📂 Categoría: Championship,EFL,Football,The Sports Breakfast | 📅 Fecha: 1777592836
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Frank Lampard sent a rallying call over text to his Coventry City players after their disappointing end to last season.
The Sky Blues romped to the Championship title this season in scenes in total contrast to last term when were knocked out of the Championship play-offs in dramatic fashion a year ago.
Dan Ballard’s 122nd minute winner sealed a 3-2 aggregate victory for Sunderland in the semi-finals.
However, Lampard was keen to avoid a drop in confidence within his squad following the heart-breaking defeat.
He has now revealed the text message he sent to the players in a bid to keep their focus on promotion.
Speaking to talkSPORT Breakfast on Thursday, the Coventry boss explained: “I saw their faces at Sunderland, it was a really difficult night because of the nature of the last-minute (goal), their faces were devastated after the game.
“Not many have played in the Premier League, they were desperate to get there. We all went back to the training ground, we all left at 3am, it was a bit surreal, it was, ‘Ah, we’re not going to see each other for a while’.
“So, I think I probably leant on my experience of being a player. I’m very fortunate at Chelsea, we had this successful team that every year if we came second or didn’t win cups, or whatever, I would sit in the dressing room with myself and John (Terry), and Ashley (Cole), and the group, and we’d be like, ‘What’s next? That’s not good enough, we want more’.
“So, I’ve naturally got that instinct of getting straight onto the next thing, so I sent the boys a little message in the group (chat) a day or so after, I was like, ‘Lads, you’ve been brilliant. Bring your runners because we need pre-season to be… we need to be a physical machine, and take steps forward’.
“That was my feeling. With the players, we’ve got such a good group here. I knew we needed to keep the group together, but I didn’t feel the need to ring up Matt Grimes or ring up Bobby Thomas, or (Jack) Rudoni.
“I knew that they would hurt a bit and go away, and I knew that they would be together, and I knew that there’s a good part of this dressing room that leads itself.”
A year on, Coventry have guaranteed their Premier League return after a 25-year absence.
Having clinched promotion with three matches remaining, the Sky Blues have since wrapped up the title.
Coventry celebrations
Reflecting on the achievement of promotion, Lampard added: “I think, to go back over, we came in at the end of November last season and I thought we had a great run in the second half of last season.
“Working with good lads, good players, went away for the summer having lost the play-off semi-final in those sort of circumstances in not easy.
“But when came back with a determination to try and go well. Did we expect to go and win the league in this manner? If I’m, honest, I would say no.
“But that’s probably testament to the work that we’ve done, what the players have done on the pitch. To be able to relax in these last couple of games.
“It’s been a great thing, you don’t always get that, when you can sit back and have probably about three celebrations already, in terms of the games we’ve played at the backend.
“So, really, really delighted, it’s a massive thing for this football club because of the story of 25 years out of the top tier, we’re absolutely delighted, of course.”
Emotional moment
Lampard also admitted he struggled to contain himself after Coventry clinched promotion against Blackburn Rovers.
Reflecting on the emotions of the moment, he said: “I’m definitely human and I have my moments when my lip wobbles and I feel things, then I know that I can go. I just about managed to hold it together I think.
“I think probably a couple of things, there’s so many parts to this. The responsibility of being a manager, from being a player, there’s so many more things to it.
“So, certainly the fans, I just said that about the fans, the outpouring at Blackburn caught me a little bit in the moment.
“Also, probably, on a personal level, to do the work and to do with the staff, and specifically Joe (Edwards) and Chris (Jones) that came with me, but the staff that worked here already.
“To know what goes on behind the scenes and the work that everybody’s put in, it felt like a real achievement on a personal level, if I’m honest.
“But also, I got caught by the fans’ outpouring, and actually just the realisation that we’ve done it because as I say, earlier in the season, we were probably looking at, ‘Can we make the play-offs again this year? This league feels like it’s getting rough with the parachute teams, the teams that came up, the Wrexhams and the Birminghams’.
“You see that, I think, in how the points have been distributed this year in the league. Hopefully we’re going to get to 95 points but last year, there were two teams with 100 points.
