Harry Redknapp has given his thoughts on the job his nephew is doing in the Midlands – but he admits he is scared to go and show him any support
Harry Redknapp admits he ‘kicks every ball’ for Frank Lampard but confesses he’s too frightened to attend Coventry City matches in person for fear of jinxing their impressive streak.
The Sky Blues remain the sole unbeaten side across England’s top four divisions, with Lampard having assembled a goal-hungry outfit that currently leads the Championship table.
Redknapp, who serves as Lampard’s uncle and former boss during his development at West Ham United, is convinced his nephew possesses Premier League managerial credentials and expresses hope he’ll secure promotion with his present club.
In an exclusive chat with CoventryLive, the 78-year-old revealed he’s become somewhat of a Sky Blues supporter.
“Oh, first result [I look for], I watch every game,” Redknapp reveals.
“I’ve been scared to come because I’m scared if I come and they get beat….I’m not coming while they’re winning every game.
“I’m ready to go, but I hope it’s a long time before I can go because that means they keep winning. But now I follow every game on TV. I kick every ball for him. I want to see him do well; he deserves it.
“They’ve had a great start. He had a great year last year, getting to the playoffs, very unlucky not to get to the final.
“They were the better team against Sunderland, that last kick of the game robbed them of the chance when they were certainly looking the more likely.
“He’s carried it on this year without going into the transfer market and bringing lots of players in, he’s sort of got the same lads and he’s getting the best out of them. So far he’s done a great job.
“It’s a tough division. I’m not sitting here saying they’re going to win it or anything because it really is a tough league.
“But they’re certainly at the moment, going well.
“Listen, it doesn’t surprise me, he knows what he’s doing. He’s a very clever guy”.
“He was the best professional I’ve ever seen in all my time in football. I’ve never seen anybody who came anywhere near him in terms of training and attitude.
“He was out on that training ground at 4 o’clock in the afternoon when everybody had gone home three hours.
“On his own practising, practising, practising, running every single day. It’s just unreal really, what he what he was like.”
Redknapp sees those traits in Lampard the manager, adding: “He works because he wants to, he doesn’t work because he needs to, that’s for sure.
“He goes to work and because he loves it and he wants to be, like he did with his playing days, a success as a manager.
“Believe you me, he could be playing golf every day or sitting on the beach every day, he can afford it.
“But it’s not what he wants, he puts himself back in the firing line every time and just wants to be a successful manager.
“He’s so driven and his attitude is incredible, like he did with his football, you’d be surprised if he didn’t succeed in the long term.”
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As matters currently stand, ‘succeed’ would mean City returning to the Premier League for the first time since 2001 – they top the Championship by a single point ahead of Middlesbrough and, having played nine matches, sit three points clear of third place.
Redknapp reckons Lampard can deliver that success at the CBS Arena.
“Yeah. I just think, you know what it’s like, you need players. He’s got some good players and he’s getting the best out of them for sure.
“But you know, it’s standards isn’t it? Your team comes up, Burnley come up, then suddenly it’s a different level.
“You get into the Premier, so it depends where you go and what job you take. You take the wrong job as a manager, it’s very, very difficult.
“He was unlucky at Chelsea, he went back into Chelsea, they had a transfer embargo on, couldn’t bring any players in so he had to play the kids.
“He did that but it was difficult to get instant success. That’s how it is.
“We all remember Coventry as a great club under Jimmy Hill in my day, going through the divisions, all those great teams that Jimmy built, so hopefully bringing the glory days back to Coventry again.
“It would be lovely if Frank could get them back in the Premier for sure.”
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