“If you’re getting rid of Mark Robbins, you have to come up with a name.”
Paul Merson was aware, speaking Football week earlier this month.
When Coventry City got rid of Mark Robbins, one of the greatest managers in their history, not many would have guessed that Frank Lampard would be on the doorstep of the CBS Arena.
Frankly, pardon the pun, it wasn’t likely that Lampard would get another chance in this country for a while.
His managerial career started well at Championship level with Derby, where a team built around loanees Fikayo Tomori, Mason Mount and Harry Wilson eventually missed out on promotion in the play-off final to Aston Villa.
An impressive first season at Chelsea, where he guided the young side to fourth place after losing Eden Hazard and being under a transfer embargo, quickly unraveled the following year.
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Sky Sports’ Peter Smith looks at Frank Lampard’s managerial tenure and the situation at Coventry, who have been linked with the former England midfielder.
Since then it has been a troubled spell at Everton and a desperate interim period to get back in the Blues.
The 46-year-old has been out of charge for 18 months now, and given the abundance of opportunities elsewhere for the game’s legend, you wouldn’t blame him for deciding it wasn’t worth it.
Obviously, however, Lampard has other ideas. He is determined to succeed.
He joins fellow Golden Generations Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney in the second tier, with Carrick currently impressing at Middlesbrough while Rooney is working hard to rebuild his reputation at Plymouth Argyle after a disastrous spell at Birmingham last season.
Expectations and scrutiny will be high, and as Merson says, Lampard’s name will bring that extra attention.
He will also have to replace a man who has brought unparalleled success to the Robins during incredibly difficult times.
Robins won promotion and trophies, taking the club from the penalty spot to the Premier League and the FA Cup final.
Lampard’s bar is set so high that Coventry would be better off appointing Armand Duplantis.
Lampard will replace popular boss Mark Robbins
The alternative view is that it can help. There is no gray area as to what success is for Lampard. Owner Doug King has made it abundantly clear through his actions and words that it’s promotion or bust.
But one thing is certain for Lampard. A setback and it could be him in the game of governance, at least in this country.
It’s the last roll of the dice.
Smith: Lampard should make it
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Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith discusses Frank Lampard’s potential appointment at Coventry City and believes he needs to succeed in his managerial career.
The former Leicester and: Arsenal: striker Alan Smith on Sky Sports News:
“He had some challenges, difficult times, you could say he had some failures in the second period at Chelsea, he can think. “Why did I accept it?” I guess it’s hard to give up your old club.
“For managers, as well as players, it’s a lot about getting into the right places at the right time, being able to say yes and no. Frank is desperate to be a manager, to be successful.
“It’s a big call from Coventry, so many fans were unhappy about Mark Robbins being sent off. They’ll be on the fence about his previous efforts in management. He’s got to get off to a good start, though I wish him well.
“You’ve got a couple of England greats, Wayne Rooney trying to make his mark in management, now he’s at Plymouth. Steven Gerrard is struggling to make his mark in Saudi Arabia, will he be able to get back there?
“Lampard needs to make it happen now. If he fails at Coventry, it might be fair as long as he gets another chance.”
