Jamie Carragher has warned Frank Lampard to stay away from the Coventry City job as he risks making the same mistake as Wayne Rooney.
The Sky Blues controversially sacked long-serving manager Mark Robins last week after a disappointing start to the new season. Robins, who was appointed Coventry manager for the second time in 2017, successfully led the club from League Two to the Championship and also won the EFL Trophy during his time in charge.
The club narrowly missed out on Premier League promotion in the 2023 play-off final, losing to Luton Town on penalties. A shootout also denied the Sky Blues a famous victory over Manchester and a place in the FA Cup final last season. Following the decision to sack Robins, who left Coventry 17th in the table but six points off the play-offs, attention has turned to who will replace the club icon.
Former Chelsea boss Lampard has emerged as an odds-on favourite for the job. However, his ex-England team-mate Carragher feels the anger surrounding the club’s decision to sack Robins means Lampard should avoid the Coventry vacancy.
“I was talking to my son about this]. It reminds me of when Wayne [Rooney] went to Birmingham.” Carragher said on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet. “When you go in as a manager and everybody’s there saying, ‘That manager should have never lost his job’ and if people are saying that about Mark Robins, you’re on the back foot straight away.
"It would be, ‘Mark Robins got us to the FA Cup semi-final last year’. I just think stay out of that one.”
Carragher compared the situation to Birmingham City replacing popular boss John Eustace, who had Blues in the Championship play-off places, with Rooney at the start of last season. The Manchester United legend struggled, winning two of 15 league games, contributing to the club’s relegation to League One. However, Ian Wright argued that the Coventry job is extremely tempting for Lampard if he is determined to succeed as a manager.
“You look at that calibre of player [ Frank Lampard ] – that’s the pressure for Frank [at Coventry City] after Mark Robins, but he wants to manage,” Wright told the Stick to Football podcast, sponsored by Sky Bet. “You have to tip your hat off to him.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Would Frank Lampard be a good appointment for Coventry City? Tell us in the comments section below
“They [Coventry] look like they have a half-decent team, but of course you see it and you think to yourself, ‘Hopefully this one works out for him’. If you want to manage, then you take that job.”
Lampard has been out of work since his brief second spell as Chelsea boss in 2023. The 46-year-old’s managerial highlights include taking Derby County to the Championship play-off final in 2019, finishing fourth and reaching the FA Cup final in his first season as Chelsea manager, and helping Everton avoid relegation in 2022.
Coventry drew 2-2 away at table-topping Sunderland on Saturday, coming back from two goals down at the Stadium of Light. Meanwhile, Rooney is steadily rebuilding his coaching reputation as Plymouth Argyle manager this season, with the Devon side currently sat in 18th.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
