Frank Lampard waited 18 months to decide his next move.
Bruised by a difficult 11-game interim stint with Chelsea at the end of the 2022-23 season, Lampard wanted to make sure his next role was right.
‘I’ve had a lot of challenges in my management career,’ he tells Mail Sport. ‘But I learned when you speak to a club, you want to know what their expectations are.
‘You want to delve into the squad, see what you think you can improve. What style of play do I want to bring? Have we got the players to do it? What does the owner want? And what is the feeling and the tradition of the club?
‘I weighed up all of those things and felt I could make an impact here,’ says Lampard, whose return to the dugout came with Coventry at the end of November. ‘Some other opportunities that came up I wasn’t sure whether they were right for me, but this one felt right.’
His appointment at the Coventry Building Society Arena was derided in some quarters. Labelled a risky move after Mark Robins’ departure, some claimed Lampard only got the job because of his name.
Frank Lampard has had a huge impact at Coventry since becoming manager in November
Lampard has taken the Sky Blues from two points off the relegation zone to sixth place
The legendary Chelsea midfielder, 47, has 15 wins in 28 league games since taking charge
But that view couldn’t be further from the truth and over the following six months, the legendary Chelsea midfielder has transformed Coventry’s fortunes.
The Sky Blues have risen from two points off the relegation zone to sixth thanks to 15 wins in 28 games. Their destiny is in their own hands to claim a play-off place ahead of a crunch final day clash against Middlesbrough, who are managed by Lampard’s former West Ham and England team-mate Michael Carrick.
Lampard has not only enhanced his reputation, but re-established himself as a promising young English manager, recognition he held after leading Derby to the play-off final, qualifying for the Champions League and FA Cup final despite a transfer embargo at Chelsea, before a rescue act at Everton.
‘I’m very pleased’, says Lampard, who oversaw Coventry’s best run for 55 years with nine wins in 10 earlier this year. ‘At Christmas we maybe didn’t even imagine we would get here, so we’re happy in that sense.
‘We have a home game to try and get in the play-offs. That situation itself is a good achievement, but now we want to achieve that next step.’
Lampard is engaging and pleasant company and the fondness he has already developed for Coventry shines through.
In a quirk of fate, the 47-year-old made his West Ham debut against the Sky Blues in 1996 and vividly remembers watching them win the FA Cup in 1987.
During his time out of the game, he dabbled in media work and made sure to rest and spend time with his family.
Lampard used his 18-month break from the game to reflect and become a better coach
He faced the tough ask of replacing Mark Robins, who earned legendary status at Coventry
But the break was also used to become a better coach. ‘In a job, you’re in the bubble,’ Lampard explains. ‘When you come out, you can take a wider view and reflect on things.
‘It was looking at what I could have done better? What did I do right? What can I improve with my next job?’
Lampard is speaking to Mail Sport on behalf of Sky Bet’s Every Minute Matters campaign in partnership with the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
The campaign aims to raise £3million for the BHF and is hoping to get 270,000 people to learn CPR. 235,000 are already on board.
‘It’s an amazing cause and felt quite close to me,’ Lampard says. ‘I’ve had some history of heart conditions in my family and you hear stories of younger people having these sudden cardiac arrests so this campaign struck a chord with me.
‘It’s a pivotal thing and I’m really pleased to be part of it.’
Upon his arrival at Coventry, Lampard faced the challenge of replacing a club legend in Robins, whose sacking was controversial – and he needed to instill confidence into a side teetering with relegation trouble.
Joined by trusted assistants Joe Edwards and Chris Jones, he ignored the outside noise and focused on quick-time improvements and clarity.
Lampard was speaking to Mail Sport on behalf of Sky Bet’s Every Minute Matters campaign
He has galvanised and united Coventry’s fanbase and attendances are up at the CBS Arena
Lampard’s experiences at Everton helped him to inspire Coventry’s squad and he initially prioritised improving their defensive record.
From there, more detailed plans were shared and he has leant heavily on video analysis during his tenure.
Lampard’s tactical flexibility has seen Coventry switch between a back three and a back four, while ambitious owner Doug King showed support via the addition of Swansea captain Matt Grimes in January.
Several players have thrived, including Jack Rudoni, a box-crashing midfielder likened to Lampard after contributing seven goals and 12 assists.
‘We never deviate from the basic principles we have with the team,’ he adds. ‘The players have been pretty good with that so I’m pleased with how they’ve responded.
‘There’s been some really good individual stories of players improving too which is one of the best pleasures of this job.’
Lampard did face a major issue upon his arrival that he needed to address though.
‘We felt physically we could be better,’ he says. ‘Our numbers were pretty average. A high intensity style works in this league. We have to be one of the top teams and in certain parameters we now are.’
Several players have thrived, including Jack Rudoni (right), a box-crashing midfielder likened to Lampard after contributing seven goals and 12 assists in the Championship this season
Lampard did feel that Coventry’s needed to be better physically after he took on the job
Lampard’s fist pumps after crucial victories have become a memorable part of his tenure
Lampard has similarly galvanised and united a club that – while enduring some incredible highs under Robins – has also endured some difficult times over the past 12 years, including being made homeless twice.
Average crowds have risen by more than 2,000 this season and Lampard’s fist pumps after crucial victories have become iconic.
In fact, their 2-1 victory over West Brom on Good Friday was watched by 31,167, a record for a league game at the CBS Arena.
‘The fans have really bought into it,’ Lampard says. ‘The atmosphere is incredible. The players have shown passion and quality – things fans want to see.
‘We need one more big push this Saturday. We know we’ll have big support behind us so we want to get a result for them.’
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That big push comes in what could be a topsy-turvy final day. Coventry are sixth, one point adrift of fifth place Bristol City. Yet, Millwall, Blackburn and Middlesbrough could overtake Lampard’s side if they slip up.
A tough encounter awaits and the memories of Coventry’s play-off semi-final victory over Boro in 2023 still linger.
The tie is a play-off for the play-offs and Lampard’s message is simple.
‘We deserve to have got to where we’ve got to now,’ he says. ‘What we may be able to achieve should be a real carrot for us to try and grab.
‘If we’re at our best, we know we can compete with anyone in this league but we now need to continue it under intense pressure.’
Sky Bet and the EFL recently joined forces in support of the British Heart Foundation to host the Sky Bet EFL Every Minute Matters Relay – a gruelling 4000km challenge, where fans walked, ran or cycled to every one of the 72 Sky Bet EFL Clubs in just 28 days and inspired over 20,000 to begin learning CPR.
To learn CPR in just 15 minutes with the BHF’s free, online tool, search ‘RevivR’.