“It’s hard to do, it’s hard to keep consistency, and this team’s managed to do that, and play in a style that I’m really proud of. So yeah, that probably just all came out in one moment on the pitch at Blackburn.”
Key man
Lampard has hailed midfielder Rudoni as a key part of Coventry’s success this season, as he continued: “I love all the players, but Rudi does have a certain x-factor for us as a player.
“I liked the look of him when I came into the job, he had been moved around in different positions and I think that wasn’t clear at that point.
“I always felt he would be a number ten for us or an eight, literally an attacking midfield player. But I could see the ability he had to make the box and the best thing, from working with the best players, is that they just want more.
“He wants to train more, he wants to ask questions and of course, with a player like him who plays in a similar position to me, he’s really engaging with it.
“He’d go, ‘What did you do in that game?’ He’d have watched something somewhere on YouTube, or even when he’s watching other teams, ‘Did you see that goal from Cole Palmer last night?’ So, that part becomes easy because some of those things, when the raw talent’s there, it’s the simple things.
“It’s like, ‘How often are you making the box Rudi? When we’re wide and we have (Ephron) Mason-Clark or (Tatsuhiro) Sakamoto wide, do you need to be out there joining them, or can you be making the box?’
“Some of the goals, when you see the work we talk about and then you see it on his goal he scored against Sheffield United later in the season, he played it wide to Ephron and he just bolted to the box.
“He got in the danger area and then the rest is up to him, he scores a header that game. So, it’s just the small things to work on on the training pitch.
“I’m a big believer in repetition and working, and working so when the game comes, you’re just ready to do it. But at the same time, there’s a little bit of freedom with Rudi.
“He’s played this season with his shoulder, he’s had pain, he needed the operation, so I don’t think we’ve even seen the best of Rudi this season. He’s a highly-talented player, and one you just love working with.”
Frank Lampard sent a rallying call over text to his Coventry City players after their disappointing end to last season.
The Sky Blues romped to the Championship title this season in scenes in total contrast to last term when were knocked out of the Championship play-offs in dramatic fashion a year ago.
Dan Ballard’s 122nd minute winner sealed a 3-2 aggregate victory for Sunderland in the semi-finals.
However, Lampard was keen to avoid a drop in confidence within his squad following the heart-breaking defeat.
He has now revealed the text message he sent to the players in a bid to keep their focus on promotion.
Speaking to talkSPORT Breakfast on Thursday, the Coventry boss explained: “I saw their faces at Sunderland, it was a really difficult night because of the nature of the last-minute (goal), their faces were devastated after the game.
“Not many have played in the Premier League, they were desperate to get there. We all went back to the training ground, we all left at 3am, it was a bit surreal, it was, ‘Ah, we’re not going to see each other for a while’.
“So, I think I probably leant on my experience of being a player. I’m very fortunate at Chelsea, we had this successful team that every year if we came second or didn’t win cups, or whatever, I would sit in the dressing room with myself and John (Terry), and Ashley (Cole), and the group, and we’d be like, ‘What’s next? That’s not good enough, we want more’.
“So, I’ve naturally got that instinct of getting straight onto the next thing, so I sent the boys a little message in the group (chat) a day or so after, I was like, ‘Lads, you’ve been brilliant. Bring your runners because we need pre-season to be… we need to be a physical machine, and take steps forward’.
“That was my feeling. With the players, we’ve got such a good group here. I knew we needed to keep the group together, but I didn’t feel the need to ring up Matt Grimes or ring up Bobby Thomas, or (Jack) Rudoni.
“I knew that they would hurt a bit and go away, and I knew that they would be together, and I knew that there’s a good part of this dressing room that leads itself.”
A year on, Coventry have guaranteed their Premier League return after a 25-year absence.
Having clinched promotion with three matches remaining, the Sky Blues have since wrapped up the title.
Coventry celebrations
Reflecting on the achievement of promotion, Lampard added: “I think, to go back over, we came in at the end of November last season and I thought we had a great run in the second half of last season.
