Frank Lampard is eight years into a managerial career that has taken in Derby County, Chelsea, Everton and now Coventry City — and he is only just beginning to make sense of what kind of boss he actually is. Speaking ahead of Saturday's edition of The Football Interview on BBC One, the 46-year-old was refreshingly candid about where his management philosophy comes from and what the Premier League return means to a club that has waited 25 years for it.

Two sides of the coin

Lampard worked under some of the most decorated managers in the game during his playing days — Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Guus Hiddink and Rafael Benitez at club level, plus his uncle Harry Redknapp on the international stage. But it is Mourinho and Ancelotti, both encountered during his time at Chelsea, who have left the deepest mark on the way he operates.

"Jose and Carlo are like both sides of the coin," Lampard told BBC Sport. "Jose was very on you, he transmitted his self-confidence, but if you stepped out of line or did something wrong, you'd feel the strength of him, whereas Carlo was chilled and calm. When you look back, you go, 'that's a nice environment to work in'. It felt like he trusted you. So I try and take little snippets. I'm probably somewhere in the middle."

It is a more nuanced self-assessment than many managers would offer. Lampard acknowledges he can veer towards either end of the spectrum depending on what a situation demands — harder on a group that is not performing on the pitch, more understanding with an individual who walks in late without explanation.

"Sometimes a lad comes in late, you don't know the back story," he said. "Trying to jump on him and being this hard man manager — you've got to be more Carlo. But then if you're a bit more relaxed sometimes and people are on the pitch not doing their job, sometimes you've got a bit more Jose."

Coventry and the doubters

The appointment at Coventry in November 2024 came after two bruising Premier League stints — sacked at Chelsea in January 2021 after 18 months, then dismissed at Everton less than a year into the job in January 2023. There were plenty who felt his time in management had run its course. The Championship title last season, secured with 95 points and 11 clear of second-placed Ipswich, was a pointed response.

Yet Lampard is wary of letting the desire to silence critics become his primary motivation. "You've got to be careful trying to prove every doubter wrong, because it's not possible," he said. "My personal ambition to prove any doubters wrong is sort of always there, but I try not to let that be my driver."

The promotion itself, sealed with a win over Blackburn Rovers, sits alongside some of the biggest moments of a playing career that includes three Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the Champions League triumph in Munich in 2012. That night in Bavaria remains the standout memory as a player, but Lampard is not shy about ranking what he achieved in the dugout at Coventry alongside it in terms of raw emotion.

"When you do something with a club that's been through what it's been through, when you work with a group of lads that are so great as a dressing room — I've never experienced, especially as a coach, to have such a good group," he said. "When we got promoted against Blackburn, I had a rush of pure emotion."

Eyes on the top flight

Coventry are back in the Premier League for the first time since 2001 and Lampard is under no illusions about the scale of the challenge. He understands the division from both sides of the technical area, and that experience cuts both ways — it breeds respect for how hard the top flight is, but it also brings a clarity of purpose.

"I've been in the Premier League as a player, I've been as a manager, I understand the challenge of it," he said. "I can't get ahead of myself and I can't worry too much about the outside world because otherwise you succumb to it, you'd be making different decisions."

The noises out of Coventry suggest a manager settled, focused and determined to show the Premier League a more complete version of Frank Lampard the coach. Whether that means a touch more Mourinho or a touch more Ancelotti on any given Saturday, only he will know.

The Football Interview featuring Frank Lampard and Tom Grennan is available on BBC One at 12:45 on Saturday, 30 August, and on BBC iPlayer.

Frequently asked

Has Frank Lampard managed in the Premier League before?
Yes. Lampard had two Premier League management spells — at Chelsea from 2019 to January 2021, and at Everton from early 2022 to January 2023. He was sacked on both occasions before taking the Coventry City job in November 2024.
How did Coventry City win promotion to the Premier League?
Coventry won the Championship in the 2024-25 season under Lampard, finishing on 95 points — 11 clear of second-placed Ipswich. They sealed the title with a victory over Blackburn Rovers.
When was Coventry City last in the Premier League?
Coventry were last in the Premier League in the 2000-01 season, meaning their return under Lampard ends a 25-year absence from the top flight.