The Millers boss admitted his players’ first-half display was the worst 45 minutes of his managerial career as his side slumped to 5-0 defeat – their eighth defeat in a row and one leaving them 19 points from safety.

The Sky Blues raced into a 4-0 lead before the break thanks to Ellis Simms’ hat-trick and a header from Joel Latibeaudiere.

Fabio Tavares finished things off in stoppage-time to cap a welcome return to form for Mark Robins, who celebrates his seventh anniversary in charge of the Sky Blues today.

“There’s some pretty embarrassed footballers in that dressing room right now,” said Richardson after his team’s 14th away defeat in 18 outings this season.

"I will always defend footballers but that’s probably the worst 45 minutes I’ve been involved in. You can accept mistakes, but you can’t be soft, conceding three or four in the middle of our goal.

“We’re very aware of the situation we’re in. I’ve been here a number of weeks and it became clear very quickly the amount of challenges we’ve got at the club, where we’ve got to move it forward. I’ll always back myself to move football clubs forward, I’ve done it in the past and I’ve got a really strong record.

“At this level, you’ve got to be really careful you don’t open yourself up to nights like this because the level is too big and if we’re not 100 per cent we will find ourselves on the back of things like this.

“It’s the first time that I’ve experienced it in my time at the club. I can make excuses for everybody but I’ll take the full blame for it.

“I’ll take it on my shoulders because I’m the man at the front of it.”

Rotherham United boss Leam Richardson blasts 'embarrassed' players after abject Coventry City defeat