Championship expert doubts Coventry City’s chances of automatic promotion with ‘difficult’ claim

Add as preferred source on Google

Coventry City have been among the candidates for promotion in recent seasons, but one Championship expert believes they don’t have enough for a top-two finish.

Frank Lampard’s side were involved in the Championship play-offs but were beaten dramatically in stoppage time as Dan Ballard’s winner sent Coventry home empty-handed.

The Sky Blues are one of the favourites for promotion this season and are expected to be in the mix by the time May rolls around, but with several other sides also eyeing up the promised land that is the Premier League, it may not be as easy as they hope.

• READ MORE: All Coventry City incomings and outgoings this summer, plus the latest transfer rumours

Don Goodman tips Coventry to finish in top six spot

Championship expert Don Goodman saw plenty of Coventry last season and was impressed by the Sky Blues’ performances.

However, in an interview with Football League World, the Sky Sports commentator feels that the strength of the league will stop Lampard’s side from winning promotion automatically.

“I do think Coventry will be towards the top end of the table next season. Whether or not they could make a top two challenge is hard to say really,” admitted Goodman.

“What I will say is they will be up against the likes of Sheffield United, I expect to be up there again, West Brom I expect to do better, Middlesbrough, Norwich, teams like that, plus those that were relegated – Southampton, Leicester obviously came back down along with Ipswich, who will be very, very strong.

“And the clubs that came up will be strong, so I do think the Championship as a whole is going to be much stronger than last season, and that’s going to make it all the more difficult for Coventry to get a top two place – I’m not saying they can’t do it, I’m saying it’ll be difficult.”

Frank Lampard could turn to Chelsea to aid Coventry promotion push

Lampard will need to add new faces to the ranks at Coventry and there is no better place to look than his former employers.

When in charge of Derby County, Lampard took advantage of his contacts at Chelsea and was able to develop the likes of Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori and both are now playing for two of the biggest clubs in the world.

Chelsea have a never-ending pool of talent and would trust Lampard to nurture and get the best out of them ahead of returning to west London and linking up with the first team.