[themaclad]

Frank Lampard's Coventry City
CBS arena 22/2/2025 1500hrs

One day shy of a year since we won 3-0 there, since then they have been officially renamed by Sky as Frank Lampard's Coventry City

https://www.ccfc.co.uk/

Manager



Frank James Lampard OBE (born 20 June 1978) is an English professional football manager and former player who is the manager of EFL Championship club Coventry City. Widely regarded as one of Chelsea's greatest players ever and one of the greatest midfielders of his generation, Lampard has the record of the most goals by a midfielder in the Premier League and most goals from outside the box (41).[4][5][6] He ranked highly on a number of statistics for Premier League players for the ten years from 1 December 2000, including most games and most wins.[7][8]

A box-to-box midfielder, Lampard began his career in 1995 at West Ham United, the club where his father Frank Sr. also played. In 2001, he was signed by London rivals Chelsea for £11 million. In his thirteen years with the club, Lampard established himself as a prolific scorer from midfield, becoming the club's all-time leading goalscorer, with 211 goals in all competitions.[9][10] At Chelsea, Lampard won three Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League, four FA Cups, and two League Cups. In 2005, he was named FWA Footballer of the Year, and finished runner-up for both the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year. After leaving Chelsea, Lampard played for league rivals Manchester City[11][12] and Major League Soccer club New York City FC before retiring in 2017.[10][13] Lampard played 106 matches and scored 29 goals for the England national team, after making his debut in 1999. He represented his country at three FIFA World Cups – in 2006, 2010 and 2014 – and in UEFA Euro 2004, where he was named in the Team of the Tournament. Lampard was voted England Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005.

Lampard is one of 11 players, and the only midfielder, to have scored 150 or more goals in the Premier League. He is fourth in the Premier League's all-time assists ranking, with 102 assists.[14][15] Lampard holds a number of additional Chelsea and Premier League records, and has won PFA Fans' Player of the Year and the FWA Tribute Award. During his career, he was named in the PFA Team of the Year three times, Premier League Player of the Month four times, Premier League Player of the Season once and finished as the Premier League's top assist provider three times, and was named in the FIFPro World XI and a MLS All-Star. After departing, Lampard was named in the Chelsea Team of the Decade as voted for by Chelsea fans,[16][17] and into the Premier League Hall of Fame.[18]

After retiring from international football, Lampard was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2015 for services to football.[19] Lampard served as a team captain on the ITV sport panel show Play to the Whistle from 2015 until 2017. He has also written a number of children's books.[20] Lampard began his managerial career with Derby County in 2018, leading the club to the final of that season's Championship play-offs. He was appointed as Chelsea's head coach a year later, guiding them to fourth place and the FA Cup Final in his first season, before being dismissed in 2021. Following a one-year spell with Everton, and a brief return to Chelsea, Lampard joined Coventry City as manager in 2024.


LAST TIME OUT





FORM GUIDE

COVENTRY 16 PNE 10

HOT SHOTS



CULTURE

Lady Godiva (/ɡəˈdaɪvə/; died between 1066 and 1086), in Old English Godgifu, was a late Anglo-Saxon noblewoman who is relatively well documented as the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, and a patron of various churches and monasteries.

Today, she is mainly remembered for a legend dating back to at least the 13th century, in which she rode naked – covered only by her long hair – through the streets of Coventry to gain a remission of the oppressive taxation that her husband, Leofric, imposed on his tenants. The name "Peeping Tom" for a voyeur originates from later versions of this legend, in which a man named Thomas watched her ride and was struck blind or dead.



T'OTHER GAMES

[themaclad]

The Fitness Test

After ending the Millwall draw with injury, Paul Heckingbottom has said Mads Frøkjær is a doubt for the weekend’s game.

Lewis Gibson is expected to be fine, though, after taking a whack in the midweek clash at Deepdale.

Ben Whiteman has stepped up his recovery by doing some running this week, however still remains a way off. Duane Holmes, Jack Whatmough and Jordan Storey also remain sidelined.

