Frank Lampard named new Coventry boss as Chelsea icon returns to dugout

Frank Lampard has sealed his return to management after being announced as Coventry City's new boss.

Lampard has been out of work since leaving his interim position at Chelsea at the end of the 2022/23 season, but will now return to the Championship. He previously guided Derby County to the play-off final in 2019 and will now succeed the hugely popular Mark Robins in the Sky Blues dugout.

Coventry City 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.”

King took the hugely controversial decision to sack Robins on November 7 and has taken his time to appoint Lampard as his successor. The former Chelsea and England midfielder will take over from Rhys Carr, who has been in interim charge in recent weeks.

Lampard, who will speak to the media on Thursday afternoon at an unveiling press conference, is bringing in Joe Edwards and Chris Jones as his assistant coaches. His first game in charge will come on Saturday when Coventry host Cardiff at the CBS Arena.

The 46-year-old may face an uphill battle early on in his time at Coventry, with unrest among the fans over the decision to sack Robins, who had led the club to the play-off final and FA Cup semi-final over the past two years. It was King who pulled the trigger and Lampard was his choice as a high-profile replacement.

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Image: Alex Davidson/Getty Images) Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

The Sky Blues lost 2-0 at promotion contenders Burnley on Tuesday night and are in need of a new direction, sitting in 17th place, just two points above the relegation zone.

Lampard has been linked with several jobs since leaving Chelsea for the second time 18 months ago. He held talks with Burnley over the summer following Vincent Kompany's departure to Bayern Munich but has now found a way back into management.

He started his coaching career with Derby County, leading them through the play-offs before losing to Aston Villa at Wembley. From there he moved back to Chelsea, who he represented as a player, before an unsuccessful stint at Everton and an further interim role back at Stamford Bridge.

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