WE NEED TO BE READY TO FIRE AGAINST GUNNERS
Frank Lampard leads Coventry back into Premier League
action tonight for the first time since 2001
LAMPARD: PREMIER LEAGUE WILL BE A BIG TEST – BUT BRING IT ON
21 Aug 2026 - Coventry Telegraph
FRANK Lampard accepts the reality that promoted Coventry City will face “tougher times” this season – and he is confident the players have the belief and quality to step up to the challenge.
The Sky Blues return to the Premier League after a 25-year absence when they head to champions Arsenal tonight (8.00).
Former Chelsea and Everton manager Lampard says his previous experience in the Premier League puts him in a good position to deal with some testing times that could come his side’s way this season after the dazzling highs of last term’s title success
“We will go through tougher times this year for sure because of the competition we’re up against now so we’ll need resilience in moments calmness in moments,” said Lampard.
“An important part of my role is to have that balance and through having a long playing career through having a managerial career where I’ve had some really great moments and some difficult moments.
“But as a club we will need to stick together in those moments but I don’t want to sound like I’m being too negative before something’s happened. It’s just a reality that we need to be ready for.”
Coventry have brought in seven new signings so far, and Lampard knew his side needed to be strengthened.
He added: “We are stepping up a big level now and need competition both in training and game time. The rigours of the Premier League mean we’ve had to add players in different areas.”
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‘I want Gus to be our perfect 10’
21 Aug 2026 Coventry Telegraph
By BRIAN DICK
FRANK Lampard insists the decision to bring Gustavo Hamer back to Coventry City is more than a romantic move.
The midfielder returned to the CBS Arena last week, three years after signing for Sheffield United. He made his return in last week’s pre-season win over AS Monaco, in a carnival atmosphere that saw him serenaded before he even set foot on the pitch.
The 29-year-old will hope to make his competitive debut in the Premier League in Sky Blue in tonight’s curtainraiser at Arsenal and Lampard insists he won’t be selected on popularity grounds alone.
“He’s a good player, there’s a sentimental thing, that’s great because it’s nice that the crowd feel the way they do and they should do,” the manager said.
“I know the impact he had here. I obviously wasn’t around then but my feeling was going against him in the Championship for 18 months, that he was a stand-out player that every time we played them he gave you a problem because he can find forward passes really quickly, he can finish.
“He’s got a certain personality and character about him on the football pitch that I really like and over the course of this season we need a squad.
“We’ve wanted to improve the squad and some players give you something a bit different, in terms of finding that killer pass and also accepting the pressure of the Premier League, he’s been there, he’s that type of player. A lot of our players haven’t been there.
“So for me it was just purely on footballing reasons, and then the fans’ relationship with him is just a little cherry on top, but footballing reasons, he’s a fantastic player and he’s hungry to be here.”
During his first spell at City, Brazilian-born, Dutch star Hamer was very much the fulcrum of Mark Robins’ team, making 132 appearances and helping the club stabilise following promotion to the Championship.
He also played centrally with the Blades but Chris Wilder tended to use him off the left. Lampard looks set to reinstall him back into the middle – indeed that’s exactly what he did against Monaco when Hamer replaced Caleb Yirenkyi and City changed from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1.
“I think he can play various positions for us as well,” Lampard said. “I see him in the No. 10 role being very effective because it gives him that freedom to get between lines, but I’ve seen him play for Sheffield United off the left.
“It would depend how we’re setting up and the structure of our team. I think he can play in various attacking positions for us. Every player for us has to show a work ethic and an intensity off the ball, and I think he has that naturally, and I think when he comes into the team, especially when he looks at his team-mates in the first half [vs Monaco], he’ll see that’s a necessity.
“But then he has a quality that’s different, so we’ll find the right position to hopefully make him most dangerous.”
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