The Sky Blues

Coventry City are one of the division’s form sides right now, having picked up six wins in their previous seven Championship outings.

The Sky Blues have really got going under Frank Lampard, who was appointed as the club’s head coach in November 2024, and he’s pushed the side right up to within a point of the top six.

He’ll be hoping to earn Coventry their first league victory over PNE since 2007, with North End unbeaten in their last 22 against the Sky Blues.

The Officials
[
Referee: Oliver Langford
Assistant Referees: Mark Stevens and Richard Woodward
Fourth Official: Simon Mather

Oliver Langford will take charge of his first PNE match of the season on Saturday.

The referee has officiated plenty of North End matches over the years, going back to 2010.

Langford has taken charge of 22 games this season, showing 77 yellow cards and two reds in that time.

MACS VIEW

This lot are due a win against us, good news will actually have a decent surface to play on, they are in form, but will Frank have his Skechers on?

[themaclad]

HECK

Paul Heckingbottom confirmed Mads Frøkjær is a doubt for PNE’s upcoming Sky Bet Championship clash against Coventry City.

The midfielder finished the midweek draw against Millwall struggling with an injury and he might not make Saturday’s trip to the CBS Arena.

Lewis Gibson was also limping against the Lions, although the gaffer expects he’ll be fine, while long-term absentee and skipper Ben Whiteman has stepped up his recovery.


Hecky said: “Ben's been running on the grass today. I think the medical team are sort of holding him back because symptom-wise he feels great, but obviously there's a healing timeframe which you can't beat.

“The medical team are really keen to make sure that his ankle is strong enough before he comes back into football. So he’s still a little bit away but he's really happy where he is.

“You can always see a difference in a player when they're coming back in each of those stages when they start. They get a boot off and then they get bored of the gym and then when they start going outside, they're buzzing, and then they get bored of running, then they need the ball, and then they’re bored of that, then they want to be back in training. So, yeah, he’s still got a bit to go, but he's happy where he is and so are the medical team.”

North End go to Coventry looking to extend an impressive 22-game unbeaten run against the Sky Blues, and an upturn in form away from home in recent weeks.

PNE have won two of the last three on the road, with the most recent being a victory against Norwich City.

On the away performances, Hecky said: “I've very rarely been critical of us. When I have, it's been the same sort of feeling I've had about what’s been wrong. I’ve been a lot more focused on that, and I've been really pleased with the performances away from home.

“Not only in terms of how we've made it difficult for the opposition, but then how we’ve performed with the ball as well and been the better team. So, yeah, we want more of the same.

“We're playing against a team with good energy and good hunger. They'll feel like they're right in with a shout now of the Play-Offs, so we're playing against a team who are playing for things, but I generally like them games. We’ll prepare ourselves properly to make it a really, really good game.”
SKECHERS MAN

Frank Lampard is looking for his side to build on recent results when they take on Preston North End this weekend.

City take on PNE having come off the back of a run of six wins in their last league outings, a run which has seen them rise up the Championship table.

Lampard has a enjoyed a week’s training leading up to the clash this weekend and ahead of the meeting, City’s Head Coach previewed the fixture, whilst providing a fitness update on Haji Wright and Ben Sheaf.



Looking back at the week building up to facing Preston North End…

“It’s been nice to have a solid week of training. It’s been a busy schedule, and I know it is for everyone, but it affects your training time.

“We’ve also got players coming back from injury, so it’s been good to be altogether and have a bit of a breather, in terms of, we’ve had a run of very good results, but there’s still a lot of work to do.

“Training groundwork is the best way to tackle some of those things and the squad is getting a bit stronger in the sense of players coming back, so it’s been a positive week, but it needs to lead into a positive weekend.”



Update on Haji Wright and Ben Sheaf…

“He’s going well, he’s turned a corner and is training with us, now it’s about getting his match fitness up to be ready to be able to contribute on the pitch.

“I know he is an important player. I haven’t seen him for us, but I know what he is, so he’s very close.

“Ben is probably a little bit ahead of Haji, purely because of less time out and match fitness, so he could be in the squad this week or next.”



