dramatic fashion.
A stuttering start to 2024/25 has afflicted both clubs but it came as somewhat of a shock that North End boss Ryan Lowe became the first casualty of the new campaign, sacked after the opening day defeat to promotion favourites Sheffield United. From the outside looking in, it looked harsh in the extreme.
Here we find out what went on and ask how the Lancashire club have fared since, now managed by the relatively experienced Paul Heckingbottom, formerly of Barnsley, Leeds United and Sheffield United. PNE reporter George Hodgson of the Lancashire Post provides the inside track.
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How do you assess Preston’s start to the season and what prompted the early change in manager?
It was a bonkers start, really. Losing your manager after one game and the caretaker after the second - both of which were defeats. Thankfully, there’s optimism around Deepdale again now but there’s no doubt PNE found themselves in a far from ideal situation. It made the next appointment absolutely crucial. By all accounts, Ryan Lowe pushed for Preston to part ways with him after that loss to Sheffield United. Last season had finished terribly, large sections of the fan base were not with the manager and he was booed off against the Blades. The timing was just bizarre and frustrating, with PNE having gone through a full pre-season and most of the transfer window.
How has the new man settled in and has the approach/style changed significantly?
He’s been a breath of fresh air, really. Along with likable assistant, Stuart McCall, the Preston fans have definitely taken to Paul Heckingbottom. He comes across as knowledgeable, authentic and relatable. Heckingbottom and PNE feel like a good fit and the challenge will be to pick up more wins after the break. Nine points have been collected from the seven games. But his team have, Millwall away aside, passed the eye test. He’s challenging North End to be braver, in and out of possession - having the confidence to play and then trying to win the ball back, high up the pitch. We’ve also seen a fluidity to Preston in games; they transition nicely between a couple of shapes during the 90 minutes, depending on the opposition. It makes for an engaging watch.
How have the new signings fared so far and who are the danger men?
Kaine Kesler-Hayden has been excellent, on loan from Aston Villa. He brings bags of energy and pace down the flanks and the 21-year-old is a favourite among the fans, already. Sam Greenwood, on loan from Leeds, was making a strong impression prior to his daft red card against Blackburn Rovers. Josh Bowler’s individual quality and flair is clear to see; the best is hopefully yet to come there. The same applies to Iceland midfielder Stefan Thordarson, who looked a real classy act in his first few showings. Wide man Jeppe Okkels has been seen the least, as PNE aim to help him adapt to a different way of playing. In terms of danger men, Mads Frokjaer is a creative spark in midfield and there’ll be a big onus on fellow Dane, Emil Riis, with strikers Will Keane and Milutin Osmajic both unavailable.
Given Coventry’s appalling history at Deepdale, has it become a standing joke that three points are in the bag every time this fixture crops up?
Ha! It’s more strange than anything. Coventry have always been a competitive side and, certainly in the last couple of years, a really strong Championship outfit. It definitely doesn’t feel a given, but PNE just seem to always find a way - though 10 of the 13 wins have been by just one goal. When it goes on for that long, you always think it’s bound to end soon. For North End’s sake, hopefully that isn’t next Saturday. You at least had that Johnstone’s Paint win! That was a cruel one for Preston - as was Fabio Tavares’ equaliser a couple of years back.