Frank Lampard’s career as a football manager has, to this point, been a process of evolution and learning peppered by significant accomplishment and adversity. Since taking over Coventry City in November, Lampard has worked wonders. He has expertly and quickly led the ship from the edge of the relegation zone into a contending playoff spot in the Championship table. His time spent over the last seven years have only refined him into one of the most mature and respected managers.
Lampard started his managerial career at Derby County, at the age of 39. Yet it was a year of development for him, in which he picked up some very important lessons about the intricacies of managing a football club. While it was far from plain sailing, his era at Derby set the stage for the magic to follow. Lampard admitted that his time at Derby was unfulfilling. This made it difficult for him to pursue long-term initiatives, since he’d be around for such a brief time.
Chelsea is still very much at the centre of Lampard’s life. In his time at Chelsea, he guided them to qualify for the Champions League through their league performance alone. Especially considering that lion-taming accomplishment, his reappointment cemented his reputation as a master manager. It’s proven to be a masterstroke, the lessons learned on his fleeting times at Chelsea and Derby paying dividends to his current success at Coventry.
At Coventry, Lampard has recorded 10 victories from their previous 12 encounters in the Championship. The way he has been able to improve the team’s fortunes has been highly impressive. Lampard credits this success to his deep experience and knowledge of what football’s non-negotiables are.
“I’ve been doing this job for a while now at different levels and challenges of competition and I think you realise that there are the non-negotiables.” – Frank Lampard
Over the course of his managerial career, Lampard has run toward the fire. He is convinced that work ethic, application, and team spirit are the key building blocks of success in football.
“Work ethic, an application, you have to run for your team-mate, you have to not complain, not moan and understand how fortunate we are in a way.” – Frank Lampard
Lampard’s contemporary management style is based on teamwork, forthrightness, and engagement with his players and full-time staff. He creates a space where people are free to verbalize a problem to work through it, and collaboratively arrive at a solution.
“I get every day, every week, problems that need a solution – so I try to relax more with that in my own self because I think that hopefully rubs off on the players and hopefully they feel comfortable to come to me and staff to discuss or open up about something – I’m not a dictator, far from it.” – Frank Lampard
In his seven years as a manager, Lampard has witnessed various aspects of elite football that he believes require attention.
“I saw things that I know cannot be right at elite football and that’s the truth.” – Frank Lampard
These adventures have cemented his belief that unity of a team is key to success. With his background, he knows how important it is for a coalition to row in the same direction to find success.
“I didn’t learn anything tactical but it did reinforce my beliefs of all my experiences of when you know what a group is really fighting in the same direction – how strong that can be and when it’s not, it can be really challenging.” – Frank Lampard
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