‘An ambitious club that wants to move forward’: Lampard joins Coventry City
Frank Lampard said he was won over by the ambition of Coventry City after agreeing to become their new manager.
The former Chelsea, Everton and Derby County boss, 46, has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract to succeed the long-serving Mark Robins at the Championship club.
Lampard had been out of work for more than a year, since his second stint in the Stamford Bridge dugout came to an end in May 2023.
“I’m absolutely delighted to be here, a club that I’ve got huge respect for in terms of its history and tradition,” said Lampard.
“I grew up in an era when Coventry were very successful. To be given the role as head coach is a huge deal for me.
“It’s an ambitious club that wants to move forward, and I want to help as much as I can.
“In time I want to bring an exciting attacking team, a possession-based team that also wants to attack, and attack quickly at times, to excite the fans.
“But of course we want to be an aggressive team as well, that wants to win the ball high up the pitch.”
Coventry sacked manager Robins this month after seven years, despite taking the club to an FA Cup semi-final last season and the brink of the Premier League the year before that.
Coventry owner and executive chairman Doug King said: “I am delighted that Frank Lampard has agreed to join our club as head coach. 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 striving to reach.”
Lampard made a promising start to life as a manager, guiding Derby to the Championship play-off final in 2018-19, his first season in charge.
That earned him a return to Chelsea and he immediately led his old team to fourth in the Premier League despite operating under a transfer embargo.
His second season proved more difficult and he was fired in January. Thomas Tuchel, his replacement, revived their fortunes and won the Champions League.
Struggling Everton hired Lampard to save them from relegation in 2022, which he managed by the slimmest of margins, but he was again sacked the following January.
Weeks later Chelsea called on their record goalscorer to fill in as interim manager until the end of the campaign. He won just one of his 11 games at the helm.