LAMPS: ETHAN’S READY TO GO

NEW SIGNING IN CONTENTION AS SKY BLUES PREPARE FOR FIRST PREM HOME GAME IN 25 YEARS

Lampard ponders numbers game with Sky Blues

PINNOCK ARRIVAL RAISES QUESTIONS OVER WHETHER PLAYERS COULD LEAVE

I don’t necessarily want to have good lads training 

and training and training and then not getting in squads.

   - Frank Lampard

29 Aug 2026 - Coventry Telegraph

By ANDY TURNER Sky Blues Reporter

ETHAN Pinnock’s arrival from Brentford this week took Coventry City’s central defensive department up to six – seven if you include Manchester City loan signing Stephen Mfuni who, one suspects, is coming in more as competition at left-back than one of the central spots.Sky Blues boss Frank Lampard

But it begs the question as to whether the Sky Blues can carry so many specialist defenders in an increasingly sizeable squad that has seen 11 summer signings to date and only one senior – midfielder Jamie Allen – go the other way.

Bobby Thomas and Aurele Amenda started at Arsenal on the opening night of the new Premier League season and Pinnock now adds to the first-choice mix given his experience and proven topflight ability.

Liam Kitching and Joel Latibeaudiere, meanwhile, did little to press their claim for selection – both having served the club well in the Championship – in Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup win at Plymouth when they were each at fault for Argyle’s goals.

That leaves Luke Woolfenden who, the City boss revealed in midweek, is out for a number of “weeks” with a knee injury that has hampered him all pre-season.

Asked if he has to let any of his senior centrehalves go as a result of the number on the books or, alternatively, whether any of them will want to leave in order to get guaranteed game time, the head coach told the Coventry Telegraph: “Um, we’ll see, we’ll see.” Pausing, he added: “What do you want my answer to be to that?”

There have been rumours that Woolfenden has put in a transfer request, albeit complicated by his injury situation. Asked if anyone has asked to leave, Lampard said: “I can’t give away that confidence. I understand why you’re asking it but it’s a really difficult one for me to answer.

“I think you’ll know that most Premier League managers will tell you what an ideal number of centrebacks is, depending on how they play (either with two or three at the back). And, of course, I don’t necessarily want to have good lads training and training and training and then not getting in squads, so those things are not ideal.

“I can’t give you the answer right now with the position we’re in, but I understand why you ask it.”

Meanwhile, one player who has been on the periphery of the squad for the last 12 months is Miguel Brau – the Spanish left-back clearly not in Lampard’s plans after struggling to impose himself at the club.

The 24-year-old, who joined City from Granada last summer, has been strongly linked with a loan move to Portuguese top flight side Academico.

Asked if it’s a case of if he goes he’s been a great professional but the club have stepped up a level and that’s football, Lampard said: “Yeah, if he goes on loan, which is a very strong possibility, as you’re saying, although I can’t commit to that yet. But sometimes I think you just come with a decision that’s best for the player and for the club in this moment.”

He added: “I’ve got a lot of respect for how he’s dealt with it in terms of being a squad member, in terms of training well every day even when he’s not playing but staying with it and all those things.

“So it sort of goes back to your last question about you have to have an understanding of that and try and find the best solution for the club and player because there’s this modern day football that doesn’t make it easy for us because you need big squads but you also can only pick a certain amount on the bench after players have worked their balls off all week and then don’t play.

“In any job we’d hate it, right? If you worked all week and someone else did this bit, you’d be upset, right?”

***

‘Immaculate’ Pinnock looks right fit for City

29 Aug 2026 - Coventry Telegraph

By ANDY TURNER Sky Blues Reporter

He’s very impressive at first glance and 

he has experience of the league...

but more than that, his character is huge.

   - Frank Lampard

ETHAN Pinnock is “ready” to be pitched straight into Coventry City’s starting line-up against Hull if head coach Frank Lampard opts to hand his latest signing his debut.Ethan Pinnock could be in contention for his Sky Blues debut today, while City are in talks over a loan deal for Stephen Mfuni, inset

The 33-year-old arrives at the club with plenty of Premier League experience along with impressive quality and an “immaculate” character following his £5million move from Brentford.

“I’ve spoken to Ethan a couple of times and he trained with us on Thursday for the first time but from speaking to anyone who has worked with him and from picking up from our early conversations, that character and that impressive nature absolutely comes through,” said the City boss, who could use Pinnock on the left of a back three against the Tigers.

“He knows a couple of our boys through the Jamaican squad and yeah, he’s very impressive at first glance and he has experience of the league.

His experience as a player, his background and where he’s come from is similar to some of our boys in terms of his early start in his career at lower or non-league clubs. But more than that, his character is huge, and also the quality of the player is a big deal.

