Frank Lampard could face upward Coventry City fan battle | OneFootball

Former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard is one of the names under consideration for the Coventry City job.

Coventry City are on the hunt for a new manager following the shock departure of Mark Robins.

Coventry made the controversial decision to part company with Robins last week after a hugely successful seven-and-a-half year spell in charge, during which time he led the club from League Two to the Championship.

A host of names have been linked with the vacancy at the CBS Arena since Robins' exit, including Matt Bloomfield, Alan Sheehan, John Eustace, Michael Skubala and Luis Boa Morte, while it has been claimed that Ruud van Nistelrooy has applied for the post after leaving Manchester United following the arrival of Ruben Amorim.

Former Everton and Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has also been heavily linked with the Sky Blues, and at a fan forum on Monday night, owner Doug King confirmed that the 46-year-old has applied for the job.

Lampard has been out of management since his disappointing interim spell at Chelsea came to an end in May 2023, but he could be set to return to the game with Coventry as, according to the Daily Mail, he is set to hold talks with the club over the coming days.

The Sky Blues currently sit 17th in the Championship table, one point clear of the relegation zone and nine points adrift of the play-off places, and should he land the job, Lampard's first game in charge would be at home to second-placed Sheffield United next Saturday.

It is easy to see why Coventry would be an attractive job for prospective managers, but whoever takes over at the CBS Arena will have the unenviable task of replacing Robins.

Sky Blues supporters were devastated by the departure of Robins, and many sung the name of their former manager after the 2-2 draw at Sunderland last Saturday, highlighting the frustration and disappointment at King's decision to part company with the 54-year-old.

At the aforementioned fan forum, King explained the reasons behind the dismissal of Robins, pointing to the fall-out that led to the departure of his former assistant Adi Viveash in the summer as a key factor.

"The real reason is that Mark dismantled the coaching staff of this football club. Mark said he couldn't work with Adi Viveash. I was upset by that," King said, quoted by Coventry Live.

"I was particularly angry about that and I didn't want to break that up. I wanted to keep that together but Mark wanted to break it up."

King's openness and honesty is likely to have reassured some of the Coventry fan base, but his explanations are unlikely to have satisfied all, and with Robins still held in high regard, there could be significant challenges ahead for his successor.

Frank Lampard would face immediate Coventry City struggle

Whoever replaces Robins will have to work incredibly hard to earn the trust of Coventry supporters, but it could be slightly more difficult for Lampard to win over a disgruntled fan base.

Lampard showed plenty of early potential in his managerial career as he led Derby County to the Championship play-off final before guiding Chelsea to a top four finish and the FA Cup final in his first year in charge at Stamford Bridge.

However, despite keeping the club in the Premier League, Lampard's reputation was damaged during his time at Everton, and his disastrous interim spell at Chelsea raised serious questions about his managerial ability.

Given the fact that Lampard is a high-profile name, there will always be extra scrutiny on the former England international, and if he does take over at the CBS Arena, there will inevitably be accusations that he has been handed the job solely because of his illustrious playing career, rather than his managerial credentials.

Comparisons will also be made with the situation at Birmingham City last season, where a popular manager in John Eustace was sacked with the club sitting in a strong position to be replaced by Wayne Rooney, and the Blues plummeted down the Championship table towards the relegation zone under his guidance.

While the poor performances and results under Rooney were the main factor in his dismissal after just three months in charge at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park, it is fair to say that Birmingham supporters were never truly enamoured with the 39-year-old, and Lampard could face similar issues at Coventry.

In Lampard's defence, he has achieved much more in his managerial career than Rooney, and having narrowly missed out on promotion with Derby, he does have a respectable record in the Championship.

After an incredible seven-and-a-half years under Robins, it will take time for Sky Blues supporters to adapt to having a new manager in the dugout, and if Lampard is to be his successor, he will have to hit the ground running in order to prove himself to the fan base.