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Tag: Frank Lampard

  • Lampard excited over Coventry’s Championship playoff spot

    Lampard excited over Coventry’s Championship playoff spot

    Coventry City sealing a Championship playoff spot is just the beginning for the West Midlands club and they will not get carried away after their remarkable turnaround this season, manager Frank Lampard said.

    Since taking the Coventry job in November, former Chelsea boss Lampard has lifted the club from 17th  to fifth in the Championship table.

    Coventry will now play fourth-placed Sunderland in the two-legged playoff semi-final after beating Middlesbrough 2-0 at home on Saturday.

    “We came in at 17th  in November, so firstly I thank my staff because when you come in you want to make quick impact. Every day they work, support, they’re good at things that I’m not so good at and all those things,” Lampard told talkSPORT. “And then existing staff and players, to do the uplift from 17th  to come fifth and get to the playoffs, it’s a big achievement.

    “But it’s only a start, we’re not over-celebrating here, we’re saying thanks to the fans because they support us all season. To make those strides as a club, I think everyone should be happy tonight.”

    The 46-year-old former Chelsea and England midfielder also had some kind words for his predecessor Mark Robins, who was the third longest-serving manager in the top four divisions of English football before being sacked in November.

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    Robins had returned to Coventry for a second spell in 2017 and led them from League Two to the Championship.

    In 2023, he took Coventry to the Championship playoff final where they lost to Luton Town on penalties and they missed out on an FA Cup final place when they were beaten by Manchester United in a shootout after a stunning fightback from 3-0 down.

    “Credit to Mike Robins because what he’s done here is build the club up and do things that I can never do here from League Two up here and play a final and FA Cup semi-final. Full respect to that,” Lampard said.

    Coventry host Sunderland in the first leg on Friday, with the second leg taking place on May 13.

  • Lampard  named  Coventry’s new manager

    Lampard  named  Coventry’s new manager

    Former Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard has been appointed manager of Coventry City on a two-and-a-half-year contract, the second-tier Championship club said.

    Lampard replaces Mark Robins, who was sacked earlier this month. Coventry are 17th  in the Championship standings after 17 games and are winless in their last four matches.

    “I am delighted that Frank Lampard has agreed to join our club as head coach. Frank cut his teeth in the Championship and knows what is needed in this league to be successful,” club owner Doug King said in a statement.

    As a player, Lampard scored 211 goals for Chelsea in all competitions during a trophy-laden 13 years.

    He has previously managed Chelsea and Everton in the Premier League, as well as Derby County in the Championship.

    His last job in management saw him return to Stamford Bridge for a short stint as Chelsea’s caretaker manager in the 2022-23 season.

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    Lampard will take charge of Coventry for the first time tomorrow  against Cardiff City at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

    The 46-year-old has big shoes to fill in replacing the much-loved Robins, who led Coventry from League Two to the Championship and was the English Football League’s longest-serving manager with seven years’ service when he was fired.

    Robins took Coventry to the Championship playoff final in 2023 and the FA Cup semi-finals last year, when they were beaten by Manchester United.

  • Lampard to Abraham: Playing for England not a walk in the park!

     

    Chelsea Coach Frank Lampard has told his Nigeria born goal scoring sensation Tammy Abraham that although playing for England is a good idea; he will need to remain in his killer form to compete in the Three Lions’ den.

    He made the submission on the heels of Abraham’s call up by England ahead of their upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers against Czech Republic and Bulgaria on the 11th and 14th October respectively.

    The former Chelsea legend opined that the Three Lions boasts of very good strikers which imply that competition will be stiff.

    “Naturally when he goes to the England squad he has the attributes to go there and be successful. It is another step for him but I am sure that he has the attitude to take that challenge of being a goal scorer for England.

    “There is competition there. When he steps into the squad he will see there are great strikers there already around him so it is a good challenge for Tammy.” he said

    Tammy gets a pat from Lampard

    England Coach Gareth Southgate confirmed that the former Aston Villa loanee’s invitation on Thursday was based on merit.

    The 22 year old has netted eight goals in eight starts this season his latest being 22nd minute goal in the 2-1 defeat of Lille of France in the Champions league on Wednesday.

    Tammy who cannot be said to be completely new to the Three Lions having featured in a friendly match in 2017 against Germany will be hoping to continue his scoring mission when Chelsea visit Southampton on Sunday in the premier league.

