Kim Hellberg makes Frank Lampard 'favourite' confession amid Middlesbrough, Coventry City promotion chase | OneFootball

The Middlesbrough boss has revealed his admiration for Lampard as their two clubs battle for promotion

Middlesbrough head coach, Kim Hellberg, has revealed his personal admiration for current Coventry City boss Frank Lampard as the two clubs currently occupy the Championship's automatic promotion places.

The second tier's wide-open nature this season has allowed both Middlesbrough and the Sky Blues to lead the way in the race for Premier League football next season, with both sides hoping to end respective exiles from the elite level of English football.

It has been nine years since Premier League football was last seen at the Riverside Stadium, with the Reds unable to reconsolidate their position in the top-flight at the time under Aitor Karanka and Steve Agnew.

Meanwhile, those of a Coventry persuasion have been on even more of an emotional rollercoaster since their last Premier League fixture, as they were relegated on the final day of the 2000/01 campaign following a 3-2 collapse against Aston Villa at Villa Park.

Ironically, the last time Middlesbrough were welcoming the country's elite sides to the Riverside Stadium, Coventry were relegated to League Two under Mark Robins, who was able to transform the Sky Blues' fortunes before being replaced by Lampard at the Coventry Building Society Arena in November 2024.

Much like the former Chelsea and England midfield icon was able to do in CV6 following his appointment, Hellberg has had a largely positive impact on the Boro squad which he inherited from Rob Edwards, who departed for the Premier League's bottom club, Wolves, two-and-a-half months ago in rather controversial circumstances.

A current contrasting run of form has seen Coventry's lead at the top of the Championship slip to just goal difference, with Middlesbrough now level on points with Lampard's side after winning five games on the bounce.

Whilst he will be hoping to overtake the high-profile Coventry boss in the standings and become the first man to lift a league title on Teesside for 31 years, Hellberg revealed that he loved watching Lampard throughout his highly-successful playing career at Stamford Bridge.

Kim Hellberg drops "favourite" claim on Coventry City boss Frank Lampard amid Middlesbrough promotion battle

Speaking on Middlesbrough's official club podcast alongside former Riverside Stadium favourites Craig Hignett and David Wheater, Hellberg discussed a whole range of football-based topics with the pair, including their favourite players to watch from an individual perspective.

With Wheater posing the well-known debate of 'Lampard vs Steven Gerrard' to the Boro boss, Hellberg responded: "Lampard is my favourite player of all-time.

When asked why, he added: (My English team) was Chelsea, so I grew up watching Lampard.

"I've been travelling a lot of times to watch football with my father.

"As soon as I started to be 17,18, and started to coach myself, I just watched football (for that reason).

"But, when I was younger, it was Chelsea (I watched), and Frank Lampard was my favourite," he reiterated.

Lampard, of course, will forever be remembered for his playing days in West London, as he still remains Chelsea's all-time record goalscorer, having netted 211 times across all competitions whilst winning the Premier League three times, the FA Cup four times and being a part of the side which defeated Bayern Munich on penalties to secure the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League.

Kim Hellberg will face off against Frank Lampard for the first time in upcoming Coventry City, Middlesbrough battle

Hellberg now has to wait just a matter of days before he shares the touchline with his childhood hero, as Coventry and Boro face off in front of the Sky Sports cameras on Monday, February 16th.

Both clubs have to navigate fixtures against Oxford United and Sheffield United beforehand, but they will both remain in the automatic promotion places by the time their crunch clash comes around, with Hull City currently four points behind the two sides, and they are not in Championship action that particular weekend, having progressed in the FA Cup.