“Working with good lads, good players, went away for the summer having lost the play-off semi-final in those sort of circumstances in not easy.
“But when came back with a determination to try and go well. Did we expect to go and win the league in this manner? If I’m, honest, I would say no.
“But that’s probably testament to the work that we’ve done, what the players have done on the pitch. To be able to relax in these last couple of games.
“It’s been a great thing, you don’t always get that, when you can sit back and have probably about three celebrations already, in terms of the games we’ve played at the backend.
“So, really, really delighted, it’s a massive thing for this football club because of the story of 25 years out of the top tier, we’re absolutely delighted, of course.”
Emotional moment
Lampard also admitted he struggled to contain himself after Coventry clinched promotion against Blackburn Rovers.
Reflecting on the emotions of the moment, he said: “I’m definitely human and I have my moments when my lip wobbles and I feel things, then I know that I can go. I just about managed to hold it together I think.
“I think probably a couple of things, there’s so many parts to this. The responsibility of being a manager, from being a player, there’s so many more things to it.
“So, certainly the fans, I just said that about the fans, the outpouring at Blackburn caught me a little bit in the moment.
“Also, probably, on a personal level, to do the work and to do with the staff, and specifically Joe (Edwards) and Chris (Jones) that came with me, but the staff that worked here already.
“To know what goes on behind the scenes and the work that everybody’s put in, it felt like a real achievement on a personal level, if I’m honest.
“But also, I got caught by the fans’ outpouring, and actually just the realisation that we’ve done it because as I say, earlier in the season, we were probably looking at, ‘Can we make the play-offs again this year? This league feels like it’s getting rough with the parachute teams, the teams that came up, the Wrexhams and the Birminghams’.
“You see that, I think, in how the points have been distributed this year in the league. Hopefully we’re going to get to 95 points but last year, there were two teams with 100 points.
“It’s hard to do, it’s hard to keep consistency, and this team’s managed to do that, and play in a style that I’m really proud of. So yeah, that probably just all came out in one moment on the pitch at Blackburn.”
Key man
Lampard has hailed midfielder Rudoni as a key part of Coventry’s success this season, as he continued: “I love all the players, but Rudi does have a certain x-factor for us as a player.
“I liked the look of him when I came into the job, he had been moved around in different positions and I think that wasn’t clear at that point.
“I always felt he would be a number ten for us or an eight, literally an attacking midfield player. But I could see the ability he had to make the box and the best thing, from working with the best players, is that they just want more.
“He wants to train more, he wants to ask questions and of course, with a player like him who plays in a similar position to me, he’s really engaging with it.
“He’d go, ‘What did you do in that game?’ He’d have watched something somewhere on YouTube, or even when he’s watching other teams, ‘Did you see that goal from Cole Palmer last night?’ So, that part becomes easy because some of those things, when the raw talent’s there, it’s the simple things.
“It’s like, ‘How often are you making the box Rudi? When we’re wide and we have (Ephron) Mason-Clark or (Tatsuhiro) Sakamoto wide, do you need to be out there joining them, or can you be making the box?’
“Some of the goals, when you see the work we talk about and then you see it on his goal he scored against Sheffield United later in the season, he played it wide to Ephron and he just bolted to the box.
“He got in the danger area and then the rest is up to him, he scores a header that game. So, it’s just the small things to work on on the training pitch.
“I’m a big believer in repetition and working, and working so when the game comes, you’re just ready to do it. But at the same time, there’s a little bit of freedom with Rudi.
“He’s played this season with his shoulder, he’s had pain, he needed the operation, so I don’t think we’ve even seen the best of Rudi this season. He’s a highly-talented player, and one you just love working with.”
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📚 Información de la Fuente
| 📰 Publicación: | talksport.com |
| ✍️ Autor: | Ciaran Wiseman |
| 📅 Fecha Original: | 2026-04-30 18:50:00 |
| 🔗 Enlace: | Ver artículo original |
Nota de transparencia: Este artículo ha sido traducido y adaptado del inglés al español para facilitar su comprensión. El contenido se mantiene fiel a la fuente original, disponible en el enlace proporcionado arriba.
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