Frank Lampard could take the top job at Coventry City soon, which has sparked debate over whether the former Derby County manager actually deserves a second chance, at least in the Championship.
Derby County appointed Frank Lampard as their manager back in May 2018, and his first season with the Rams would be described as a success, as he guided the club to the Championship play-off final.
After losing to Aston Villa there, Lampard was linked with the Chelsea job and decided to take that huge leap to rejoin his former club.
Since then, Lampard has seen his reputation plummet due to less successful spells with Everton and a failed return to Chelsea.
Now, Frank Lampard has been heavily linked with the vacancy at Coventry City, which has got fans and pundits alike discussing whether it would be a suitable move for all involved.
Frank Lampard did a good job at Derby County
In a recent appearance on talkSPORT, former Crystal Palace chairman, Simon Jordan, was assessing Lampard’s credentials and whether he would be a good appointment for Coventry, and Jordan insisted the former Derby County boss cannot simply be hired because of his reputation, and that he must earn the job.
“Frank was moderately successful in the Championship,” Jordan said. “If Frank was being given a Premier League job now, I’d say that’s a second chance in a space I don’t know that he’s done that well in. But in isolation, that first season at Chelsea he did okay, too. It’s going back to Chelsea that harmed his credibility.”
“But I don’t think his credibility is damaged in the Championship,” he added. “He did okay with Derby. If you’re Coventry… he knows the league, so it’s just whether he interviews well and can adhere to the blueprint of getting promotion.”
“Because it’s Frank Lampard he gets extra scrutiny in the media, but all that should be background noise. He shouldn’t get a chance just because he’s Frank Lampard… but there might be that thought in some people’s minds, that big names carry an extra 10% currency.”
Danny Murphy was also on the show, and he also commended Lampard for the job he did with Derby, saying: “He got them to a play-off final. He worked with the players he had, brought in some good loans with his contacts, and they played good football.”
Lampard deserves another chance, but Coventry might not be right move
In fairness to Lampard, what he achieved with Derby County in that 2018/19 season was impressive, and he did a good job at Chelsea the first time, too.
It is only since that he has struggled, but that has been at Premier League level. There’s no reason why now, after a little break from management, he can’t come in at a club in the Championship and rebuild his reputation.
| Team | Total games | Matches won | Matches drawn | Matches lost | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea (caretaker) | 11 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 9.1 |
| Everton | 44 | 12 | 8 | 24 | 27.2 |
| Chelsea | 84 | 44 | 15 | 25 | 52.3 |
| Derby County | 57 | 26 | 15 | 16 | 45.6 |
Whether Coventry would be the right club to do that at, remains to be seen. Lampard obviously thrives when he has a bit of money and resources behind him, and so he might want to hold out for any of the bigger clubs in the Championship for his next role.
That said, you never know when the next job offer will come, and he’s waited a long time for this one, so it would not be a surprise to see him take over at Coventry, if indeed the bosses there do want him.
Derby County could even get a surprise boost from Lampard if he does land at Coventry soon, as the Sky Blues are facing off against a few of the teams the Rams will be competing with to stay in the league over the coming weeks.
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