Coventry City face Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium this evening
Frank Lampard, Manager of Coventry City, reacts after his team's victory in the Premier League 2026/27 match between Coventry City and Sunderland
Frank Lampard, manager of Coventry City, reacts after his team's victory against Sunderland (Image: Getty Images)
Frank Lampard returns to Everton for tonight’s Premier League clash against Coventry City with pride rather than regret.
The 48-year-old takes his Sky Blues team for their first visit to the Hill Dickinson Stadium and is hoping to go into the international break on the back of another positive result.
Newly-promoted City have won three of their nine games, beat Sunderland last time out and have made a good start to a first top flight season in 25 years.
Everton defeated Newcastle just four days ago and are four points and nine places ahead – and even against a backdrop of ownership uncertainty are in a more stable position on the field than when Lampard was in charge.
The Sky Blues boss succeeded Rafa Benitez in January 2022 and steered the Toffees to 16th, staying up on the penultimate day of the season.
But the following campaign he lost his job with the Toffees second bottom after 20 games.
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“I look back with a lot of nice feelings about my time,” Lampard said. “I was very proud to manage Everton Football Club.
“It was something I never thought I would do, not as a London boy, was think ‘Maybe one day I'll manage Everton’.
“But when it came along that was a big deal for me, and I respect it even more having lived the club because of its history and the way it is.
“The first season was really trying to turn a club that felt like this had this real complex that it was going to get relegated in that moment and the confidence crisis.
“We all worked together and we had this amazing game against Crystal Palace that got us over the line.
“Then in the second season, you reflect on all these things and some things could we have done better? Did we try and change the team too quickly to try and become anything else?
“But Richarlison left, fine, we knew we had those constraints, and it was a real kicker to have [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin injured a week before the start of the season, which meant we were very short.
Anthony Gordon and Frank Lampard
Frank Lampard consoles a dejected Anthony Gordon of Everton (Image: Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty Images)
“We played the first six games pretty well, but we had wingers as strikers and no recognised striker in the early part of the season.
“Those fine margins with the demands now in this job, at these moments, can be difficult. There was obviously a lot going on at the club as well, on and off the pitch.
“But I don't harp back to it now with any kind of regret. I'm really proud that I had a year there.
“It really helped my continued development as you try to do as a manager all the time. You get given tough moments. You get given these things and you try and do your best for the job.
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“I left, Sean Dyche went in and they stayed up on the last day of the season. I'm very happy for Everton Football Club because I did not want to be the manager that got relegated for a team that had been there so long, I knew what it meant to the fans.
“Then when Sean did it and now I watch them progress slightly, I'm happy that the football club's in that position.”
Lampard, who took the Sky Blues to the Championship play-offs in his first half season then romped to the title last term, says his current club is benefiting from his time at Goodison Park.
“I try and get better all the time and all these experiences are different ones, I don't want to sound like I'm crying about my experience because I think every manager has difficulties in what they do.
“From the outside, expectations sometimes do not align to reality for certain managers. But from my experiences at Chelsea and Champions League and the pressures and what that is as a football club and then going to Everton at a difficult time, I'm pleased I took on the challenge and it's just part of me now.
“You look back on bits and you live and learn about them, but more than anything I'm just happy that I work for a great football club.”
How has Lampard done this season? Have your say
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