Continuing to build on recent results and not getting complacent…

“At the moment we’re getting good results, but there is a long way to go and a lot of weeks and games to go, so momentum is a great word when you’re in it but just as dangerous of a word to get complacent about.


“People talk about momentum, yes, we’ve moved up the table a lot, but when people talk about historical momentum that gets you into the play-offs, sometimes that’s a late run and we can’t consider we’re near that.

“We have to continue with where we’re at and there will be difficult moments in the next games.

“We’re in a good place, but we need to continue with it, which comes from work and focus, as a group.”



Coming up against Preston North End…

“Preston is going to be a really difficult game in many ways and they’re not to be underestimated. They’re an aggressive team, man-to-man marking at times in high pressure and they’re physical.

“Very difficult to play against for different reasons, so I’m considering nothing about momentum and all these things in this moment in time, I’m thinking about Preston because it’s going to be a difficult game.”



Coventry’s record against PNE…

“I’m aware of the record, because there are a lot of Coventry people that work here so they feel more emotionally attached to it than others.

“It’s not my record, it’s Coventry’s but now I’m a big part of Coventry so I understand it, but I focus on the game as what it is, so for me it’s not that much of a thing, other than preparing the team well and getting three points.

“So, it would be nice to win the game, which is so important to us now and break that record that hangs over us slightly.”



Player’s returning from injury and competition for places in the squad…

“We’re getting back to a place where we have that. We haven’t had it at times if I’m honest, especially when Ephron got injured as well, Haji was already out.

“You need in this physical league, in-game chances to impact games. We did it last week against Sheffield Wednesday, we could make three subs in one go that bring energy and quality into the team.

“I’m not going to complain about having it, it’s a really positive thing and it gives me options in different ways because of the adaptability of Haji, Ephron and Pato.”

[themaclad]

COVENTRY CITY 2 RUDONI, THOMAS PRESTON NORTH END 1

Attendance: 26,493 (1,151 PNE fans).

Referee: Mr O Langford.

Well we had to lose to them sometime much to the delight of their fans and Leeds born Josh Inglis who hammered England bowling attack yesterday, Josh apparently is a Cov fan.
Looks a narrow defeat it wasn't, second best for large parts of this game only Steff came out with plus marks, Potts from the bench didn't do too bad either, trouble was all their players were n their game.
Started fairly well looked the side more likely in the first 20 minutes, but they soon started to probe, Ellis twice went close and the Japanese lad, Sakamoto was giving young Meghoma a torrid afternoon.
They took the led on the half hour ball in from the left easy header for Rudoni, the second six minutes later was just an abysmal piece of football from us, weak header by Thomas bounced towards goal and bounced past Woodman who really should have done better.

Three changes at half time, mattered not Woodman made up for his error in the first have by saving us on maore than one occasion and how Coventry didn't score during one manic 60 seecond period when they had about five chances to score is beyond belief.
With about ten minutes to go we scored Potts down the right Keane scooped it over the keeper counted although he looked offside.
A bit of panic set in and we had two great chances to nick a point, both fell to Riis, first effort tame ane the second about ten yards out he didn't get a good connection to a Potts cross really should have scored.
So twenty game in the league against the Sky Blues came to an end.

HECK

Paul Heckingbottom felt too many of his players had an off day in the defeat against Coventry City.

North End were beaten 2-1 by the Sky Blues on the road, with headers from Jack Rudoni and Bobby Thomas giving the hosts a two-goal lead at the break.

Will Keane’s 82nd-minute finish made things interesting in the late stages, but Hecky’s side couldn’t find a leveller, which he feels would have earned a ‘pinched’ point.



He said: “I felt sort of five minutes before they scored the first goal, I felt the game slipping so we needed to change something. I could feel it coming and then from that moment we were second best for large parts.

“Then it would have just been the lads’ character and spirit which would have got us a point at the end if we’d have got one. There’s lots of things I’m disappointed with.

“Too many of our players had an off day today all at once and it makes the game difficult for you when that happens. It looked a game too far, you know, with our schedule. It really did.

