Frank Lampard has led the classic club Coventry back to the Premier League after 25 years in the valley of shadows. – The goal now is to disprove all the experts who believe that The Sky Blues will be relegated again at the first opportunity. – Owner Doug King (buy up to 100% in 2023) is with his 400 million euros in wealth “poor” in the Premier League context, so the purchases need to be smart.
As best as possible, Frank Lampard should be given the means to make good deals and at least a big name, although it is now reasonably clear that it will not be Manchester City star Phil Foden who has been rumoured.
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“Phil Foden won’t happen”
Coventry have been told that “Phil Foden is not going to happen” after some bold transfer moves in the wake of promotion to the Premier League. But Clinton Morrison has told GOAL why Frank Lampard can land big names. The club are already in the process of identifying players who can help them compete in good company, and Lampard – the clubs’ Chelsea legend – should act as a recruitment trump card.
Lampard led Coventry back to the Premier League after a 25-year absence
Frank Lampard has definitely rebuilt his coaching reputation in the West Midlands. The adversity from his stints at Stamford Bridge and at Everton has been forgotten after he delivered the Championship title celebration at the CBS Arena.
Since Lampard took the helm at Coventry in November 2024, he has put an end to a 25-year wait for top-flight football for a team that relegated all the way down to League Two before climbing back up the ladder in the English Football League.
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His reputation is on the rise, and it has already been suggested that prominent national and international coaching positions may become vacant in the near future. But for now, all focus is on ensuring that Coventry are ready for the many challenges the Premier League presents.
Several established players have been linked with the Sky Blues, with ambitious owners ready to back their manager. It has even been suggested that Lampard should try to bring in superstar Phil Foden from Manchester City, as Foden struggles to get regular game time.
Foden written off – but can Coventry sign someone like Stones?
Reacting to the speculation that is now raging, former Coventry striker Clinton Morrison said – in an exclusive interview with GOAL,
“Yes, Phil Foden will not happen. He’s going to sign a new contract with Manchester City, so there’s no chance. Frank has good contacts, but I don’t think he can do that.
“But I could imagine someone. I saw that they were linked to Ross Barkley, so you never know – someone like him. He has Premier League experience and has been around. I think they will buy a lot of players with Premier League experience. I think you need it.
“When you get promoted from the Championship to the Premier League, you need at least five or six players who know the Premier League and have experience. Coventry have a good team with some good and exciting players, but they will need Premier League experience. Then someone like Ross Barkley, and probably some centre-backs with Premier League experience.
Morrison added, while throwing another well-known name into the discussion:
“I’m not saying this can happen, but you look at John Stones – but I feel John Stones is going to go to a top four or five team.
“But John Stones, with his experience, going to someone like Coventry – and he’s out of contract and leaving Manchester City – you think: what a signing that would be. That’s where they have to act. I don’t think they will get John Stones, but the type of Premier League players with experience who know the league inside out.
Lampard acts as a transfer trump card for newly-promoted Coventry
Coventry have been out of the Premier League for a quarter of a century, at times out of sight and out of mind. But the presence of Lampard on the coaching bench is expected to bring significant benefits.
When asked if the Chelsea and England icon will allow the Sky Blues to trade in markets that would otherwise be closed to them, Morrison replied:
“Yes, 100 percent. That is a very good point.
“I think with Frank’s network of contacts, what he’s achieved, the people he knows, the fact that he’s played in the Premier League, the clubs he’s been at and the players he knows, he’s definitely going to act and have conversations with people this summer. He’s probably having conversations now, since their season is over.
“With agents and so on, they will try to get the deal done early. Due to the World Cup, it will probably be difficult to get the deal done, because many players you may be interested in – or other players – will either be on holiday or at the World Cup.
“But what Frank wants to do is not start the season with the same group of players. He will bring in at least a few players, and then the transfer window will still be open, so he can try to bring in a few more signings and integrate them into the team during the pre-season.
“I’ve said it many times: I think Coventry, of all the teams that are promoted, are the best fit. If there’s one team that’s going to survive, it could be them – because of Frank, the people he knows and the players he can attract to that football club.
Coventry will discuss contract extension with Lampard
Lampard is currently under contract with Coventry until the summer of 2027, but he is expected to enter into talks over an extension. Sky Blues, as expected, is very interested in keeping his services for as long as possible.
His vast experience will be put to good use in the upcoming transfer window, and a lot of activity is expected in and out of the CBS Arena before Premier League football returns to the arena in August.
