'Now or never for Lampard - the stakes are high at Coventry'

Frank Lampard volition beryllium seeking redemption and a rebuilding of his managerial estimation arsenic helium dives backmost into the unforgiving surroundings of the Championship with Coventry City.

Lampard's past acquisition came erstwhile helium near Chelsea 18 months agone aft a dismal 2nd spell successful interim charge, an ill-starred instrumentality for a nine legend, with lone 1 triumph and 8 defeats successful an 11-game stay.

The 46-year-old present returns with ambitious Coventry City successful what seems his 'now oregon never' infinitesimal aft mixed fortunes astatine Derby County, Chelsea and Everton earlier a Stamford Bridge comeback that lone succeeded successful raising further questions astir his pedigree.

Lampard volition not lone person to supply those answers aft being head-hunted by Coventry proprietor Doug King, helium volition besides person to beryllium helium is simply a worthy successor to the much-loved Mark Robins, who took the Sky Blues to wrong 1 crippled of the Premier League erstwhile they were beaten by Luton Town astatine Wembley successful the 2023 play-off final.

Robins besides inspired a miraculous tally successful past season's FA Cup that ended 1 crippled abbreviated of the final, lone losing connected penalties to Manchester United aft a stunning comeback from 3-0 down successful the past four.

This means the stakes are precocious for Lampard arsenic good arsenic King, the antheral who has driven his assignment but who was heavy criticised by sections of Coventry's fanbase for sacking Robins.

King has placed immense religion successful Lampard, and vice-versa, with Coventry's proprietor saying: "Frank chopped his teeth successful the Championship and knows what is needed successful this league to beryllium successful.

"His experiences thereafter astatine Chelsea and Everton volition guarantee helium brings to our talented squad wide knowing of precisely what is needed to win astatine the precise apical level that we, arsenic a club, are trying to reach."

Close introspection of Lampard's managerial vocation suggests determination is thing to connection from 1 of the top players of his procreation who, similar England contemporaries Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard, has struggled to person sceptics who judge helium is appointed much connected estimation than achievement.

Lampard's managerial travel started astatine Derby County, guiding them to the 2019 Championship play-off final, which they mislaid to Aston Villa.

He was past lured backmost to Chelsea, wherever helium had assumed legendary presumption arsenic the club's all-time grounds goalscorer with 211 goals successful 648 appearances, winning 11 large trophies including 3 Premier League titles and the Champions League successful 2012.

In his archetypal play arsenic Chelsea manager, portion operating nether a Fifa transportation prohibition imposed for breaching rules connected signing young players and aft losing their champion subordinate successful Eden Hazard to Real Madrid, Lampard took them backmost into the Champions League, besides losing to Arsenal successful the FA Cup Final.

Lampard's committedness to charismatic football, arsenic good arsenic his iconic status, was good received, but a tally of 5 defeats successful 8 Premier League games saw him sacked by past Chelsea proprietor Roman Abramovich successful January 2021.

Many regarded Lampard's dismissal arsenic harsh but helium knew the rules for Chelsea managers nether the ruthless Russian. He had lived by them agelong capable arsenic a player.

When his replacement, incoming England brag Thomas Tuchel, subsequently won the Champions League wrong months, it was utilized arsenic a instrumentality to bushed Lampard.

But helium did overmuch bully enactment astatine Stamford Bridge, leaving with 44 wins from 84 games, a respectable 52.4% triumph rate.

Lampard resurfaced astatine Everton 12 months aboriginal arsenic successor to sacked Rafael Benitez. Any appraisal of his clip astatine Goodison Park indispensable beryllium viewed done the prism of that chaotic club, recovering from the angst created by proprietor Farhad Moshiri's arguable determination to name erstwhile Liverpool manager Benitez.

Lampard proved a highly fashionable fig with fans, buying into the club's civilization and engaging with supporters.

His unfastened attack helped heal immoderate of post-Benitez wounds Everton were suffering from erstwhile helium arrived, keeping them successful the Premier League successful their penultimate crippled connected a melodramatic Goodison Park nighttime erstwhile they came from 2 goals down to bushed Crystal Palace.

Despite aboriginal committedness the pursuing season, Everton plunged into diminution again and Lampard was sacked aft little than 12 months with them 2nd from bottommost of the Premier League.

Lampard whitethorn present presumption his interim 2nd spell astatine Chelsea arsenic bosom ruling head. He ended up losing from a presumption wherever it looked similar helium had thing to lose.

Like Rooney astatine Plymouth Argyle, Lampard has intelligibly not fto atrocious experiences marque him shy distant from proving his doubters arsenic a manager wrong.

He volition person weighed up his next, perchance defining, determination precise carefully. He volition spot the imaginable astatine Coventry portion realising helium whitethorn not beryllium capable to spend different incorrect move.

Lampard has been humble and realistic capable to instrumentality to the part wherever helium started his managerial career, embarking connected what volition beryllium a idiosyncratic rehabilitation, knowing nonaccomplishment is not an option.

He volition besides know, from erstwhile acquisition with Derby County, that this is simply a fiendishly hard part to get retired of.

The task volition beryllium to amended a talented squad that has been under-performing, starring to them presently lying 17th successful the Championship, 2 points supra the relegation places.

King intelligibly believes determination is much Lampard tin prise from the players helium inherits. They person shown their imaginable by winning 3-0 astatine Middlesbrough and coming from 2-0 down to bushed Luton Town 3-2, arsenic good arsenic caller draws with promotion-chasing Sunderland and Sheffield United.

He whitethorn request to enactment connected Coventry's defence, which has been excessively generous since their instrumentality to the Championship. In 204 games since returning to the part successful 2020-21, Coventry person scored 261 goals but conceded 251, keeping 59 cleanable sheets.

Coventry are presently 10 points disconnected the play-offs, truthful this play whitethorn simply beryllium astir consolidation with the players astatine his disposal.

But Lampard is fiercely ambitious and his lasting wrong the crippled whitethorn good pull players who volition person been beyond the club's compass before.

Lampard, backed by King aft signing a two-and-a-half twelvemonth woody and equipped with his trusted backroom squad of Joe Edwards and Chris Jones, volition person country for manoeuvre successful January arsenic Coventry presently person nary indebtedness players.

It is present down to Lampard to deliver.