Frank Lampard on Coventry’s Premier League return, not a bad coach before, not the best now | OneFootball

Twenty-five years after relegation, Coventry City are back in the Premier League, with Frank Lampard fronting the revival yet keeping perspective. L'Équipe reports the former Chelsea midfielder arrived in late 2024 and is now idolised by Sky Blues supporters.

Coventry thrashed Portsmouth 5-1 on 21 April to seal the Championship title, finishing 11 points clear of Ipswich. A 31,000 Building Society Arena crowd revelled in fireworks, and for added spice rival Leicester were relegated to League One.

After 2001 the club unravelled, dropping again in 2012 and to League Two in 2017 amid acrimony with Sisu Capital Limited. Stadium rows forced moves to Northampton in 2013 and Birmingham from 2019 to 2021, with protests even halting a match against Charlton.

Businessman Doug King took control in 2023, then bought the stadium in August 2025. On the day of the announcement Coventry routed QPR 7-1. Mark Robins had rebuilt the side to the Championship in 2020, but after near-misses in 2023 and 2024 he was sacked in November 2024.

Lampard arrived after 18 months out, having led Derby to the 2019 play-offs, taken Chelsea into the Champions League and to an FA Cup final, managed Everton, then served as Chelsea interim. He says he is still learning, and his side hit 97 league goals.

Last in a Premier League dugout on 28 May 2023, for Chelsea’s 1-1 with Newcastle, the 47-year-old now targets smart recruitment. Supporters talk of four or five signings, noting promotion came without parachute payments.

Source: L'Équipe