An emotional Frank Lampard said winning promotion to the Premier League as Coventry manager was one of the best achievements of his illustrious career.
Coventry were promoted to the Premier League for the first time in 25 years after Bobby Thomas’ late equalizer earned them a 1-1 draw at Blackburn.
Lampard earned the first promotion of his managerial career. It is an achievement that rivals believe could win the Premier League title and the Champions League as a player.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Sky Bet Championship match highlights between Blackburn Rovers and Coventry City
“I’m proud,” he told Sky Sports. “Every manager talks about the players sometimes, but I’m proud, I’m proud of myself, the staff and the players.
“We went in a van about 15 months ago and we went into a little bit of the unknown like we always do to work.
“We fell in love with the players, how they responded and how the fan base responded.
“So what I’ve been able to achieve is perfect for me. I’ve been lucky enough to be part of a great Chelsea team. Winning the Champions League and winning the league has been incredible. Sometimes you can thank Didier Drogba or John Terry for that.
“To do this now with this club in the circumstances we have been in is (for me) an overachievement. I am not belittling the players there, they have raised their performance through sheer hard work and I am very proud to be that manager.”
Promotion leaves Lampard ’emotional’
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Coventry fans couldn’t believe it when the team played full-time following their promotion to the Premier League.
The former England international almost broke down in tears amid cheers during an interview at Ewood Park.
“It’s really amazing,” he said. “I’ve talked about the fan base before, about what they’ve been through and all the disappointments and they’ve become obsessed with the club and the whole story, and now they have this moment: it’s a serious, serious football club. I didn’t even realize it.
“I knew the history, I knew Coventry growing up, they were a Premier League, First Division team, but I knew this incredible fan base and what it meant to the city and what these players had achieved.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Bobby Thomas equalized against Blackburn Rovers to give Coventry a point and seal their return to the Premier League after 25 years.
“We came in 17th in the league 15 months ago. Mark Robbins has done an incredible job to get them back to where they were, but we’re three games away from automatic promotion to the no-drop team. “The boys there, how they’ve listened and trained and everything they’ve done every day. It’s inspiring because they’re so great to work with and deserve every moment to celebrate and get it done.
“This league is difficult. It’s getting more and more difficult because there are even teams fighting for relegation, teams with players and squads and so on. People think it’s easy. It’s not. It’s harder. And these boys have achieved something very unique, absolutely special and unbelievable. I’m delighted.”
‘Automatic promotion was not planned this season’
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Coventry owner Doug King sprayed champagne during a jubilant dressing room celebration following his promotion.
Coventry last played their best football in 2001 when they were relegated from the Premier League, where they had been a permanent fixture since its inception in 1992.
The Sky Blues’ lowest ebb came when they dropped to League Two in 2017, but they have bounced back and, after losing to Luton in the 2023 play-off final and suffering a heartbreaking semi-final play-off loss to Sunderland last season, stormed the Championship under Lampard this season to secure a return to the Premier League with three games remaining.
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Frank Lampard says his Coventry players deserve a beer after promotion but still want to win the Championship.
The 47-year-old said: “These boys went from 17th to fifth last year and Sunderland beat us and we were unlucky in that semi-final so we had the resilience to come back and push again and do a consistent job.”
“Automatic promotion was not in our plans. We sat down in the summer and talked about how perfect the season could be. Given what we are, what we can do, all things considered, can we make the play-offs? Can we do a home tie for second, which we didn’t do last year, third or fourth? Now these guys have done that and we have three games left.
“I felt it a little bit. Last year there was always stress and panic. We got into the play-offs at the last minute, we had two games left at Everton, Chelsea got into the Champions League in the last game. Fortunately we couldn’t do that this year.”
“We want to go and win, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a really good feeling that the guys have managed to get over the line at this point.”
