Frank Lampard would be an ideal successor to Thomas Tuchel when the England manager’s job next becomes available, former Coventry striker Matt Jansen has exclusively told GOAL. The Three Lions legend is in the process of rebuilding his reputation as a coach with Championship promotion hopefuls and could be a contender to step into a prominent international post at some stage.
Lampard's coaching career: Mixed bag from Chelsea legend
Former Chelsea midfielder Lampard, who won Premier League and Champions League titles with the Blues, cut his coaching teeth at Derby County. After suffering play-off heartache there, an emotional return to a spiritual home was enjoyed when inheriting the reins at Stamford Bridge.
Lampard opened up a pathway into the first team for several academy stars in west London, but was relieved of his duties in January 2021 after taking in 84 games at the helm. A tough time was then experienced at Everton before heading back to Chelsea on an interim basis towards the end of the 2022-23 campaign.
Some 17 months were spent away from the dugout at that point, before being lured back in by Coventry. Another near miss in the play-offs was endured last season, but the Sky Blues are now flying high at the top of the Championship table – boasting the last unbeaten record across the top four tiers of English football.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesFuture England boss? Lampard heading in the right directon
Lampard is seeing his stock rise once more, with it already being suggested that he will land another prominent Premier League post at some stage. He would also be a popular pick for England, with current boss Tuchel only working on an 18-month contract through to the end of the 2026 World Cup.
Quizzed on whether Lampard will come into contention for positions of that magnitude, ex-Coventry forward Jansen – who was dropped from England’s 2002 World Cup in dramatic circumstances – told GOAL when speaking in association with : "He's doing fantastic. They are top of the Championship at the minute. He took over there when they were struggling in the bottom half of the Championship and now they just missed out on going up through the play-offs and are now top of the league. I think they will get promoted.
"Whether he will get head-hunted if they do get promoted, possibly. I think England would be a good fit for him if Tuchel goes. The respect that he would get from the players for what he has done in the game and with England, I think he would be a really good fit."
England legends at the helm: Other names in the frame
Lampard is one of several Three Lions legends that are looking to reach the very top in coaching circles. Any one of those could one day find themselves calling shots with England. Jermain Defoe believes treading such a path is possible, with the former Tottenham striker having previously told GOAL: "I don't know if they are thinking on that kind of level. Lamps has gone back in at Coventry and is doing well. Felt like he needed that.
"There are people like Ashley Cole as well that are in the system. He's an amazing coach. The hard work that he has put in, I've seen behind the cameras all the hard work and graft that he put in with Chelsea, England and Birmingham. I’d like to see Ash at some stage get a job and then you never know. You never know with football. If that was to happen, Steven Gerrard becomes England manager, he's a legend in the game and it would be nice to see."
GOALCoventry dare to dream after 25-year absence from the Premier League
Harry Redknapp has previously claimed that Gerrard and Lampard – the latter his nephew – could do the England job "standing on their head", with both deserving of an opportunity to show what they can do at that level.
Coventry will not want to part with Lampard's services any time soon, with dreams forming in the West Midlands of returning to the Premier League after a 25-year absence. The Sky Blues were last relegated out of the top tier in 2001 and dropped as far as League Two in 2017-18 before beginning their rise back up the divisions.
