Frank Lampard is backing Ellis Simms to step up to the challenge of scoring goals for Coventry City in the Premier League next season.
The powerful centre-forward scored a brilliant hat-trick as the Sky Blues signed off their incredible promotion winning season with a 4-0 win at Watford – his goals taking his personal tally to 14 for the campaign.
Simms has had to work at his game and often been understudy to first choice Haji Wright under Lampard but the City boss says he’s been impressed with the striker this year.
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“Yeah, and he’s shown a lot of that all season for me,” said the head coach, reflecting on the player’s performance at Vicarage Road.
“I think he’s improved a lot. He’s already a talented player but all the basics of forward play in terms of hold-up, run behind, securing the ball, competing and then finishing is the extra bit. Ellis showed that he’s got all those components in different ways and they’re improving all the time.
“He’s so game and he’s so humble off the pitch. He trains every day and when he doesn’t start he doesn’t say anything, he just carries on and when he comes into games he does great. And today, amazing, and the whole squad and obviously the fanbase as well, everyone’s taken to him because of how he carries himself.
“But as a player, I think huge credit for the striker he is and he’s still a relatively young man as well. And this year he’s worked so diligently on the things he needed to, and then his all-round game is great.”
As for whether he feels the 25-year-old, whom he managed in the Premier League at Everton, can rise to the challenge at the highest level next season, Lampard said: “Yeah I think he will because of the way he is. As I say, he’s a quiet, family man. The lads love him and he’s actually got a really dry sense of humour.
“But as a player, yeah, there’s no reason why he won’t because he just deals with football like it’s his job and like he wants to improve every day. He wants to score goals so why can’t he improve more.”
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Coventry City are back in the Premier League
The Coventry Telegraph has produced a stunning special edition marking the achievements of Frank Lampard and his men.
And to celebrate, the Coventry Telegraph has produced this stunning 48-page special edition marking the achievements of Frank Lampard and his men.
Since relegation in 2001, the Sky Blues have gone through many well-documented lows, but a quarter of a century later, free-scoring City have earned promotion in emphatic style.
And our bumper special edition is the perfect souvenir to remember that fantastic achievement by.
We’ll have match reports, pics, and reaction from every kick of City’s journey back to English football’s promised land.
It’s all here… the avalanche of goals pre-Christmas that made promotion look nailed on, the brief wobble that followed, and the revival under Lampard to consolidate their position at the top of the table.
Plus, Sky Blues writer Andy Turner will have pages and pages of in-depth analysis on the title-winning season, manager Lampard’s success, key players, and what lies ahead for the club in the top flight.
Club historian Jim Brown will also share his fact-filled take on promotion, while there will be pictures and reports from the Sky Blues’ joyful promotion celebrations.
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