Frank Lampard Coventry City
[Inlay image credit - Hasan Karim, Breaking Media]
Aaron Nijjar
Sat 30 November 2024 9:00, UK
Frank Lampard’s managerial career now faces a pivotal moment at Coventry where failure could make it the last club he ever takes charge of.
The Chelsea legend will be aiming for redemption and a chance to rebuild his managerial reputation as he returns to the demanding environment of the Championship, following over a year out of work since leaving Stamford Bridge for the second time.
The 46-year-old’s managerial career, once promising, has been defined by inconsistency and defensive frailty. At Derby County, he led the team to the 2019 Championship play-off final, falling short despite a talented squad including Mason Mount and Harry Wilson. Lampard’s possession-based, high-pressing tactics showcased attacking intent but highlighted defensive vulnerabilities.
His first Chelsea stint in 2019/20 saw positives despite a transfer ban and the loss of Eden Hazard. Guiding the Blues to a fourth-place Premier League finish, Lampard’s team registered the second-most shots (625), fourth-most crosses (862), and averaged a league-high 2.84 crosses per 90 minutes, scoring 69 goals (third-highest).
Everton
Frank Lampard avoided relegation with Everton but was sacked the next year.
However, defensive issues persisted, he lost an FA Cup final to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, and after a £200m squad overhaul, he was sacked in January 2021 with the London club languishing in ninth. Successor Thomas Tuchel then came in and led the same group of players to Champions League glory.
Brought in at Everton to replace the deeply-unpopular Rafa Benitez, the former England international initially avoided relegation after his January 2022 appointment, with a memorable 3-2 comeback win against Crystal Palace, but struggled to sustain progress.
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Tactical shifts, including a return to 4-3-3, failed to address possession issues or defensive woes. A 27% win rate over 44 games saw him dismissed in January 2023, marking another chapter of unfulfilled managerial promise. He then surprisingly returned to Chelsea as an interim manager for the final stretch of the 2022-23 season after the new ownership pulled the plug on Graham Potter’s reign, but fared disastrously, achieving only a nine percent win rate with one victory in 11 games.
Frank Lampard can achieve necessary success at Coventry
Lampard’s time at Derby County shows he can excel in the Championship, where he guided a youthful side featuring Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori to a play-off final. At Coventry, he’ll have a chance to replicate that success, particularly if he integrates the club’s promising young talents effectively.
The former Man City midfielder will not only need to justify Coventry owner Doug King’s decision to hand-pick him for the role, but he must also step into the significant shoes of Mark Robins, who guided the Sky Blues to the brink of the Premier League. His tenure culminated in Coventry reaching the 2023 Championship play-off final, where they fell narrowly to Luton Town at Wembley.
Robins also inspired a miraculous run in last season’s FA Cup that ended one game short of the final, only losing on penalties to Man United after a stunning comeback from 3-0 down in the last four.
Frank Lampard takes over from Mark Robins at Coventry (Credit: Getty Images)
Lampard has familiarity with the Championship and his proven ability to develop young talent will be crucial in his role at Coventry. He’ll look to get the best out of players like Brandon Thomas-Asante, whose move from West Brom hasn’t lived up to expectations, and Ellis Simms, a young forward he knows from Everton, who has the potential to be a potent force.
Developing players like Norman Bassette and maximizing Haji Wright’s impact will be priorities as the Sky Blues currently 10 points off the playoff spots.
After failed spells at Everton and Chelsea, Lampard’s return to management at Coventry represents a critical juncture in his career, with failure likely to mark the end of his managerial prospects. Sitting 17th in the Championship, he must avoid another setback, as this opportunity may be his last to prove himself at this level.
A qualified success with Derby saw detractors claim he hadn’t built on Gary Rowett’s record, while his first stint back at Stamford Bridge surely came too early and the transfer ban mitigated proper judgement.
Surviving the drop at Everton can’t be understated but his subsequent struggles at Goodison paints that in a different light, and his inability to arrest the slide set alarm bells ringing.
Returning to a chaotic Chelsea was never likely to be a major success but his record there was so bad it is no surprise he hasn’t been in demand for more than a year since.
More struggles at Coventry, especially if he freezes out key players, as he did with Antonio Rudiger and Abdoulaye Doucoure, might turn suitors off him for good.
In other news, a Championship side make an “audacious bid” for a “£30million” Man City sensation.
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