Frank Lampard: The underappreciated manager writing a new chapter at Coventry City

Six straight wins, top of the Championship, and a fanbase daring to dream of the Premier League again, Frank Lampard’s Coventry City are one of the stories of the season so far. For a manager so often dismissed, scrutinised and prematurely written off, his resurgence at the CBS Arena feels like both a redemption arc and a quiet vindication. Lampard, for all his glittering playing pedigree, might finally be earning the managerial respect his craft deserves.

When Lampard arrived in 2024, few outside Coventry expected much. Mark Robins had left an impressive legacy, guiding them from League Two to the Championship play-off with a style of football that elevated Viktor Gyökeres to one of the Championship’s deadliest strikers. But Gyökeres’s departure to Sporting Lisbon and the loss of key midfielders had left Coventry looking vulnerable, with the club sitting 17th at the time of Lampard’s arrival.

Yet under Lampard, the Sky Blues have evolved, quicker, more assertive, and tactically fluid. The club went on an incredible run that saw them reach the championship play-off final, ultimately losing to an injury-time winner in extra-time against Sunderland . Lampard has reshaped the attack with intricate movement and a midfield that dominates possession, while Coventry’s defensive structure, often a weakness last year, has become one of the division’s tightest. Six consecutive wins and just two goals conceded tell their own story. At the time of writing, Opta put Coventry’s title-winning probability at 50.6% , and there is absolutely no sign of hangover from last year’s disappointment.

This renaissance is a reminder that Lampard, despite his uneven managerial journey, has consistently shown substance beneath the noise. Lampard’s managerial career began at Derby County in 2018. His debut season in the dugout was one of promise and pain. Tasked with guiding a historic club back to the top flight, Lampard’s Rams reached the Championship play-off final, playing expressive football built around the youthful dynamism of Mason Mount , Harry Wilson, and Fikayo Tomori. The final hurdle, however, proved too steep. Derby fell to an Aston Villa side at the height of their own resurgence under Dean Smith, an in-form, Premier League-bound juggernaut.

That defeat, however, came with a caveat: Lampard arguably had the tools to go one better. With Premier League-calibre loanees and significant backing, some critics felt his Derby should have achieved automatic promotion. Still, his tactical flexibility and man-management stood out, as did his willingness to trust youth, a philosophy that would define his next chapter.

When Chelsea came calling in 2019, Lampard couldn’t resist, yet the move felt premature. The club where he became a legend was facing a transfer embargo and had lost Eden Hazard to Real Madrid. Expectations were tempered, but few foresaw what would follow: an energetic, fearless side led by academy graduates like Mount, Tammy Abraham, and Reece James, finishing fourth and reaching the FA Cup final.

For a manager barely into his second full campaign, it was an impressive achievement. Lampard reconnected a fractured fanbase with a team that embodied Chelsea’s future. Yet if there was a criticism, it was that Lampard’s tactical identity remained raw; his Chelsea side were exciting but occasionally erratic, and defensive vulnerabilities and squad management issues saw his tenure cut short midway through the following season. Still, the judgment that his dismissal was purely a reflection of ability seems harsh in retrospect. Since his departure, only Thomas Tuchel, armed with a short-term surge of momentum, truly found success in the same environment. Critics said Lampard had been “ found out .” But with hindsight, his dismissal feels more a product of Chelsea’s volatility than managerial ineptitude. Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino, and others have all struggled in a club environment that has devoured reputations.

If Chelsea was premature, Everton was perilous. Lampard took over a side spiralling towards relegation, fractured off the pitch and fragile on it. Many predicted failure. Instead, he pulled off survival, a cathartic 3–2 comeback win against Crystal Palace sealing safety amid chaotic Goodison Park scenes. It was far from glamorous football, but it was effective under immense pressure.

The following season proved unforgiving. Everton’s structural problems were too ingrained, the squad too limited, and eventually, Lampard was dismissed. Yet, when viewed against the performances that followed under Sean Dyche, a seasoned Premier League firefighter who also struggled to lift the side, Lampard’s spell takes on a different hue. He did not fix Everton , but few could have under those conditions.

Now, at Coventry, Lampard seems to have found his balance, the blend between his ideals and the pragmatism earned through setbacks. His football retains the attacking principles seen at Derby and Chelsea , but with more structure and discipline. He has learned when to press and when to protect. Players speak of a manager calmer, more communicative, and more tactical than before. Now, his Coventry side sit comfortably at the top of the Championship, with no club having scored more goals across Europe’s top five leagues.

Crucially, Lampard has rebuilt his reputation the hard way, without Premier League stars or elite facilities, but through coaching, clarity, and cohesion. Coventry’s resurgence underlines that this is not a short-term bounce; it is a team playing to an intelligent plan.

It has been easy, over the years, to caricature Lampard, the golden boy turned manager, propelled by name rather than nous. Yet such shorthand does him a disservice. Across his varied appointments, his teams have reflected distinct traits: the trust in youth at Derby, the resilience under duress at Chelsea , the defiance at Everton , and now, the control at Coventry.

Whether Lampard can sustain Coventry’s current surge and guide them back to the Premier League remains to be seen. But if he does, the narrative surrounding him may finally shift from skepticism to recognition. He has been dismissed too readily as a “ celebrity manager ,” defined by his playing days rather than his tactical acumen. In reality, Lampard has built a career defined by resilience, adaptability, and an unrelenting drive to prove himself in the most unforgiving of environments.

Frank Lampard may never join the pantheon of managerial elites. Yet, as Coventry City soar under his leadership, one thing becomes clear: he has been underappreciated, not underqualified. His story is not one of privilege squandered, but of persistence rewarded. And for perhaps the first time, the football world is beginning to see beyond the surname, to the manager in full.

GFN | Finn Entwistle