Dunn coping with the soccer pressure cooker

David Dunn

JOSE Mourinho’s losing battle to stay in a job has handed Athletic boss David Dunn a reminder that nobody is impregnable in the managerial game.

Chelsea’s hierarchy finally gave way yesterday, firing a manager whose glittering career has taken in three Premier League titles, two Champions League wins, two Serie A triumphs and one La Liga victory, among others.

For his part far from the Premier League, Dunn accepts that Athletic should have scored more than 19 points in 20 games - and he acknowledges that a winning habit needs to be found, quickly.

“When I first came in, had we turned a couple of those draws into wins which we could easily have done, then it might be a different story. We didn’t, and the reality is we are in the bottom four. We need to start winning games and winning them fast.

“Everyone in the team knows what we have to do and it is up to us now to put a smile back on the faces of everyone associated with the club.”

Tomorrow Dunn faces arguably his most difficult game yet as manager. Coventry’s sabre-sharp attack has hit 24 goals in 10 home games this season. Athletic have managed 22 in all their matches.

But if his men can stifle the home side, Dunn believes that an injection of self-belief can help them to spring what many would regard as a shock result.

“Coventry are a fantastic side and really play good football,” Dunn added. “We will have a game plan to try to stop them. We’ve got players who can play; it’s a matter of getting confidence out of them.”