Simon Jordan: Why Frank Lampard to Coventry isn’t the same as Wayne Rooney at Birmingham
Comparisons between Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney will come thick and fast if the former takes over at Coventry City. But according to talkSPORT’s Simon Jordan, they would be rather unfair on the Chelsea legend. Lampard is a leading contender to replace Mark Robins at Coventry CityGetty talkSPORT understands Lampard is a leading contender to replace Mark Robins, who was controversially sacked by Coventry last Thursday. Robins, who was the third-longest serving manager in English football at the time of his axing, had led Coventry to a play-off final and an FA Cup semi-final in his last two seasons. However, Coventry owner Doug King felt a change in the dugout was needed after a 2-1 loss to Derby last week left the club 17th in the Championship. Should Lampard succeed Robins, many will be quick to point out the similarities between that appointment and Wayne Rooney at Birmingham City. Rooney took over the Blues in October last year after the popular John Eustace was sacked despite the club sitting in fifth. However, Rooney won just two games from 15 and was sacked less than three months into his three-and-a-half-year contract as Birmingham were eventually relegated to League One. Yet Jordan pointed out why Lampard’s previous spell at Derby County should serve as enough evidence to prove the comparisons wrong. “I always thought that because of the nature of intellect that lurks behind Frank, that he would be a good manager,” Jordan told talkSPORT. “He’s still yet to prove that. He’s got more credentials in terms of the comparison that you want to make than Wayne [Rooney] has got. Ironically at the same club, because Wayne’s predominant credentials were Derby. “I don’t think DC United gave him any credentials. So coming to Plymouth on the back of another one that seemed to suggest previous records don’t make any difference… didn’t make a lot of sense. Rooney’s time in charge at Birmingham City did not go to planRex “I don’t think you can put Frank Lampard in quite the same bracket because I think he did have a decent time at Derby, he got them to the play-offs.” It is worth noting the vastly different financial states Derby was in during Lampard and Rooney’s respective tenures at Pride Park. Lampard was able to bring in future internationals Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori and Harry Wilson in on loan. As for Rooney, Derby were deducted a staggering 21 points throughout the 2021/22 season as the club entered administration and were ultimately relegated to League One. Had the deduction not been a factor, Derby would have finished 17th in the table and 18 points clear of relegation. Even though Rooney and Lampard had vastly different spells at Pride Park, Jordan wanted Coventry owner King to be wary of how his team will be known should he appoint the Chelsea great. Jordan, who owned Crystal Palace for a decade, also questioned if King had expected too much from Robins given how well the club had performed since he took ownership of Coventry in January 2023. “He’s [King] coming to a club that’s been quite successful under his period of time,” Jordan said. Lampard is angling for a return to management “Sisu ran them for years, weren’t successful. He goes into the playoffs in his first season, goes to an FA Cup semi-final in his second season. Maybe he had this idea that everything is a straight line in terms of success, I don’t know. “Anybody that puts their hand in their pocket to own a football club, I have to have a degree of admiration for them because I know what that feels like. But I do look at this decision and I do think it’s a strange one. “Now, if Lampard interviews well and can convince… I mean, Frank Lampard is going to get you attention. But he’s going to get you attention because it’s Frank Lampard, not because it’s Coventry City. “As an owner, I want the attention to be on the football club for the right reasons rather than everyone being interested in just simply Frank Lampard or Wayne Rooney because of what they’ve done on the field previously. “So I’m not sure about this.”
Comparisons between Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney will come thick and fast if the former takes over at Coventry City.
But according to talkSPORT’s Simon Jordan, they would be rather unfair on the Chelsea legend.
talkSPORT understands Lampard is a leading contender to replace Mark Robins, who was controversially sacked by Coventry last Thursday.
Robins, who was the third-longest serving manager in English football at the time of his axing, had led Coventry to a play-off final and an FA Cup semi-final in his last two seasons.
However, Coventry owner Doug King felt a change in the dugout was needed after a 2-1 loss to Derby last week left the club 17th in the Championship.
Should Lampard succeed Robins, many will be quick to point out the similarities between that appointment and Wayne Rooney at Birmingham City.
Rooney took over the Blues in October last year after the popular John Eustace was sacked despite the club sitting in fifth.
However, Rooney won just two games from 15 and was sacked less than three months into his three-and-a-half-year contract as Birmingham were eventually relegated to League One.
Yet Jordan pointed out why Lampard’s previous spell at Derby County should serve as enough evidence to prove the comparisons wrong.
“I always thought that because of the nature of intellect that lurks behind Frank, that he would be a good manager,” Jordan told talkSPORT.
“He’s still yet to prove that. He’s got more credentials in terms of the comparison that you want to make than Wayne [Rooney] has got. Ironically at the same club, because Wayne’s predominant credentials were Derby.
“I don’t think DC United gave him any credentials. So coming to Plymouth on the back of another one that seemed to suggest previous records don’t make any difference… didn’t make a lot of sense.
“I don’t think you can put Frank Lampard in quite the same bracket because I think he did have a decent time at Derby, he got them to the play-offs.”
It is worth noting the vastly different financial states Derby was in during Lampard and Rooney’s respective tenures at Pride Park.
Lampard was able to bring in future internationals Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori and Harry Wilson in on loan.
As for Rooney, Derby were deducted a staggering 21 points throughout the 2021/22 season as the club entered administration and were ultimately relegated to League One.
Had the deduction not been a factor, Derby would have finished 17th in the table and 18 points clear of relegation.
Even though Rooney and Lampard had vastly different spells at Pride Park, Jordan wanted Coventry owner King to be wary of how his team will be known should he appoint the Chelsea great.
Jordan, who owned Crystal Palace for a decade, also questioned if King had expected too much from Robins given how well the club had performed since he took ownership of Coventry in January 2023.
“He’s [King] coming to a club that’s been quite successful under his period of time,” Jordan said.
“Sisu ran them for years, weren’t successful. He goes into the playoffs in his first season, goes to an FA Cup semi-final in his second season. Maybe he had this idea that everything is a straight line in terms of success, I don’t know.
“Anybody that puts their hand in their pocket to own a football club, I have to have a degree of admiration for them because I know what that feels like. But I do look at this decision and I do think it’s a strange one.
“Now, if Lampard interviews well and can convince… I mean, Frank Lampard is going to get you attention. But he’s going to get you attention because it’s Frank Lampard, not because it’s Coventry City.
“As an owner, I want the attention to be on the football club for the right reasons rather than everyone being interested in just simply Frank Lampard or Wayne Rooney because of what they’ve done on the field previously.
“So I’m not sure about this.”
