LAMPS REVELS IN SKY BLUES ROLE

'Give me a chance' urges the new boss

-  Chris Dunlavy

FRANK Lampard spent much of his first media briefing as Coventry City boss sidestepping questions about what's expected of him this season.

"Nothing yet, you'll have to ask him," smiled the former Chelsea and England midfielder, gesturing towards his companion on the dais. Doug King, Coventry's owner and the man to whom Lampard owes his employment, kept schtum.

Later, he was asked directly if a ten-point gap to the play-offs could be bridged before the end of the campaign.

"I don't want to go anywhere near that," said Lampard, this time more sternly. "We take things step by step and we can't get too far ahead of ourselves. But you can build momentum very quickly."

Chances are, he'll need to. Theoretically, Lampard has insulated himself against a knee-jerk dismissal by signing a two-and-a-half-year contract that makes him the most highly-paid manager or head coach in the Championship.

Outstanding