Coventry in advanced talks with Lampard over managerial vacancy

Coventry City are in advanced talks with Frank Lampard over their managerial vacancy.

It is understood no agreement has yet been reached and talks will continue this week.

Lampard has been out of work since May 2023, when his spell as caretaker at Chelsea – his second spell at his former club – came to an end.

The Sky Blues are looking for a new manager after Mark Robins was sacked on November 7. He was the third longest-serving manager in English football's top four divisions after being appointed in March 2017.

Rhys Carr has been in interim charge since Robins' departure, overseeing a 2-2 draw against high-flying Sunderland in his only game at the helm to date.

Coventry host Sheffield United at the Coventry Building Society Arena this Saturday, live on Sky Sports Football; starting at 12.30 pm.

Speaking to Sky Sports News at a fan forum in Coventry last week, owner Doug King confirmed Lampard's application for the role.

“We have received a tremendous amount of resumes from high-quality people, including Frank,” he said.

“But the problem is that we didn't do anything about that process because we went through this situation with the forum and focused on making sure we were accessible and able to provide answers.

“However, it is clear that we are in the international breakthrough. We will assess everything and then we will determine who will make the shortlist, and then we will interview.”

When asked how quickly Coventry hopes to make an appointment, he added: “If we find the right person and we can all agree on what we want to achieve then I think we can move quite quickly. But if it's not clear and we need to go deeper into certain things, it might take a little longer.

“I'm prepared for Rhys Carr to play two or three more games if we can't get it done at the end of the international break.”

Robins joined the club in 2017 and took Coventry from League Two to the Championship – and one game away from the Premier League in 2023, where they were beaten 1-0 by Luton in the second-tier play-off final.

On the decision to fire Robins, King said: “I didn't sleep much at all that night.

“I thought about whether this was the right time, but honestly I knew it was the right thing to do.

“I wanted to give this club a little push and say that we are going to change some directions. We can't just say that in the end it will all be better, and that we will move up in the league and be around the table .” playoffs unless we take control and make it happen.

“Obviously everyone at the club and beyond is surprised. The reaction was a little more than I expected.

“Honestly, it was unpleasant for me to do that because I really like Mark. I know what he's done here and the respect he has here, and I really wish I hadn't been in that position.”

Smith: Lampard has to make this a success

Former Leicester and Arsenal striker Alan Smith on Sky Sports News:

“He's had some challenges, some tough times, you could say he's had some failures. That second spell at Chelsea he might be thinking: 'Why did I take that?' I think it's hard to reject your old club.

“For managers, but also for players, it's so much about joining places at the right time, being able to say yes and no. Frank desperately wants to be a manager, a successful one.

“It's a big call from Coventry, so many fans were not happy with Mark Robins' sacking. They will come up with Lampard, they know about his previous efforts in management. He really needs to get off to a good start, if he does.” appointed. But I wish him the best.

“You have some English greats, Wayne Rooney is trying to make his mark in management after some difficult appointments, now he is in Plymouth. Steven Gerrard is struggling to make a mark in Saudi Arabia, will he be able are to bounce back when he leaves there?

“Lampard must now make a success of this. If he fails in Coventry, it could be some time before he gets another chance.”