talkSPORT EXCLUSIVE: Frank Lampard REFLECTS on Coventry's Progress this season & League title hopes

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? Yes, of course. I think it's a lot of football clubs or the league, the AFL themselves, the football clubs that 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, the 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, 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. Yes, for sure. And 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. Yes, 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. And 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. Today, not so much. 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. Yes, 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. Of course, I know you're a busy man, so I won't keep you for too long, Frank. But football's not going so badly at the moment, is it? 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. 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? Every game is absolutely a challenge. You know, 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 a 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. We've got good players, good coach. He's 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 that at the weekend. Absolutely. I think, you know, 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? Well, I think it's what the best teams do, right? If you're trying to compete towards the top of the 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. 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 Robbins, 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. 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, the travel into game. 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. Keep going, Frank. We'll be with you every step of the way. Thank you so much, Frank.