Coventry City boss Frank Lampard linked with shock move ahead of Portsmouth contest
Pompey make the trip to Coventry City on Wednesday evening.
The Blues are back on the road again in midweek as they travel to the CBS Arena bidding to overturn Saturday’s disappointing 2-1 defeat to Millwall.
However, John Mousinho’s men have a difficult task ahead of them, with the Sky Blues battling it out for a play-off position along with West Brom, Bristol City and Middlesbrough.
Coventry will already be without Frank Lampard for the midweek match after he was handed a one-game touchline ban following his sending off after the full-time whistle against Burnley on the weekend.
However, fresh reports have linked the head coach with a new suitor ahead of Pompey’s visit. TalkSPORT have revealed that the former Chelsea and Derby Country boss is being monitored by Southampton for their vacant managerial role.
Lampard is believed to be one of the top targets for the job, with the Saints hierarchy having been impressed with the 46-year-old’s work at the CBS Arena following his appointment in November.
Among those also tipped for the vacancy is Sheffield Wednesday’s Danny Rohl, Strasbourg and former Hull City boss Liam Rosenior as well as ex-Huddersfield and Norwich City man David Wagner.
It comes a day after Ivan Juric left St Mary’s after the Saints’ relegation from the Premier League was confirmed. Pompey’s bitter south coast rivals fell to a 3-1 defeat to Spurs, which sealed their imminent return to the Championship.
Juric was chosen as Russell Martin’s successor in December but only managed to pick up one win and one draw during his 14-game tenure on the south coast.
Now, the Saints are preparing for life back in the Championship and have sounded out Lampard, among others, as a potential candidate for the job.
Pompey to make trip to Coventry on Wednesday
The Sky Blues boss will no doubt have all eyes on Wednesday’s contest against Pompey as they bid to reignite their play-off push.
Coventry currently sit three points behind Bristol City in sixth after successive defeats to Sheffield United and Burnley has seen them drop out of the top six in recent weeks.
Lampard has done an outstanding job in turning the CBS Arena outfit into promotion hopefuls after a disappointing start to the season.
Mark Robins’ near eight-year tenure with the club came to an end in November after a frustrating opening four months of the campaign left them in 17th. However, Lampard was able to turn the Sky Blues’ fortunes around following his appointment later that month.
This saw Coventry climb up the Championship standings and propelled themselves into play-off candidates and are on an impressive run of 10 wins in their past 14 games.
Meanwhile, Pompey go into the midweek game off the back of a 2-1 defeat to Millwall. The Blues will be bidding to overcome their awful record away from Fratton Park, having only achieved maximum points on two occasions on their travels this term.
The battle for survival is also hotting up, with Mousinho’s troops sitting four points above the bottom three going into the final six games of the campaign.