Frank Lampard for England manager! Coventry boss backed for Three Lions job by Championship rival Chris Wilder after 'tough gigs' at Chelsea, Everton and Derby

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder believes Coventry City boss Lampard doesn't get the credit he deserves when it comes to management. Moreover, he has commended him for finding his feet at the Sky Blues after difficult posts at Chelsea, Everton, and Derby County.

He told reporters: “I've got an enormous amount of respect for Frank Lampard, I honestly have. His playing career is there for everybody to see but I just love the fact that he loves football and it just shines through. He took a tough job at Derby and got through to a play-off final and we had a couple of great games with them in that season and he had an outstanding run at it. Tough gig at Chelsea when they didn't sign any players and he had to play a lot of young players. Tough gig at Everton. I don't think he gets the credit that he deserves, I honestly don’t. People talk about England managers and people are critical of him, I just don't get it. He can quite easily manage England. The job he's doing at Coventry, he didn't have to do it, but he wants to get his hands dirty. He loves football, he loves the changing room, he loves everything about football. So I'm a big fan.”

Lampard was sacked at Chelsea in 2021, dismissed at Everton in 2023, and had an awful caretaker stint at the Blues later that year. However, he has a 56.52 per cent win record at Coventry, which outstrips his previous roles, and has turned them into a side pushing for Championship promotion in less than six months. Whether that success continues remains to be seen.

Lampard's Coventry, who sit fifth in the Championship, travel to second-placed Sheffield United on Friday night in what will be a huge test for both sides.