‘Now or never for Lampard – the stakes are high at Coventry’

Frank Lampard will be seeking redemption and a rebuilding of his managerial reputation as he dives back into the unforgiving surroundings of the Championship with Coventry City.

Lampard’s last experience came when he left Chelsea 18 months ago after a dismal second spell in interim charge, an ill-starred return for a club legend, with only one win and eight defeats in an 11-game stay.

The 46-year-old now returns with ambitious Coventry City in what seems his ‘now or never’ moment after mixed fortunes at Derby County, Chelsea and Everton before a Stamford Bridge comeback that only succeeded in raising further questions about his pedigree.

Lampard will not only have to provide those answers after being head-hunted by Coventry owner Doug King, he will also have to prove he is a worthy successor to the much-loved Mark Robins, who took the Sky Blues to within one game of the Premier League when they were beaten by Luton Town at Wembley in the 2023 play-off final.

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 Manchester United after a stunning comeback from 3-0 down in the last four.

This means the stakes are high for Lampard as well as King, the man who has driven his appointment but who was heavily criticised by sections of Coventry’s fanbase for sacking Robins.

King has placed huge faith in Lampard, and vice-versa, with Coventry’s owner saying: “Frank cut his teeth in the Championship and knows what is needed in this league to be successful.

“His experiences thereafter at Chelsea and Everton will ensure he brings to our talented squad clear understanding of exactly what is needed to succeed at the very top level that we, as a club, are trying to reach.”

As well as the departure of Robins, King has conducted an overhaul of the club hierarchy since taking control, with chief executive Dave Boddy leaving in January after seven years, followed by chief commercial officer Tynan Scope in September.

Lampard’s arrival adds to the sense of a fresh start at Coventy.

Close examination of Lampard’s managerial career suggests there is something to offer from one of the greatest players of his generation who, like England contemporaries Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard, has struggled to convince sceptics who believe he is appointed more on reputation than achievement.

Lampard’s managerial journey started at Derby County, guiding them to the 2019 Championship play-off final, which they lost to Aston Villa.

He was then lured back to Chelsea, where he had assumed legendary status as the club’s all-time record goalscorer with 211 goals in 648 appearances, winning 11 major trophies including three Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2012.

In his first season as Chelsea manager, while operating under a Fifa transfer ban imposed for breaching rules on signing young players and after losing their best player in Eden Hazard to Real Madrid, Lampard took them back into the Champions League, also losing to Arsenal in the FA Cup Final.

Lampard’s commitment to attractive football, as well as his iconic status, was well received, but a run of five defeats in eight Premier League games saw him sacked by then Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in January 2021.

Many regarded Lampard’s dismissal as harsh but he knew the rules for Chelsea managers under the ruthless Russian. He had lived by them long enough as a player.

When his replacement, incoming England boss Thomas Tuchel, subsequently won the Champions League within months, it was used as a stick to beat Lampard.

But he did much good work at Stamford Bridge, leaving with 44 wins from 84 games, a respectable 52.4% win rate.

Lampard resurfaced at Everton 12 months later as successor to sacked Rafael Benitez. Any assessment of his time at Goodison Park must be viewed through the prism of that chaotic club, recovering from the angst created by owner Farhad Moshiri’s controversial decision to appoint former Liverpool manager Benitez.

Lampard proved a highly popular figure with fans, buying into the club’s culture and engaging with supporters.

His open approach helped heal some of post-Benitez wounds Everton were suffering from when he arrived, keeping them in the Premier League in their penultimate game on a dramatic Goodison Park night when they came from two goals down to beat Crystal Palace.

Despite early promise the following season, Everton plunged into decline again and Lampard was sacked after less than 12 months with them second from bottom of the Premier League.

Lampard may now view his interim second spell at Chelsea as heart ruling head. He ended up losing from a position where it looked like he had nothing to lose.

Like Rooney at Plymouth Argyle, Lampard has clearly not let bad experiences make him shy away from proving his doubters as a manager wrong.

He will have weighed up his next, potentially defining, move very carefully. He will see the potential at Coventry while realising he may not be able to afford another wrong move.

Lampard has been humble and realistic enough to return to the division where he started his managerial career, embarking on what will be a personal rehabilitation, knowing failure is not an option.

He will also know, from previous experience with Derby County, that this is a fiendishly difficult division to get out of.

The task will be to improve a talented squad that has been under-performing, leading to them currently lying 17th in the Championship, two points above the relegation places.

King clearly believes there is more Lampard can prise from the players he inherits. They have shown their potential by winning 3-0 at Middlesbrough and coming from 2-0 down to beat Luton Town 3-2, as well as recent draws with promotion-chasing Sunderland and Sheffield United.

Lampard worked with Coventry striker Ellis Simms at Everton and will be aware he can be a potent force in the Championship. He has struggled for consistency but Lampard will hope to get the best out of the talented 23-year-old.

He has also shown a willingness to develop and blood young talent at previous clubs so he will take a keen interest in Norman Bassette, 20, who scored against Sheffield United.

Brandon Thomas-Asante’s move from West Brom last summer has not lived up to expectations yet. Lampard will look to Thomas-Asante and United States international Haji Wright to provided added threat.

Lampard may also need to work on Coventry’s defence, which has been too generous since their return to the Championship. In 204 games since returning to the division in 2020-21, Coventry have scored 261 goals but conceded 251, keeping 59 clean sheets.

Coventry are currently 10 points off the play-offs, so this season may simply be about consolidation with the players at his disposal.

But Lampard is fiercely ambitious and his standing within the game may well attract players who will have been beyond the club’s compass before.

Lampard, backed by King after signing a two-and-a-half year deal and armed with his trusted backroom team of Joe Edwards and Chris Jones, will have room for manoeuvre in January as Coventry currently have no loan players.

It is now down to Lampard to deliver.