Frank Lampard has revealed that summer signing Raphael Borges Rodrigues is a “real project” at Coventry City.
The Sky Blues signed the young winger from Australian A-League side Macarthur FC in the last transfer window but he’s been limited to just two appearances since, stepping off the bench for a few minutes at he end of the festive fixture at Cardiff City before being handed just over 15 minutes on his home debut at the CBS Arena during extra-time in the third round of the FA Cup.
The 21-year-old has endured a difficult first six months at the Championship having suffered a thigh strain in the first pre-season game against Port Vale and picking up a second injury as he attempted to get back to full fitness, which he’s now finally been able to do.
Asked how he thought the lad did in his short cameo against Sheffield Wednesday, Lampard explained: “I’m just pleased for him because Rapha is a real project, and I’m not belittling him there but his background of not much football and coming from the A-League and getting injured in pre-season, and getting injured again.
“This is a robust league, one of the most robust out there so we are trying to work with him on the training ground and he’s been a pleasure to work with. He gets his head down and works, he’s getting fitter and is looking fitter, and he’s got talent.
“And in the 15 minutes or so that he got I thought we saw a couple of glimpses and I thought he had a good understanding of the game. But there’s a lot of work to do with Rapha, but there’s a real level of talent and a nice confidence in his eye.
“I think he feels like he’s a talented boy and should be here, which is a big plus. So I was pleased with him. We’ll see better and more of him, but today was a good start for him.”
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