“Then when you put that together with too many not good enough with the ball, it did look like a game too far in terms of physicality. I know when I watch it back I'll be of the same opinion, so we have to make sure we use this free week well now because we've then got to go into another five games in two weeks block which will be important to get as much out of it as we can.”

The manager praised his side during the week for their recent away performances, in particular for the way they’ve made games difficult for their hosts.

However, he didn’t feel they did that at the CBS Arena, where the goals conceded were disappointing and Keane’s strike was the team’s first shot on target of the afternoon.

Hecky said: “We played with not the same energy and intensity as we always do and we didn't have the same quality with the ball that that brings us so they were the differences, so you have to find a different way to win.

“We tried at half-time to get more bodies higher up and we wanted to be more direct but it took it until the 79th minute before we played the pass down the side and got one of our front players in running and then the second time we do it we score.

“After that point, we could make it a little bit difficult for them and keep playing that way. So that's another disappointing thing where we sort of ignored what we felt was important at half-time and then we gave ourselves too little time to rescue a point.”

SHOE SALESMAN

Frank Lampard was delighted with his side’s performance, as they beat Preston North End 2-1 at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Goals from Jack Rudoni and Bobby Thomas proved to be enough on the day, as City beat North End for the first time in the league since 2007.



Reaction to the game and ending the club’s record against Preston North End…

“I’m happy for the club and the fans, it’s a nice to put the ghost to rest. It was new to me, but it’s a nice thing and a nice feeling for the fans, when you have something like that over you and we put it to rest.

“The main thing today was three points obviously and beating a difficult team. They can be difficult, but I thought we dominated for most of the game if I’m honest.

“So, I’m really pleased with that, and we gave a real confident performance.”



Preston’s late goal setting up a nervy ending…

“It happens when you don’t get the third, fourth or fifth, that we could have got on another day, you always know that they can get one chance.

“They hardly threatened us all afternoon and they get a goal and then get a feeling and then we’re all nervous in the stadium, it can happen.

“It was important that we dug in, which we did do. I’m not holding that against the players, sometimes you don’t convert those chances.”



Delighted with the first half performance…

“First half was outstanding, a complete performance. We played the game in their half, counter-pressing, winning the ball back, staying there and using the attacking players that we had on the pitch, with the system change and we worked on it throughout the week a lot and the players really took on the messages.”



Changing formation this afternoon…



“We’ve had to be adaptable in the last eight or nine games because of injuries to big players at the top end of the pitch.

“So, we’ve adapted and showed another side to our game and the players have really taken it on board and we’ve got results.

“When we have everybody fit, we have different ways we can approach games and today we wanted to be really positive, against what we knew would be a back five.

“We wanted to pin them back and have a lot of the ball and they don’t always make it easy for you, but I think from our manner we let them know it was going to be played in their half and we’re going to put pressure on you.”



The goals from Jack Rudoni and Bobby Thomas…

“Great assist for Ephron. It’s a good cross and it’s a great header from Rudi, to get the direction and power on it.

“We attacked really well and there was a real sharpness in our game.

“The corner, I will give credit to the set-piece boys because they work really hard for and against, Aled (Williams) and JD (John Dempster), their work is amazing and when we score one, with a clear situation JD had worked on with Bobby and Grimesy and the team, then it’s a real positive for the coaching staff.”



Jamie Paterson’s Coventry City debut…

“We all know Jamie and his Coventry background, and it was a dream come true for him, so I’m happy for him.

“He hasn’t played many minutes for a long time, so I would imagine he was feeling being on a proper pitch, playing the game and feeling the nerves playing for his boyhood club.

“He did well, it allowed us to give Ephron a bit of a rest after just coming back in and Pato gives us a different option.”



Haji Wright being close…

“He was close but I knew he wouldn’t be if I’m honest. He needs match fitness because he’s been out for a while now.

“The injury is good and he is looking better, sharp. I haven’t worked with him before and I only had seen things from before, but he is going to be a big plus for us when he’s back.”

[themaclad]