Coventry City boss Frank Lampard gets emotional as a routine interview takes a wholesome heartwarming turn upon reflection.
Speaking this week to talkSPORT’s Anil Kandola ahead of the Stoke game, Frank Lampard discusses Coventry’s community work and its strong start to the season, touching on the importance of football’s role beyond the pitch, including supporting mental health, equality, education, and local charities and praises the often unseen efforts by clubs and players.
Lampard reflects on the fulfilling impact of community engagement, especially during a lively event (audible in the background), which reminds him and his players that the job is about more than winning matches.
On the field, Coventry are performing well, sitting top of the league heading into a crucial 1st v 2nd clash against Stoke on Saturday.
Lampard acknowledges a rare defeat to Wrexham but highlights the team’s resilient response as a mark of character.
The interview turns emotional when the interviewer, the Coventry native interviewer thanks Lampard for reigniting passion in the city, speaking of the buzz in pubs and among fans, something unprecedented even under beloved former manager Mark Robins.
Lampard admits he’s often too focused on results to notice this wider impact, but says the personal praise means a lot and motivates him to keep pushing.
An absolute honour to sit down with the legend that is Frank Lampard at the home of @Coventry_City as part of the @efl‘s Week of Action campaign! ⚽️🩵
📺➡️ FULL interview of the @talkSPORT exclusive here- https://t.co/gWpWllILfk pic.twitter.com/BlxCPfzd0j
— Anil Kandola (@AnilKandola) November 7, 2025
Interviewer: “Frank, thank you so much for talking to talkSPORT. We’ll start with not just today’s event, but also the week in general. It’s really important to raise awareness in the way that we have today, isn’t it?
Lampard: Yeah, of course. I think it’s a lot of football clubs or the league, the EFL themselves, the football clubs, they do a lot of great work behind the scenes. I’m fully aware of that because I’ve been doing this job a long time.
“It’s a responsibility that goes beyond the pitch for clubs to try and help out in their communities, in so many different areas, charities and how they can help with equal opportunity, mental health, all these things, many, many things, I think education and actually getting people playing sport and keeping healthy.
“I think a lot of those things happen. It’s good that we have awareness and maybe strive to become a little bit better at it. But I know a lot of people do a lot of good work, so I think it’s quite good to showcase that as well.”
Interviewer: “Yeah, for sure. It must feel so fulfilling, not just, of course, what’s going on just behind you on that pitch, but also to have such an influence in a positive way around with the community as well.”
Lampard: “Yeah, it’s something that I’ve been used to for a long time now, understanding the difference that football can make, even as a player growing up and even now looking at the players.
“They’re very well versed in getting involved in these things and not only getting the good feeling that they get, I think they learn a lot from doing this work, but obviously the impact, most importantly, of what you can have.
“So those things are going on a lot. Football is such a powerful thing that it can really help create things far beyond the pitch. I think we see that as the game grows even more.
“But you also shouldn’t forget your local community and the effect that you can have around our local community.
“To be honest, every club I’ve worked with, whether as a player or manager, I’ve seen that in full effect and it’s a great part of the football game that maybe is slightly an untold story, but today not so much.”
Interviewer: “Well, there you go. And you can also obviously hear it in the background as well. Just to see this moment, to see so many people come together, it must feel really special, especially in the position you’re in.”
Lampard: “Yeah, it does. Not great timing for us with the noise on it, but it is great. Maybe that gives it the effect of what it is today.
“It’s a very positive thing to come together and see this and the positive effect that people are having. It is great.
“Our job is very, especially as a manager, as a player, let’s say stressful. There are a lot of challenges in the job all the time.
“And it’s always about how can we try and win football matches, improve, all those things.
“But when you come here, you realise that sometimes there’s a bit more to it than that. And I think that’s a real positive thing for everybody.”
Interviewer: “Of course, I know you’re a busy man, so I won’t keep you too long, Frank, but football’s not going so badly at the moment, is it?”
Lampard: “No, it’s going well for us at the moment. I’m always right about the next thing, but you can be happy with the way we’ve started the league now.
“We’re into the season and we’re working hard. We worked hard last season. We felt an improvement to go from where we were to where we nearly got to, which was a potential playoff final that we didn’t just quite make.
“And I think the resilience to come back this year, probably stronger with a good pre-season from my part, being able to work with the players, us as staff who came in midway through last season.
“We wanted to go further this year and evolve a bit. And to this point, we are, but it’s to this point and we need to do more.
