Former England manager Sam Allardyce believes Frank Lampard will eventually go on to greater and batter things in management but cannot envisage a return to Chelsea any time soon.
After difficult spells at Everton and Chelsea, Lampard has rebuilt his status at Coventry City and on Sunday celebrated winning the Championship title.
A return to the Premier League, after a 25-year absence, had already been guaranteed following a successful promotion campaign masterminded by the Chelsea legend.
The present upheaval at Stamford Bridge inevitably sparked speculation that the 47-year-old could possibly be set for an additional return to his spiritual home where Calum McFarlane is in temporay charge following the sacking of Liam Rosenior who spent just 106 days in the recent seat.
Allardyce, nevertheless, feels a much bigger job is potentially within the offing for Lampard with the prospect of managing England not too remoted a prospect.
‘I don’t think Frank Lampard is destined to return to Chelsea anytime soon, especially under this current regime,’ he told BOYLE Sports and Footy Accumulators’ podcast, No Tippy Tappy Football.
‘I do think that, if he’s managing a Premier League club in the long run and doing well, he’d be a great candidate for the England job.
‘When you look back at his first stint at Chelsea after they had a transfer ban, he developed young players like Reece James and Mason Mount and gave them a likelihood – although he didn’t really have a selection given the financial circumstances he was under.’
Lampard, meanwhile, says Coventry must stay a ‘special place’ after the Sky Blues celebrated Sky Bet Championship title glory with a celebration after victory over Wrexham.
‘It felt like a family day for the players and staff and for the fans to enjoy without the stresses of attempting to go up or becoming title winners,’ Lampard said after late goals from Victor Torp and Ephron Mason-Clark secured Coventry’s twenty seventh league win of the season and a 3-1 victor over Wrexham.
‘It needs to stay a special place since it’s been an incredibly supported club in town, the tradition and history.
‘There wasn’t that feeling after I got here in – and I do know Mark (Robins) had done incredible work as a manager here – due to a insecurity and connection on the club.
‘But we built that within the second half of last season to where it’s a serious football club on this league, and you’ve got to try this for those who haven’t been a Premier League team recently to go up. To be 12 points clear is amazing.’
Lampard appreciates the ‘landscape’ at Coventry will change next season attributable to the demands of the Premier League and the probability the Sky Blues squad shall be reshaped.
But for now he is concentrated on what winning the Championship title means for Coventry and where it ranks in his own celebrated profession.
‘It compares with every trophy I’ve lifted, they’re all amazing. The primary one at Bolton (for Chelsea) by way of the League. The Champions League is exceptional due to the stage that it’s.
‘I can’t put it down in any way since it’s a collective effort and I do know the exertions that has gone in to it.’
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