Yahoo Sport 
Frank Lampard sets out his plans for Coventry City on back of foundations laid by Mark Robins
Frank Lampard has laid out his plans to take forward what he says is a “young and tactically adaptable” Coventry City squad, building on the foundations set down by his predecessor Mark Robins.
Speaking at his first press conference, the 46-year-old former Chelsea, Derby and Everton boss revealed that he hasn’t been given a set target for this season by owner Doug King, who sat at his side to face the media at the CBS Arena.
Asked how his first day has been, having met the players and staff at Ryton this morning, the former England star said: “It’s been very enjoyable. A long day. I have met all the very good people working at the training ground. It’s a very warm place, as a welcome. I met the players and had a meeting with them and then my first training session, which I enjoyed, because it’s my first for a while. It was nice to get out with the players and form some early relationships. We have a tight turn-around to Saturday, which is our priority, as it stands.”
READ MORE: Who are Frank Lampard's new right-hand men at Coventry City?
READ MORE: Coventry City LIVE updates as Frank Lampard appointed head coach
As for what it was about the excitement of the challenge that brought you back into football, he explained: “A respect for the club and realisation of the history and traditions of the club. I grew up remembering very well successful moments for the club in the top flight. I made my debut as a player for West Ham against Coventry, which is a nice touch. I didn’t realise all those years later that it would come around again.”
He added: “Speaking to the owner, Doug, and those conversations and talking about the ambitions of the club and where he wants to take it, so I am here to help in my role. From my point of view and looking at the squad, and how I want to coach and go to, and have an impact, I have a positive view on the squad now.
“We are where we are in the table for reasons, and it’s for me to find out and make it better but I am very much looking forward to working with the players and that’s why I am here.”
Asked if he’s been set any targets by King, he said: “No, not as such. He can maybe answer that better than me but we’re all ambitious, but we also have to be realistic. I will come in with my ideas and put one step in front of the other and help the players get better and better very quickly.
“I think the quality is there in the squad. It’s a young squad but I always enjoy working with young players, which I did at Derby and Chelsea and I want them to be better. For me, personally, I don’t have crazy targets far away. I look at what’s the next game and how I can impact this team in a positive way.”
Having been out of the game for 18 months, Lampard was asked if he feels refreshed and ready to get back to work?
“Yeah, I do,” he said. “It’s a very consuming business as a manager/head coach. I enjoy that side of it but in terms of work/life balance and having been out of the game, you can try to spend some valuable family time and valuable learning time of seeing the game from the outside, reflecting on things and how you can be better for when you next come to work. So that’s been a nice period. I have young children as well, so that time out has been great, but I feel refreshed and ready to go here,”
Whether it’s a similar challenge to Derby, he said: “Well, it’s a different phase of my coaching career. I went into that as my first job and learned a huge amount, and I had a really enjoyable time there. We got to a play-off final and unfortunately fell at the last hurdle, so for me there were only good experiences until that end bit.
“Is this a different moment and model? Yes, I think it’s very difficult to compare directly, but what I did like from conversations from Doug and the people at the club is this feeling of warmth and where we want to get to.
“And that’s what I felt at Derby where I worked with young players as well, and where we got things going and I could affect the style in the way I wanted. And I hope to do that again here.”
Put to him that it was an unpopular decision to sack Mark Robins, the new head coach was asked if that makes his job harder?
“Firstly, I have complete respect for the job that Mark did here, absolutely,” he said.
“Viewing it from the outside I can only give credit given the rigours of this job, to be here for such a long time and have the level of success and momentum and movement with what he did. His involvement with the club was a huge thing and I would like to look at it as, can I pick up the good work that he did in his own way. When I look at the squad it’s a tactically adaptable squad, used to playing different formations, well recruited and all these things under his tenure as a manager.
“And that’s something that I can only think is good. I am coming in on the back of someone who has laid some foundations. I am very aware of it and I only want to come here and work hard and to give my very best for this club.
“And for every fan of Coventry who is viewing this appointment, I want say I will work hard to affect the things that I think I can to hopefully bring success all-round to this club. But I have absolute respect for what Mark did at this club.”
Asked if it’s realistic to make a charge for the play-offs this season, he said: “I don’t want to go anywhere near that. We understand that the Championship can move and change very quickly but nothing is given to you, so every step now needs to be the one in front of us. You can build momentum very quickly in this league and it can also kick you in the area you don’t want to be kicked in if you don’t stay on it, because it’s the Championship.
“So I think it’s very important that we don’t get too far ahead of ourselves. I can sit here and say I have belief in this squad because I have looked at it a lot and I think I can help. Going beyond that, it’s not worth me saying at the moment.”
