Ex-Fulham and Arsenal ace becomes third Premier League winner to apply for Championship vacancy with Portsmouth's rivals
Coventry City are on the hunt to find a replacement for fan favourite Mark Robins
Fulham fan favourite Luis Boa Morte is the latest former Premier League star to declare his interest in becoming the new manager of Portsmouth’s Championship rivals Coventry City, according to reports from London World.
The Sky Blues are currently searching for a successor to Mark Robins, who had been the third longest serving manager in the English Football League before his departure at the start of November. Robins took charge of 387 matches in the West Midlands and oversaw two promotions, an EFL Trophy triumph and even led the club to a first FA Cup semi-final since 1987.
He was also on the brink of leading Coventry back into the Premier League just 17 months ago before falling short in an agonising penalty shoot-out defeat to Luton Town in the Championship play-off final.
Robins was highly-rated for his achievements at Coventry and even received an honorary doctorate from the university for helping the club through hard years. However, the board made the difficult decision to sack the 58-year-old after an underwhelming start to the season which currently leaves them sitting in 17th - just a point off relegation, and just four points ahead of second bottom Portsmouth.
As it stands, the likes of ex-Chelsea and Everton boss Frank Lampard and former Manchester United interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy have emerged as two of the frontrunners for the vacancy alongside Tottenham Hotspur fan favourite Robbie Keane. Boa Morte, who lifted the Premier League title as a youngster with Arsenal, however, is the only candidate currently in work to put his name forward for the vacancy with the Sky Blues.
The 47-year-old, who is best remembered for his successful six-year stint as a player at Fulham between 2001 and 2007, returned to Craven Cottage in 2021 to work as first team coach to Marco Silva before leaving his post over the summer. Prior to that, he had also worked with the Portuguese coach at Everton and had acted as his assistant coach for a brief period at Goodison Park.
Since March 2024, Boa Morte has worked as the manager of the Guinea-Bissau national team, but has so far endured a tricky start, winning just one of his opening seven games with the West African outfit.
It is still unclear who will be in the dugout when Pompey face Coventry on December 21. Only four points separate the sides as the Championship action resumes following the final international break of the calendar year and the last one until March 2025. Pompey rounded off their last set of games with a vital 3-1 victory over Preston North End at Fratton Park.