According to Metro - Main, Nicky Butt described Frank Lampard as a strong candidate for Chelsea, suggesting that if Lampard secures promotion with Coventry City, a return to Stamford Bridge would not be a foolish move. Lampard looks set to take Coventry City back into the Premier League, with the team nine points clear at the top of the Championship with seven games remaining and having lost just seven games in the league under his management. Butt argued that Lampard, who had a transfer embargo during his first Chelsea tenure, has gained more experience and would be a different manager now, better equipped to work with top players.
Frank Lampard was appointed as Chelsea manager in 2019, guiding the club to a fourth-place finish in the Premier League and into the FA Cup final in his first season, though they lost the final to Arsenal. In his second season, Chelsea topped their Champions League group and climbed to the top of the Premier League in early December, but then won just two of their next eight games to slip to ninth. After a disappointing spell at Everton, Lampard returned to Chelsea as caretaker manager during the 2022-23 season following Graham Potter's sacking, winning just one of his 11 matches and taking the team into the bottom half of the Premier League.
Do you think if Frank Lampard gets promotion with Coventry they could go back in for Frank? He got the job too early the first time I think and he had the transfer embargo so he had to use a lot of young players. It wouldn’t be a stupid thing to go and get Frank Lampard back in charge of Chelsea for me. He’s done a great job at Coventry. He’s got a bit more experience now and he probably made a few mistakes the first time around. People need to understand that transfer embargo means you have to rely on loads of young players, that must have been difficult for him. He would be a totally different manager now. I think Lampard would find it easier working with better players, it would be easier for him to get his messages across to more
Currently, Chelsea are struggling under manager Liam Rosenior, who was appointed in January following Enzo Maresca's departure. A large section of Chelsea supporters are already losing faith in Rosenior after the team was thrashed 8-2 by PSG in the Champions League and has slipped to sixth in the Premier League, six points outside the top-four places. However, Chelsea are willing to give Rosenior more time to turn things around, leaving it uncertain whether he will remain beyond the current season.
On the Manchester United front, Nicky Butt would support the re-appointment of Jose Mourinho, who managed the club between 2016 and 2018, winning the League Cup and Europa League during his two and a half seasons. Manchester United are searching for a permanent head coach after Ruben Amorim was sacked in January, and it remains unclear whether the hierarchy will seriously consider bringing Mourinho back. According to Daily Mirror - Main, Nicky Butt described Mourinho as a winner who can carry the club, but noted that the powers that be might prefer a manager focused solely on coaching rather than controlling recruitment, with no established manager likely to join without guarantees on budget, time, and control.
I would have him back. He’s a winner and can carry that football club, but the powers that be would never allow it, as they now prefer a manager who focuses solely on coaching rather than controlling recruitment. No established manager will want to come to Manchester United without guarantees on budget, time, and control. The structure right now makes it difficult, and they may prefer someone like Michael Carrick instead.
Interim boss Michael Carrick has enjoyed an impressive spell in temporary charge with just one defeat so far, putting him in a position to take the Manchester United manager role full-time. Under Carrick, Manchester United currently sit third in the Premier League and are edging closer to Champions League football, a competition they have not qualified for in three years. His team needs 16 points from their remaining games to guarantee qualification, although that would depend on their rivals winning all their league fixtures. Whether Carrick will be appointed permanently is still undecided.
Manchester United's hierarchy have yet to decide who will lead the club going into next season, with Paris Saint-Germain's Luis Enrique, Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann, and Crystal Palace's Oliver Glasner among the names linked to the job. The club returns to action on Monday, April 13, with a home fixture against Leeds at 8pm BST, as the managerial speculation continues.