The Sky Blues would still have been relegated even if they had won because of Derby's shock win at Manchester United.

Villa manager John Gregory believes Strachan is the man to lead Coventry back to the Premiership next season and this prompted the Scot to quip: "I've just paid him £50 for that."

Strachan refused to talk about relegation meant for him or the club because he claimed he was too angry about the way they had thrown away the game.

Coventry skipper Mustapha Hadji had scored twice to give Coventry a 2-0 lead after 25 minutes before Villa fought back following the interval.

Darius Vassell pulled one back just after the hour mark and £9.5million striker Juan Pablo Angel equalised with his first goal for the club nine minutes from time.

In the 85th minute Paul Merson hammered home the final nail in Coventry's coffin when he scored Villa's winner.

Strachan said: "I'm angry about the game, just the game. Funnily enough I'm focused only on the game and that's how you deal with this.

"To be two nothing up in any game and to have as many chances as we did and then to lose the game is hugely disappointing.

"So I'm dealing with the game rather than anything else believe it or not. Today we're here to talk about the game. I've got between now and whenever to talk about the future, but I'm only interested in today's game.

"I've got to talk about the game because my disappointment is so great and I've got plenty of time for the other issue. I want to give myself time to breathe and think."

Strachan claimed he had no message for the heartbroken Coventry fans, although he did say: "They like myself will be very disappointed about the outcome of the game."