Forget. Frank Lampard: The choice of West Ham’s next manager ought to be very clear

Frank Lampard is rumoured to be West Ham’s next manager, but is he truly what they need?

Graham Potter is still one of the favourites to be the first manager fired in the Premier League this season, though it’s unclear if West Ham United’s 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest before the international break was the catalyst for Potter’s reign or just a reprieve.

Forget Frank Lampard: What West Ham need from their next manager is as clear as day | Getty Images

Speculation about his possible successor is one of the unavoidable effects of the pressure on his job. According to a recent report published by publications like Football Insider, the team has even “sounded out” former player Frank Lampard, who is currently in charge of Coventry City.

But would Lampard be a suitable replacement for Potter if he were to lose his position? What does West Ham actually need in order to return to their peak performance?

It wouldn’t be entirely absurd for West Ham to hire Frank Lampard, but it doesn’t mean it’s proper.

There was widespread confusion following Lampard’s appointment as Coventry City’s new manager in November. This was a coach who had appeared completely out of his depth at Everton and Chelsea, after all.

But those who had doubts about the 47-year-old—likely the majority—have been made to regret their statements. Lampard led Coventry from the verge of relegation to the Championship play-offs, and only a late goal from Sunderland in the semi-finals denied him the opportunity to manage at Wembley for the third time.

Coventry also seemed to have kept up their pace. They have scored 12 goals in their previous two games, are undefeated, and are currently seventh in the second division after four games of the new season. Once again, Lampard’s stock is beginning to rise.

It seems as though Lampard has begun to figure out how to instill in the people he currently trains the qualities that made him such a successful player. Steve Ogrizovic and Stuart Pearce, two former Coventry players, have commended the professional approach he has established in his club, and there is undoubtedly a familiar feel to his buccaneering and extremely productive midfield.

Admittedly, Lampard has never struck me as a very profound tactical thinker, and this may be the reason he has had success in the Championship with younger, less illustrious teams before finding it difficult to deal with the inflated egos of the top division. It’s unclear whether his management approach meshes well with well-known celebrities.

Or maybe he has discovered some ways to become a more successful manager, and we are now witnessing the results of his own efforts to better himself. Lampard has always been nothing more than a self-destructive grafter, and it may be yielding somewhat delayed benefits.

West Ham would still be taking a significant risk by hiring Lampard, even though there is more evidence that he may be a better manager than previously thought, and his connection to the team from his playing days would not garner him any support from the supporters. It’s unclear if the Hammers’ board is giving it any real thought.

What West Ham’s next manager should actually do

The fact that Lampard has significantly improved his Coventry team but has not yet figured out how to create a disciplined defensive is one of the main arguments against him becoming the next West Ham coach.

As a recent 5-3 victory over Derby County excellently shown, he has built a club with Coventry that is strong offensively but still a little unsteady defensively. Despite making it to the playoffs the previous season, they still gave up more goals than every other side in the top half of the Championship table except for one.

He would be leading West Ham, a team that is severely lacking in defensive strength and stability (they gave up 62 goals last season, more than all but five teams in the top flight, and have the worst defensive record of the early Premier League campaign this time around). The Hammers are also lacking in attacking flair and skill going forward, as the sale of Mohammed Kudus left them wildly dependent on Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paquetá for goals.

Lampard is probably not what West Ham needs, but rather a coach who can find ways to score goals with little money and get a defence in shape. To be honest, they most likely require David Moyes, at least until they can enhance their performance in the transfer market. That bridge has been completely destroyed by fire.

Even though Edin Terzic’s accomplishment of leading Borussia Dortmund to the Champions League final covered many flaws, one might still argue for him. Domenico Tedesco, the former head coach of Belgium, would be a good fit because of his methodical approach. Is it even OK to bring up Sean Dyche?

However, it’s possible that West Ham should examine their recruitment shortcomings, which have resulted in an unbalanced team that lacks the offensive rigour to win anyhow and lacks inventiveness and threat in the final third. Although he may be operating with one hand tied behind his back, Potter has not persuaded them as their coach.

Potter has always taken his time to get things going, whatever. That was undoubtedly the case at Brighton & Hove Albion, and although his slowness in establishing his style of play is unquestionably a drawback, he has typically been successful when given the necessary time.

Potter’s name has a lot of drawbacks listed in the cons column. There is a perception that his possession-based approach isn’t as successful as it was during the organised high press era, and his teams have typically struggled to score as many goals as they ought to. However, it only makes sense to give him as much time as possible; otherwise, there would have been no reason to appoint him at all. It would undoubtedly be a very dangerous move to jump ship to a wildcard like Lampard in the dark.