Exclusive: Sky pundit reacts to Southampton FC, Frank Lampard news - 'He'd be daft' | OneFootball

Frank Lampard has been linked with the vacant Southampton job

Coventry City manager Frank Lampard has recently been linked with the vacant Southampton job.

The Sky Blues have been far and away the Championship’s most impressive side this season and sit top of the division after 13 matches.

Lampard took over at the CBS Arena in November 2024 and took Coventry from a side struggling towards the bottom of the table into the top six, before coming minutes away from a shot at reaching the play-off final.

The former Chelsea midfielder’s side haven’t slowed down this term and have actually improved upon the previous season, blowing teams away with their goalscoring antics.

Coventry have netted 36 times in 13 matches, which is by far the highest total in the division. The second-highest figure is the 22 held by Hull City, which shows just how strong City have been in front of goal.

This impressive management has caught the attention of teams across the country, especially those who are looking to fill a vacancy.

Frank Lampard told to steer clear of Southampton job by Lee Hendrie

After a dismal start to the 2025/26 campaign, Southampton recently made the decision to relieve Will Still of his managerial duties.

The Saints lie 21st in the second-tier standings after 13 matches and are only three points above Sheffield United in the relegation zone at this moment in time.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, the South Coast outfit have Lampard high up on their list of potential candidates to replace Still, despite Coventry’s strong form this season.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit and former Aston Villa midfielder, Lee Hendrie, believes that the Chelsea icon should opt against a move to Southampton and instead concentrate on what he is building at the CBS Arena.

“I think he'd be daft to step down to Southampton,” stated Hendrie. Southampton can’t get any worse.

“Form has been really poor for them. You’re looking at what Frank's done this season; he's got a massive vibe there.

“The fans love him, the players like him. He's had the more consistent run so far after 13 games.

“It's a huge gap to Southampton. Frank knows what situation he's in and what players he's got, and he hasn't got to go and have the pressure of trying to get Southampton promoted when he's in a comfortable seat with Coventry City.”

Frank Lampard would be brave to leave Coventry City for Southampton

Southampton are a club that have spent much of the past decade in the Premier League and therefore enjoy the infrastructure and resources that status brings.

This automatically makes them an attractive option for a lot of managers, with a view of taking the Saints back up to the promised land in the next few years.

However, Lampard has enjoyed a sharp upward trajectory during his time in charge of Coventry, and it would seem foolish to ruin all of that with a move to the South Coast.

The Sky Blues have looked to be the Championship’s best team so far this season and there is a real chance they could fight for automatic promotion. Whereas, the best hope Southampton currently have is an outside shot of the play-offs if their form dramatically improves.

Therefore, the Chelsea legend would be extremely brave to exit the CBS Arena to take over the Saints and perhaps slightly confusing.