“We’ve got a very tough match at the weekend. We can definitely keep improving. There’s so many things that will happen and can happen to the end of the season. It’s always like one game at a time. But yes, I’m happy with the progress that we’ve made so far.”
Interviewer: “Absolutely. And look, the football doesn’t stop, does it, for you? So I think it’s first versus second, live across the talkSPORT this weekend. How are you feeling about that one? It’s always a challenge, isn’t it, in this league?”
Lampard: “Every game is absolutely a challenge. We felt that we went to the one game we’ve been at low par this season is Wrexham when we go there and lose.
“So it’s hard to analyse the game in the sense of will it be easy, will it not? But we have to do our job and understand Stoke are in very good form, a very good opponent. They’re second for a reason. Got good players, good coaches, got a link to this club as well, obviously.
“But we have to go with a feeling of like, can we go as we’ve been playing for a majority of the season? Can we go and back ourselves to go there and give a good account of ourselves?
“If we do that, at this point, we back ourselves in this league to get results because we’ve shown that. But again, we have to go and show at the weekend.”
Interviewer: “Absolutely. I think the defeat after the Wrexham one, I think that was a real test of your team’s character. How are they going to respond to a loss, which you guys are not used to at this moment in time?
“But the way they did, particularly in that second half, that must have been what a Frank Lampard team should be about, isn’t it?”
Lampard: “Well, I think it’s what the best teams do, right? If you’re trying to compete towards the top of a league, which at this point we are, then you have to react very quickly to a performance like that, which can come. Difficult games sometimes come.
“For whatever reason, you’re below par, changes to the team, slightly below par, they come. But the important thing is they don’t come again and again and again.
“And the best thing is to try and react to get that one out of the system, to try and get points on the board again.
“And we did that. As I say, those things can be a good lesson as long as you learn them. Like every game, we have to be full blast. We have to be the best version that we can be, which we predominantly have been this season.
“And if we can do that, then we’ll have a chance of winning a lot of games. So we have to continue.”
interviewer: “Definitely. My final point is not a question, it’s more of a thank you. So obviously you won’t know, but I’m actually from Coventry.
“So I can see probably a lot more than you do in terms of the impact it has in the pubs and the bars everywhere across this city.
“The impact that you’ve had on this team, Frank, is something that I’ve never seen before. The way that this crowd here on the road, in them pubs, it’s truly special what you’ve created here.
“So irrespective of what happens this season, the impact that you’ve had on this city and the people in it is, like I said, something that I’ve never seen before.
“Of course, Mark Robins, he was so loved before you came in here and there was a real hesitation, not just from your perspective, but just in general. Can they really ignite that passion and the love for the game? And you’ve done that in abundance.
“So thank you so much for what you’ve done and best of luck for the rest of the season.”
Lampard: “Well, thank you. And that’s absolutely the amazing thing that you said there, because I’m not stupid.
“I know we’ve got some results and we’re in a better position now. And I realise that fans are happy with that. But when you say that personally, you talk about pubs and around the city or whatever it is, travelling to games.
“In our bubble, sometimes you miss that. You just try and strive to win every game that you possibly can. So when you say that and it feels as big as that, then I really appreciate it.
“And I’ll keep trying to keep you happy and try and do the right thing. And that’s it.”
Interviewer: “Keep going, Frank. We’ll be with you every step of the way.”
Lampard: “Thanks so much.”
Interviewer: “Thank you so much, Frank.”
Lampard: “That was amazing.”
Here’s how fans reacted after Coventry boss Frank Lampard gets emotional as his routine interview takes a wholesome heartwarming turn…
@Alexcraiggh: Great interview mate. Don’t think you could have summed up the atmosphere around the club any better right now.
@jonbyrne5: Great words Anil. Said exactly what i think i would say if i had the chance to meet FL. I wouldn’t want a photo or an autograph, just to a chance to say thank you, and keep it going. #PUSB
@MadDog1404: Great interview. I think you made Frank a bit emotional at the end.
@spud8550: This is 100% true what you said. It feels different than ever before. I feel confident of winning every game we play. #PUSB
@P70AMA: Fantastic at the end there.. Spoke for all of us Cov fans 👏🏽
@Tylermarco5: Class interview this bro 👊🏽
@PaddyStavros: Brilliant interview Anil, love Frank Lampard. Always comes across as an absolute gentleman. 👌
@trominomusic: Quality interview Anil.
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