Coventry City appoint Lampard as new Head Coach

Coventry City have announced that Chelsea legend Frank Lampard will take over the vacant Head Coach position at the Coventry Building Society Arena, 3 weeks after the controversial sacking of long-serving manager Mark Robins.

The former England international, whose last permanent stint ended after less than a year with Everton in January 2023, has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with the Sky Blues, lasting until the summer of 2027.

Lampard will return to the 2nd tier of English football for the first time since he left Derby for the Chelsea job in the summer of 2019, weeks after the Rams fell just short of play-off glory, in a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa at Wembley.

The ex-Chelsea captain will undoubtedly face a tough task in turning around the fortunes of a Coventry squad that has ultimately failed to deliver so far this campaign

He will be joined in the dugout by two of his former coaches, Chris Jones, and Joe Edwards, who was dismissed in February from his first managerial role, after just 19 games in charge of Millwall.

In attempting to overcome the lack of an ‘elite tactician’ following the departure of assistant coach Adi Viveash in January, eventually leading to the decision to fire Robins, owner Doug King will hope the new trio can bring their knowledge and experience of elite-level football to the struggling Coventry squad, particularly given Lampard’s experience in the top flight.

In a statement on Lampard’s appointment, King has assured supporters that “his experiences thereafter (Derby) 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 striving to reach.”

Success will likely require patience and trust in the new coaching team, as well as in the squad that Robins had built over the course of his 8-year tenure

Although some fresh tactical inspiration could see Lampard’s Coventry side fly up the congested Championship table, reflecting the quality the team has previously shown signs of possessing, the ex-Chelsea captain will undoubtedly face a tough task in turning around the fortunes of a Coventry squad that has ultimately failed to deliver so far this campaign.

Currently sat just 2 points clear of the relegation zone, with the notoriously busy festive period fast approaching, his side will largely face fellow strugglers before the halfway point of the season, with home fixtures against Cardiff, Hull and Plymouth in December, as well as a Boxing Day trip to Portsmouth.

Whilst this provides a great opportunity to pick up some early points, a poor start could also see the Sky Blues drop into the relegation zone, a particular concern given that large swathes of Coventry supporters remain frustrated with the decision to switch managers, believing Robins track record of success at the club made him the best candidate to salvage the season.

Regardless of personal views on Doug King’s ownership however, success will likely require patience and trust in the new coaching team, as well as in the squad that Robins had built over the course of his 8-year tenure.

Whether Lampard and his coaching team soon establish a clear identity, or perhaps more importantly whether they can quickly escape from the intense relegation battle, remains to be seen, but will certainly offer an exciting talking point in yet another enthralling Championship season.