    It has been three wins in three outings for the Stamford Bridge boys with the biggest win coming against Grimsby Town who were hammered 7-2 in the league cup.

     

     

     

  • Abraham scores twice as Chelsea earn first win under Lampard

    Tammy Abraham repaid manager Frank Lampard’s faith in youth as his two goals against Norwich helped Chelsea to their first win of the season.

    In a frantic start, Abraham opened the scoring inside three minutes for the Blues, whose starting line-up had an average age of 24 years and 208 days – their youngest in the Premier League since February 1994.

    But Norwich equalized just 156 seconds later, Todd Cantwell finishing from close range from a Teemu Pukki cross.

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    Mason Mount restored the Blues’ lead midway through the first half with his second goal of the season, but the Canaries soon pulled level once more as Pukki slotted in from a tight angle for his fifth of the campaign.

    Chelsea dominated the start of the second half and were rewarded through Abraham’s second – an unstoppable drive past Tim Krul – before Kurt Zouma had a goal ruled out by the video assistant referee after substitute Olivier Giroud was judged to have fouled the Norwich keeper.

    The result means Chelsea are unbeaten against Norwich in 16 meetings.

  • Ndidi on target as Leicester hold Chelsea

    Chelsea manager Frank Lampard had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Leicester City in his first home match in charge on Sunday.

    A second-half header by Wilfred Ndidi cancelled out Mason Mount’s early goal on Lampard’s home debut.

    Chelsea raced into a quick lead when the 20-year-old player stole the ball from a dallying Ndidi and left Kasper Schmeichel with no chance with his shot in the seventh minute.

    The goal capped an opening onslaught by the new-look Blues who were roared on by the home fans excited at the return of Chelsea’s all-time top scorer Lampard as manager.

    Read Also: It’s great to be back —Ndidi

    But Leicester grew into the game and equalised in the 67th minute when Ndidi atoned for his first-half error by heading home a James Maddison corner.

    Maddison, Jamie Vardy and Youri Tielemans spurned chances to win it for Leicester late on.

    NAN

     

  • Ashley Cole retires from football

    Former England, Arsenal and Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole has announced his playing retirement from football.

    The 38-year old was out of contract at Derby County at the end of the 2018-19 season and says he is now focused on coaching.

    He made his professional debut for Arsenal in 1999 and went on to represent Crystal Palace on loan, Chelsea, Roma, LA Galaxy and Derby.

    “After hard thinking it was time to hang up my boots and look forward to my next chapter,” Cole told Sky Sports.

    Cole said he is currently taking qualifications with a view to move into a coaching role.

    The London-born defender earned 107 caps for England and is the most decorated footballer in FA Cup history, having lifted the trophy seven times.

    Read Also: I wasn’t useful at Chelsea —Cole

    He also won the Premier League twice with Arsenal – including the 2003-04 season in which the Gunners went unbeaten – and once with Chelsea after moving to Stamford Bridge in 2006.

    Cole won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2011-12 and the Europa League the following season.

    After joining Derby County in January, he worked under the management of his former Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard and helped the club to the Championship play-off final, where they were beaten by Aston Villa.

    BBCSports

  • Rashford grabs brace as Man Utd put 4 past Chelsea

    Marcus Rashford struck twice as Manchester United opened their Premier League account with a resounding 4-0 win over Frank Lampard’s Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday.

    It was an awful start for the new Chelsea manager in his first league game on the bench for his old club as they struck the woodwork twice in the first half but paid for their defensive frailties.

    Tammy Abraham crashed an early drive against the United bar but the hosts got in front with an 18th minute Rashford penalty after the England forward was pulled down by Kurt Zouma.

    Chelsea, who had been the more creative in the opening half, went close to an equaliser when Emerson struck the post shortly before the break.

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    But the game turned decisively in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side’s favour when, after a Rashford led counter-attack, Anthony Martial bundled in a low cross from Andreas Pereira in the 65th.

    Two minutes later, Chelsea’s defence was again exposed when Rashford timed his run to perfection to latch on to a long ball from Paul Pogba and beat goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga with a confident finish.

    Substitute Daniel James, a close-season signing from Swansea City, then marked his United debut with the fourth, firing into the bottom corner via a deflection after being set-up by Pogba. (Reuters/NAN)

  • Breaking: Chelsea confirm Frank Lampard as coach (Video)

    Former Chelsea midfielder, Frank Lampard has been appointed as new coach of the club on a three-year contract.

