Crystal Palace approach Frank Lampard as Coventry City Football Club waits
Crystal Palace have sounded out Frank Lampard about their next manager while Coventry City Football Club celebrates a return to the Premier League. The approach comes after Lampard led Coventry to the Championship title and ended a 25-year absence from the top flight.
Frank Lampard and Palace
Crystal Palace need to replace Oliver Glasner, and they have made a move for the 47-year-old as they look to keep building on the success he has brought to south London. Palace have been in the Premier League since 2013 and won last year’s FA Cup, so the job offers a direct route into an established top-flight side.
Lampard’s record gives Palace a clear reason to look at him. He has top-flight experience with Chelsea and Everton, and he is thought to be considering his options despite only just ending his promotion celebrations with Coventry.
Coventry City Football Club and Doug King
That timing leaves Coventry with a problem. Doug King has openly admitted that he may struggle to hang onto his manager this summer, and Lampard has 12 months left on his current contract. Coventry will offer him an improved deal, but King is unlikely to stand in Lampard’s way if he wanted to move elsewhere.
The owner’s position matters because Coventry have only just reached the Premier League again. Lampard’s title run ended a 25-year wait, and the club now faces the possibility of building that return without the man who led it.
Glasner, Fulham and Chelsea
Palace believe Lampard can continue what Glasner started, even as the current manager could still go out on a high in the Europa Conference League final. Palace will play Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig later this month, and Glasner has already criticised the club for letting top players leave after Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi departed within six months of each other.
There is competition for Lampard as well. Fulham are also keen on him and need to see whether Marco Silva extends his contract, while Lampard has also been linked with a third stint at Chelsea. For Coventry, the issue is simple: their promotion has put their manager back in the market before the summer has even settled.
