Frank Lampard has brought in two new coaches with him to Coventry City in Joe Edwards and Chris Jones – backroom staff he has worked with throughout his managerial career so far at Chelsea, Derby and Everton.
That could mean the departure of one or more of the Sky Blues existing coaching set-up where Rhys Carr has been taking the team on an interim basis, supported by George Boateng, Mark Delaney and John Dempster, while Aled Williams is goalkeeper coach.
Here we take a look at the two new members of Lampard’s staff, who are understood to have been on the grass taking their first session with the players at Ryton today, getting to know the squad and preparing them for Saturday’s home game against Cardiff City.
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Joe Edwards
Edwards is a product of Chelsea’s youth academy since the age of eight, and worked his way up their youth categories. He was released by the club at the age of 16.
Shortly after being released, Edwards joined Chelsea’s staff in 2004 at the age of 17 and started working on his coaching badges. He initially trained the U-8s, and from 2004 to 2014 coached various different youth levels for the club, which also included assisting the likes of Brendan Rodgers and Paul Clement.
In 2014 he was appointed the manager of the Chelsea U-18s and helped them win two consecutive FA Youth Cups - having also won two as U-18 assistant - and back-to-back U-18 Premier League South titles. He was then appointed as loan player manager, visiting loan clubs to track the development of different Chelsea players, which also exposed him to a variety of management and coaching styles.
He returned to manage the U19s and U23s at Chelsea and was also part of the England U-20s backroom staff that helped them win the 2017 Toulon Tournament.
Frank Lampard and his assistant coach Joe Edwards during their time at Chelsea
Frank Lampard and his assistant coach Joe Edwards during their time at Chelsea
He earned his pro license in June 2017 and the following season he took the Chelsea U-23s to the semifinals of the EFL Trophy, which still remains the highest placement by a reserve team in the competition. Edwards also guided the U-23s to consecutive UEFA Youth League finals, which were won by Barcelona in 2018 and FC Porto in 2019.
For the 2019–20 season, Edwards was appointed as assistant manager for the first time under Lampard, where, despite a transfer ban, the team achieved a fourth place finish comprising a group of young, homegrown players including the likes of Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham, Fikayo Tomori and Reece James, all of whom Edwards had worked closely with in the Chelsea youth ranks.
He remained assistant at Chelsea after Lampard was sacked and Thomas Tuchel was appointed, and was part of the backroom staff as they won the 2020–21 UEFA Champions League and 2021 UEFA Super Cup.
Edwards left Chelsea after a 27-year association to be reunited with Lampard at Everton as assistant manager in 2022. They arrived with the club four points above the relegation zone and secured survival in the penultimate league match. Lampard and Edwards were relieved of their duties at Everton in January, 2023.
In April 2023, he once more returned to Chelsea as assistant under Lampard as he filled in as interim manager, and then in August 2023, he was appointed as the interim manager for the England U20s.
Last November Edwards was appointed as head coach of Championship club Millwall. In his debut game he led Millwall to a 4–0 win at Sheffield Wednesday, the Lions’ largest away win in the second tier since 2017. Over the Christmas period the team secured 10 points in 10 days including three straight wins for the first time in over a year and four consecutive clean sheets for the first time since March 2022 as the Lions moved closer to the play-off positions than the relegation spaces.
However, they were unable to sustain that level of results and after a run of seven games without a game Edwards was sacked by Millwall in February 2024, following a 2-0 home defeat by Sheffield Wednesday.
Chris Jones (L) during his time as assistant coach of Chelsea during Frank Lampard's managerial spell
Chris Jones (L) during his time as assistant coach of Chelsea during Frank Lampard's managerial spell
Chris Jones
Jones started out very much as a fitness and performance coach who has worked with Lampard at Chelsea, Derby and Everton and, according to City’s new boss, has “evolved” into a first team coach.
As a player, he represented England at under-18 level and played for Luton Town and Peterborough United’s youth teams. According to the Daily Mail, he also had a college soccer scholarship in the United States.
He went on to graduate from Loughborough University with a degree in sports science, before spending three years working in Fulham’s academy.
In 2006, he joined Chelsea, who were managed by Jose Mourinho at the time.
Intially, Jones worked with the academy and reserve teams but he was promoted to first-team duties under Carlo Ancelotti in 2009.
That continued under Andre Villas-Boas and he then took up the role of first-team fitness coach when Villas-Boas left the club in 2012.
He worked under Roberto di Matteo, Rafa Benitez and remained part of Mourinho’s backroom set-up when the “Special One” returned for a second spell in charge.
He also worked alongside Guus Hiddick and Antonio Conte.
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Jones has also worked with the England Under-19s and Under-21s.
“I worked very closely with Chris at Chelsea,” said Lampard. “He had 12 very successful years there and was integral to what was a real golden era for the club.
“Firstly, Chris’ first skill would be fitness and performance, but he has evolved into a first team coach as well. He did a lot of work at Chelsea under managers like Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte and Guus Hiddink.
“I know the skillset that Chris will bring. He has a fantastic knowledge of the game, is great with the players and he will be massively important to me on the training pitch when it comes to putting across the ideas I want to get into the squad.”
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