Sam Allardyce Backs Lampard for Future England Manager

Former Premier League manager Sam Allardyce has told BOYLE Sports and Footy Accumulators’ podcast, No Tippy Tappy Football, that he believes Coventry boss Frank Lampard would be a “good candidate” to become England manager in the future.

“I don’t think Frank Lampard is destined to go back to Chelsea anytime soon, especially under this current regime,” he said. “I do think that, if he’s managing a Premier League club in the future and doing well, he’d be a good candidate for the England job.

“If you look back at his first stint at Chelsea when they had a transfer ban, he developed young players like Reece James and Mason Mount and gave them a chance – although he didn’t really have a choice given the financial circumstances he was under!”

Frank Lampard's first venture into management was in 2018, when he took over Derby County, and in his only season at Pride Park, he led the Rams to a playoff final defeat to Aston Villa. Following his tenure at Derby County, the former Chelsea midfielder was awarded the hot seat at Stamford Bridge, amidst a transfer ban for the Blues.

Lampard's early months as Chelsea manager saw him introduce the likes of Mason Mount (who was on loan at Derby), Reece James and Billy Gilmour. Lampard won the Premier League Manager of the Month in October 2019, becoming the third person to win the Premier League Player of the Month and Manager of the Month alongside Stuart Pearce and Gareth Southgate. His time at Chelsea came to an end in January 2021, after leading Chelsea to a top-four finish the season before.

Lampard would return to Chelsea once more, with a difficult stint at Everton in between his time away from Stamford Bridge. The second Chelsea tenure saw Lampard record the worst win rate in Chelsea managerial history, at 9% among managers who had managed three or more games at Stamford Bridge.

A 1-1 draw against Blackburn Rovers was enough to secure Coventry City's promotion back to the Premier League after 25 years.

The club has been on a rollercoaster for the past 25 years, with further relegations, an exit from their own stadium and problems on and off the pitch constantly plaguing any progress. Local chairman Doug King took over the club and was tasked with bringing Coventry City back to the Premier League, and within four years, he has delivered.

The Sky Blues suffered playoff heartbreak on the way to promotion, with a defeat in the playoff final to Luton Town; however, the appointment of Frank Lampard, along with smart recruitment, has done the trick. Lampard, who had previous Championship management experience at Derby County, has been a revelation for the club. Lampard had guided the club to a playoff defeat against Sunderland last season and had carried the momentum into this year's campaign.

Signings from the last couple of seasons, with the likes of Ephron Mason-Clark (Peterborough) and experience with the likes of Frank Onyeka (on loan from Brentford), have provided the final push for Frank Lampard's side to complete their 25-year journey back to the Premier League.

Coventry City's chances of survival will rest on their recruitment process and how they adapt to the intensity of Premier League football. The Sky Blues have recruited well in recent seasons with the signings of Haji Wright, Jack Rudoni, Ephron Mason-Clark and Frank Onyeka, to name a few.

The challenge now for Coventry City is how they fare in the transfer market compared to their rivals, and whether they are willing to spend the necessary money to keep the side competitive. Coventry City will do well to look to the likes of Leeds United and Sunderland, who came up last season in terms of recruitment strategy. The two sides mentioned spent the required money and recruited astutely, with Nordi Makuele (Sunderland) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United) coming to mind when it comes to good recruitment.

The level of opposition in the Premier League next season is expected to be at an all-time high, with money being spent and established teams looking to progress. This season, the Premier League has seen the likes of Bournemouth, Brighton, Everton and Brentford compete magnificently against the bigger teams, while newly promoted Sunderland and Leeds United have managed the competition of the league.