Lampard needs to prove himself in the Premier League before he can manage Chelsea again  | OneFootball

With Enzo Maresca’s recent departure from Chelsea, there was a lot of speculation that Frank Lampard could return to the hot seat for a third stint as Blues manager. It was unlikely that he was in contention this time, though, with Liam Rosenior brought in swiftly to replace the Italian. 

In a recent interview, William Gallas speculated that Lampard could one day return, but he’ll need more experience first. The former England legend could achieve that if he manages to get Coventry City promoted and keeps them in the Premier League next season. 

Lampard currently flying high with Coventry

Lampard took over as Coventry manager at the start of the 2024-25 season. He led the side to a 5th place in the Championship but ultimately lost in the semi-final of the play-offs. This season, Coventry are favourites in the football betting odds to win the league and can be backed at 4/7 to do so. 

Indeed, those who bet on the English Championship will find that Coventry’s odds of promotion are even shorter, with bookies offering 1/14 for them to go up this term. Lampard’s methods have clicked, and the iconic midfielder has shown that he has what it takes to manage in a highly competitive division. 

Lampard may have been considered by Chelsea as a successor to Maresca this season, but the board will have known it would have been hard to tear him away from this promotion campaign. 

The 47-year-old has come close to taking Derby and Coventry up in past seasons but has ultimately fallen short. If he can get the Sky Blues up into the highest level of English football and keep them there for at least a season, he will surely have proved himself as worthy of taking the reins at Chelsea again. In the past, his iconic status at the club had helped him get the position, but this time, it would be his CV. 

Chelsea have just installed Liam Rosenior

Aside from Lampard having to prove himself as someone who can successfully manage in the Premier League, he will also have to wait for the position to become available again. Chelsea installed Rosenior soon after Maresca’s sacking, suggesting that the club had been targeting the Strasbourg coach for some time. 

Rosenior’s contract at Chelsea runs until 2032, but he will be well aware that, without results, his time at the club could be much shorter. There have been seven different managers at Stamford Bridge in the last eight years, with Mauricio Pochettino and Graham Potter only lasting for 51 and 31 matches, respectively. Chelsea have high ambitions of challenging for titles again, and if the manager can’t deliver that, he will be replaced. 

Lampard has a long managerial career ahead of him, and he’s currently getting some vital experience in the Championship with Coventry. If he can continue this excellent run and get them promoted to the Premier League, big clubs will start taking note. However, his return to Chelsea may not happen for a while, as the Blues are currently banking on Rosenior to get them back to where they need to be.