Graeme Souness could afford to feel a little vindicated as Rangers finally parted with Philippe Clement in the aftermath of that 2-0 home defeat to St Mirren a fortnight ago.
While the Rangers legend had no real problem with the appointment of the former Monaco, Genk and Club Brugge boss in 2023, it is no secret that he was advocating for another manager to take Mick Beale’s place.
Graeme Souness was a keen advocate of Rangers hiring Frank Lampard. Not only did he argue that a man who had been sacked by Everton earlier in the year had ‘a great deal to offer’, Souness also claimed that the Chelsea legend ‘fancied’ following in his former England teammate Steven Gerrard’s footsteps at Ibrox.
Seventeen months later, while Clement’s position became untenable in Glasgow, Frank Lampard is rebuilding a reputation which had threatened to slip into the managerial gutter.
Frank Lampard ‘ship has sailed’ for Rangers amid manager search
While one of the finest and most decorated footballers of his generation, the Champions League winner had no qualms about dropping into England’s second tier with a then-relegation-threatened Coventry City outfit in an attempt to kick-start his coaching career.
With 11 wins in 20 matches – taking Coventry from near the bottom to the play-offs and the vertigo-inducing heights of fifth in just three-and-a-half months – things are suddenly looking up again both both Lampard and his sky-high Sky Blues.
And with Rangers once again in the market for a new head coach, Lampard’s name has returned to the gossip columns north of the border.
But former Scotland international James McFadden cannot shake the feeling that Rangers have missed the proverbial boat. Even if Coventry fall short in their promotion push, he argues, there is a decent chance that Lampard will have Premier League club’s pursuing his signature in the relatively near future.
“I don’t think they would get Lampard,” McFadden argues. “They’re in the play-offs. I still don’t think you get him [even if Coventry don’t get promoted] That ship has sailed. I know its different owners but, for Lampard, that ship has sailed
“He has shown how well [he can do in management]. I think he’s been harshly judged.”
Lampard tipped for Premier League return after Coventry City successs
Lampard’s post-playing career has always been a little difficult to make sense of.
His Derby County side narrowly lost out to Aston Villa in the Championship play-off final before Lampard returned to Chelsea and helped lay the foundations for the most unexpected of Champions League triumphs under Thomas Tuchel.
He then saved Everton from relegation but lasted only until the mid-point of the following season. A caretaker spell back at Stamford Bridge, meanwhile, could hardly have gone much worse.
From bright young thing to alleged also-ran while still in his 40s. As the aforementioned Gerrard will tell you, the narrative can change pretty quickly in football management.
Yet, McFadden was always willing to give Lampard the benefit of the doubt, with his staggering impact at Coventry backing up what Souness saw in the two-time England Player of the Year.
Former Celtic midfielder Paul Slane fears the prospect of Frank Lampard at Rangers, meanwhile, far more than he does a Gerrard return to Ibrox.
“The Chelsea one, there was a transfer embargo, playing all the young players. He got them into the top four and he brought through Reece James, Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori, Tammy Abraham…” McFadden recalls.
“The Everton job, it was always going to be tough because the club has been in a mess. He got Derby to the play offs.
“Probably, you wouldn’t be clamouring for Lampard before he did well at Coventry. But I just think now he has done well, as much as people don’t want to admit it, people want to work in the Premier League.
“He’s close to either taking Coventry up or showing [clubs in the top-flight] he is a good manager.”
