Coventry City m anager Micky Adams has warned Sky Blues fans not to keep expecting too much of Dennis Wise, despite the latter's eyecatching start to his Ricoh Arena career.

Wise has hit five goals in six games since becoming Coventry's surprise January transfer window sign-ing. And the influence both on and off the park of the still-crafty 39-year-old 'Cockney' has helped Sky Blues - already improving - to establish themselves in the right half of the Championship table.

But, despite Wise's rapid move over the last month to within six of a century of League goals, Adams has the good sense to know he cannot risk burning him out.

Having also rested him for the two FA Cup games against Middlesbrough, the Coventry boss left him on the bench for the first time last weekend against Plymouth Argyle. And, after calls from the terraces to stick the old war-horse on, inevitably, Wise came on and took just six minutes to score in the 3-1 defeat.

But Adams, who has only allowed Wise to play a full 90 minutes twice in the six games he has played, is swayed by his old campaigner's own thinking.

"A few fans complained that he should have come on earlier last week," said Adams. "But we cannot flog a 39-year-old.

"Unfortunately he didn't feel as though he was up to the task last week and I have to listen to him.

"While he can come on and influence a game and have an influence in and around the place, he is a valuable asset to us at the moment. He's played at the top level, he's an England international who understands the game and what's required to win a game both mentally and physically.

"Then there are some of the things he does on the pitch that the public don't see, like the influence he has on the opposition. If the young pros can learn from him, that is good for the future of the club."

Having allowed him a few days off this week, Adams is now hoping that the cotton wool treatment will result in Wise maintaining his current fitness and enthusiasm levels.

"I haven't seen him since last Saturday," said Adams, "so it was nice to see him in training today. But that's the way it has to be with a 39-year-old.

"I told Dennis when I took him that I wouldn't make him come up the motorway every day. We have to communicate to each other to see if he's right to play at the weekend."

While Adams waits to ascertain whether Wise is ready to return to the starting line-up for tomorrow's home date with Burnley, he is helped on three other fronts.

Richard Shaw and Marcus Hall are back from injury and Robert Page is available again after suspension.

But, on the down side, Gary McSheffrey and Adrian Williams are banned.

Williams misses one match for five bookings, but this is the first of a two-match ban for McSheffrey, following last week-end's tenth caution of the season.