Frank Lampard is odds-on with betting sites for a return to football management after Coventry City owner Doug King revealed the ex-Chelsea and Everton boss is on the shortlist to become the next Coventry City manager.
King admitted to a fans’ forum that Lampard was amongst the contenders to take charge of the club following the sack of Mark Robins and football betting sites have reacted by cutting his odds to become the next Coventry boss to 4/7.
Lampard has been out of work since leaving Chelsea in the summer of 2023 after managing one win in 11 games in charge of his old club as interim manager.
He does have some experience of managing in the Championship after spending the 2018/19 season as Derby County coach. Lampard took the Rams to the play-off final that year, only to lose to Aston Villa, but it was enough to secure him a first spell as Chelsea boss.
The 46-year-old had a somewhat successful 18 months at Stamford Bridge, guiding the Blues to a fourth place finish and the FA Cup final before his dismissal in January 2021.
Many might see Coventry as a step down, but for Lampard it would be a good opportunity to rebuild his stock after his dreadful spell in charge of Everton and then his second stint at Chelsea.
Next Coventry City boss odds: Fan favourite in the running
Wycombe boss Matt Bloomfield was among the early favourites on betting apps but he has since dropped down the list and is a 6/1 shot, behind former Coventry striker Robbie Keane.
Keanr spent just one season at the club after joining from Wolves for £6m in August 1999, which was then a record fee for a teenager. He went on to make 34 appearances, scoring 12 goals, all in the Premier League, before a £13m move to Inter Milan.
Since he finished playing, the 44-year-old has been assistant manager to Mick McCarthy with the Republic of Ireland side and held similar roles with Middlesbrough and Leeds United.
He spent last season in charge of Israeli Premier League side Maccabi Tel Aviv, winning the league and reaching the last 16 of the Europa Conference League before deciding to leave in the summer.
Coventry City would be a very different proposition, but he is a name fans upset by Robins’ departure could get behind.
Next Coventry City manager betting: Carsley linked with homecoming
Another surprise name on the list is current England caretaker boss Lee Carsley, who has been cut to 8/1 to return to the club he had two spells with during his playing days.
Carsley, who also lives near Coventry, is expected to return to his role as England U21 boss after November’s international break and with the Sky Blues wanting to use the this stoppage in the season to sort the new appointment, Carsley might be too busy to discuss the role!
Another name to keep an eye on is former Man United midfielder Nicky Butt at 14/1 after he recently quit as Salford City CEO. Butt wants to get back into coaching, but with limited experience and doesn’t appear to fit the criteria of the owner.
One man who isn’t short of coaching know-how is Sam Allardyce and he’s a 20/1 shot to take up his first job in management since leaving Leeds in the summer of 2023.
Whoever takes over at the Ricoh Arena has a tough act to follow in Robins and the board know they have to get the decision right, with most of their fanbase still in shock by the decision to replace Robins.
The 54-year-old took the club to the brink of the Premier League in 2023 when they were beaten in the Championship play-off final by Luton Town and last season they reached the FA Cup semi-finals, only missing out on a place in the final when they were beaten on penalties by Manchester United.
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