    The Blues agreed a deal with Derby County worth £4 million to cover the final two years of Lampard’s contract at Pride Park after a week’s worth of talks with the 41-year-old.

    Lampard spent 13 years as a player in west London, scoring 211 goals in 649 games to become Chelsea’s all-time top goalscorer.

    Lampard said he is delighted to be back home.

    According to him: “I am immensely proud to be returning to Chelsea as head coach.

    “Everyone knows my love for this club and the history we have shared, however, my sole focus is on the job in hand and preparing for the season ahead.

    “I am here to work hard, bring further success to the club and I cannot wait to get started.”

    Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia added on the club’s official website: “It gives us great pleasure to welcome Frank back to Chelsea as head coach.

    “Frank possesses fantastic knowledge and understanding of the club and, last season, he demonstrated he is one of the most talented young coaches in the game.

    “After 13 years with us as a player, where he became a club legend and our record goal scorer, we believe this is the perfect time for him to return and are delighted he has done so.

    “We will do everything we can to ensure he has all the support required to be a huge success.”

     

     

     

     

    Details shortly…

  • Lampard retires after 21-year career

    Lampard retires after 21-year career

     

    At the age of 38, and after a career of remarkable success and relentless achievement, Frank Lampard has announced his retirement as a player with a clear hint that he will move into management.

    The Football Association, through technical director Dan Ashworth, is in talks with Lampard over his future with the organisation extremely keen that at least one of the so-called ‘Golden Generation’ will be fast-tracked and eventually work within the England set-up.

    Lampard appears the most likely candidate. Discussions have already taken place with Steven Gerrard – who also recently retired and began a coaching career with the Liverpool academy this week – and Rio Ferdinand while Lampard has always been earmarked as a potential future manager.

    The timing of his retirement comes as no surprise with Lampard having considered his options after playing what has now turned out to be his final competitive match, for New York City, in the Major League Soccer play-offs in the US, last November.

    There were offers to return to play in England, including from Premier League clubs such as Swansea City, but Lampard suggested in an interview last weekend that he was close to retiring and did not feel he would carry on – even if it would be difficult to call it a day for such a fierce competitor.

    Lampard won the Champions League, three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups and the Europa League with Chelsea

    That was confirmed in a social media post, on Instagram, on Thursday morning which led to a flurry of tributes for Lampard who has won every club honour possible – with Chelsea – during his 21-year career which also took in spells at West Ham United, his first club, and Manchester City.

    There were also 106 England caps for the midfielder who played 1,019 matches in total, scoring a remarkable 302 goals. As with others from that ‘Golden Generation’ his international career was less glittering, however, and that gnawed away.

    Lampard is also Chelsea’s all-time leading goalscorer, with 211 goals in 649 appearances, and captained the club in their greatest achievement – winning the 2012 Champions League final, when he played a pivotal role – and in the Europa League final the following season.

  • Terry Dreams Chelsea Return as Manager

    Terry Dreams Chelsea Return as Manager

    Aston Villa new boy John Terry has set his sights on returning to Chelsea one day as manager and says former teammate Frank Lampard could join him.

    The 36-year-old chose to join Villa in the Championship having ruled out a Premier League move following 22 years at Stamford Bridge, admitting playing against the Blues “just doesn’t sit right” with him.

    Speaking about managing his former club Terry said: “That’s a goal. Me and Lamps (Frank Lampard) have had those conversations. Do you dream too big? I don’t think you can ever dream too big.

    “I’ve always wanted to be the very best and if that’s in management, then Chelsea’s the one. That would be incredible but I realise as well you can’t go in somewhere like Chelsea as your first job.”

    Terry, who made over 700 appearances and won 15 major honours with the Blues, signed a one-year deal with Villa on Monday after snubbing more lucrative offers to remain in the top flight.

    Swansea and West Brom were keen to keep him in the uppermost division but the ex-England captain, whose capture was announced in a faux WhatsApp conversation by Villa, revealed he was uneasy about representing one of Chelsea’s Premier League rivals so soon after bidding farewell.

    “Playing against Chelsea just doesn’t sit right with me, to be honest,” he said. “Whether that’s different in a year’s time, I don’t know. The raw emotion of leaving the club after so long there…(playing against them) just didn’t sit right with me.

    “I had a lot of big financial offers to play in the Premier League and still play at the top, but once I took that decision out of it – that I wasn’t playing in the Premier League – this was an easy one for me.