“As I say, he played very regularly for Brentford over the years where they’ve been a really good story and I’ve always admired their teams through Thomas Frank and now through Keith Andrews. So that’s part of my thought process in terms of what he’s been exposed to but also he’s a very talented player who comes in at still a good age. “We need some players and sometimes you recruit with an eye to what they’re going to develop into and some players you recruit to come and help us right now because of what they’ve got in terms of attributes and experience, and he certainly fits that bill.”

In terms of his fitness and whether he’s had a full pre-season to ensure he’s ready to play, if selected, against Hull this weekend, Lampard said: “Yeah, he’s ready.”

Meanwhile, Coventry are reportedly closing in on signing Manchester City defender Stephen Mfuni on loan.

According to Sky Sports News, the Sky Blues have renewed their interest in the highly-rated defender who can play at centre-half and left-back, with the two clubs said to be “working towards” a season-long loan move.

Initial reports claimed the clubs had agreed a deal for the 18-year-old but then the Sky Blues’ signing of centre-back Pinnock suggested it was off.

The Coventry Telegraph can confirm the Sky Blues’ renewed interest in the Wigan-born defender with Lampard understood to be keen on strengthening the left-back position where Jay Dasilva is currently first choice with Jake Bidwell as understudy.

Mfuni, who impressed while on loan at Watford last season, has held talks with both Sheffield United and Swansea City.

***

Tigers aim to earn their stripes in CBS visit – Sergej

29 Aug 2026 Coventry Telegraph

By MOLLY HUNTER

SERGEJ Jakirovic expects Hull’s experience against Coventry will serve them well as they continue their early Premier League campaign against Frank Lampard’s side.

The Sky Blues returned to the top flight this term for the first time since the 2000-01 season and though they were beaten 3-0 away to reigning champions Arsenal, they will be in more familiar territory when welcoming Hull to the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Hull, who on Thursday announced the signing of winger Mohamed-ali Cho from Nice, are also newly promoted but hit the ground running with a 2-0 victory over Manchester United last weekend before defeating Stoke on penalties in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.

“I’m expecting a demanding game because it will be their first game at home for 25 years (in the Premier League) in front of a full stadium,” Jakirovic said.

“Of course that will make it difficult, but we have our plan and we will try to take something away.

“They play, I would say, without respect. They were very happy on the ball, they tried to press even Arsenal there but you know Arsenal are an excellent team. “But like I said, they know us, we know them, and I’m expecting a 50-50 game, it will be difficult.”

Last season’s Championship meetings both finished 0-0 and Jakirovic continued: “It’s important that we have significant experience of Coventry, if you consider when we last met we didn’t concede which is excellent news for us because we struggled with that all Championship season – we conceded 66 goals.

“That’s a lot, but we look more stable now. We also want to improve our possession, there is a lot of space to improve it (from 28 per cent against United), and I hope these new signings will have that quality.”

Hull remain active in the transfer window after Cho’s arrival, with a deal for fellow forward Ilyas Ansah from Union Berlin close to completion and discussions regarding former loanees Fabio Carvalho (Brentford) and Toby Collyer (Manchester United), Stoke winger Sorba Thomas and Roma forward Robinio Vaz all ongoing.

***

Nothing to worry about says Jody

29 Aug 2026 - Coventry Telegraph

By KASRA MORADI

FRANK Lampard’s former assistant manager believes Coventry City have reason to remain positive this season, despite an opening-day drubbing at Arsenal.

Lampard guided the Sky Blues to Premier League promotion in emphatic fashion last term, comfortably winning the Championship. But they faced something of a brutal reality check in their first game back in the top flight after a 25-year absence.

Coventry suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of the champions last Friday, managing just a single shot on target and only 35 per cent possession at the Emirates Stadium. The effects of that harsh lesson were compounded by the other two promoted sides, Ipswich and Hull, securing impressive victories over Sunderland and Manchester United, respectively, on the opening Premier League weekend.

But Jody Morris, who was Lampard’s assistant at Derby County and later Chelsea, says there is nothing to be concerned about yet. He thinks Coventry are a stronger side than both the Tigers and the Tractor Boys this season.

After speaking with Lampard after the Arsenal match, Morris believes they can take the positives from the defeat and work on the avoidable mistakes they made going forward.

Morris told Genting Casino: “I think Coventry are a better side than Ipswich and Hull, they will need to hope that another side slips into the relegation places as well and hopefully they can push on.

“Ipswich and Hull had good starts, they weren’t facing the champions. Even speaking to Lamps after the game, I said that the first couple of goals were avoidable mistakes that were punished. There are positives to take despite the 3-0 scoreline.

“They were aggressive in the opening minutes, but Arsenal have strengthened and look even better this year. It is always a difficult task for newcomers to face the champions, but Coventry showed enough to be optimistic in my view.”