Coventry City, Frank Lampard prediction issued - There's a warning involving Birmingham & Wrexham | OneFootball

Football League World's Coventry City fan pundit discussed how Frank Lampard's side could fare next season after losing to Sunderland in the play-offs

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Coventry City will be desperate to avoid any potential hangover from their dramatic play-off semi-final defeat to Sunderland and bounce back stronger under Frank Lampard in the 2025/26 Championship campaign.

A penalty shootout was poised to take place at the Stadium of Light, only for Dan Ballard to head home from Enzo Le Fee's corner in the final kick of the game to shatter Sky Blues hearts.

The second leg finished in a 1-1 draw, with Ephron Mason-Clarke scoring for Coventry in the 76th minute, although Sunderland's 2-1 victory at the Coventry Building Society Arena days earlier ensured their place on Wembley Way for the final against Sheffield United on May 24.

It would, however, be awfully amiss to forget the job that Lampard has done since his arrival in place of long-serving ex-boss Mark Robins at the end of November, and exactly what those foundations could yield for Coventry next time out. At the time of his appointment, Coventry were 17th in the table and just two points above the relegation zone, but the former Chelsea and Everton head coach won 16 of his 29 regular-season matches in charge to take them all the way up to fifth and, over the course of an entire season, the Sky Blues' points per match record under Lampard would have worked out to 83 points.

That still would not have been enough to ensure automatic promotion, of course, with third-placed Sheffield United finishing on 90 points and ten behind Burnley and Leeds United, but it still goes some way to highlighting how much Lampard has achieved in such a short space of time.

25/26 Championship prediction made on Frank Lampard's Coventry City amid Birmingham, Wrexham fear

FLW asked our Sky Blues fan pundit, Chris Deez, whether he believes Lampard will be able to guide the club into the Premier League next season.

Chris is "hopeful" that the Sky Blues will be up there competing at the top of the table, although he has warned of potential competition from ambitious, big-spending duo Birmingham City and Wrexham following their promotions from League One, as well as returns to the second-tier for Ipswich Town, Leicester and Southampton.

He also believes that the upcoming summer transfer window - Lampard's first in charge - will be key, tipping the likes of Ben Sheaf and Haji Wright to move on from the West Midlands. Chris has encouraged Lampard to undertake a frank and thorough assessment of the squad at his disposal, and is confident that they can battle for promotion with the right additions.

"I think this is obviously going to be a massive, massive summer, probably one of our most important transfer windows ever," Chris told FLW.

"We are more than likely going to lose a couple of our key assets like Milan van Ewijk and Haji Wright, who I'm happy to see the back of now, and maybe Jack Rudoni, but I'm really hoping he will stick around for at least another season.

"So naturally, we've got money coming in and there will also be money from whatever happens with [Viktor] Gyokeres if he ends up moving from his sell-on clause.

"This is Frank Lampard's first proper attempt and chance to really sit down, look at all the players he's got, decide who is deadweight and needs to be moved on - it's not a nice thing to say, but we've got quite a lot of players like that - and what areas we need to strengthen, which would absolutely be in attack, [we also need] a couple more defenders, a good back-up 'keeper for when [Oliver] Dovin comes back from injury.

"I think we're pretty much set in midfield, as long as we don't lose any of those key players. I'd be happy to see the back of Ben Sheaf as well, I think his time is done here. [I think] he's had his head turned and he's not the same player as he was, the same thing can be said for Wright as well.

"If we can keep the majority of our best players, strengthen in key areas, I'm not going to get ahead of myself and say we'll win the league or anything like that but I don't see any reason why we can't be up and around there.

"But a lot of places, a lot of fans, a lot of outlets and podcasts and websites thought we were going to be challenging for automatic promotion this season, and look how badly this season started.

"We've still got a very strong Ipswich and Leicester coming down. Southampton will be around there somewhere, I don't think they'll be going straight up in the automatic positions. I just get a feeling they won't be quite as strong as they were before.

"I would fairly comfortable say that we will be in and around the play-offs again, hopefully Lampard and the players can keep the momentum going from the end of this season. We didn't expect to be where we were, after the first-half of the season and Lampard coming in and not having the greatest managerial record, we didn't expect it and it was an absolute miracle that we were.

"I think a lot of fans will be quite grounded, we won't be getting ahead of ourselves. I'm hopeful and quietly confident we will have a good season, but I'm under no illusions.

"It's still going to be a difficult season with the teams coming down, and even the strength of the teams who have come up like Birmingham and Wrexham. They're going to be asking a lot of questions as well.

Coventry City face hugely competitive 25/26 Championship campaign

As Chris rightly explains, next season is going to be extremely competitive. The three sides relegated from the Premier League will all enter the first year of parachute payments, yet they are expected to face competition for transfer targets from Birmingham and Wrexham, who are both bankrolled with eye-watering investment and will be looking to achieve successive promotions to the top-flight.

But that's without even mentioning competition from those who finished in or just outside the top-six, too.

One of either Sheffield United or Sunderland will be champing at the bit to go all the way after missing out in the play-off final, while the likes of Middlesbrough and West Bromwich Albion could also be stronger next time out.

It's going to be an incredibly tough division to gain promotion from - even more so than it already is - although it's hard to bet against Coventry's chances across a full season under Lampard's stewardship.