“£8M Gamble Gone Wrong? Frank Lampard Drops Bombshell on Coventry Star In A Stunning Twist
Coventry City should seriously consider cashing in on striker Ellis Simms this summer after his disappointing second season resulted in a playoff snub from manager Frank Lampard.
The former Everton forward joined the Sky Blues for a reported fee of up to £8m in 2023 and was completely overlooked during their playoff semi-final defeat to Sunderland.
With just six goals from 43 league appearances this season, Simms has not really justified that hefty price tag – and at 24, could still command some sort of return fee that would allow Lampard to bring in one of his options, perhaps.
Frank Lampard playoff snub speaks volumes about Simms’ Coventry future
Frank Lampard’s decision to not give Ellis Simms a single minute across both legs of the playoff semi-final defeat against Sunderland has raised serious questions about the striker’s future at the club.
It could be argued that Simms would’ve provided at least some aerial battle against Dan Ballard, and, being 6ft 3 – perhaps rued the missed headed opportunity by Haji Wright himself.
Lampard is no stranger to not using strikers in the playoffs – benching both Jack Marriott and Martyn Waghorn in the playoff final against Aston Villa when Derby County manager in 2019 – opting for winger Mason Bennett instead, who scored four goals in nine years at the club.
But for a player who was brought in as a replacement for Viktor Gyokeres, being completely overlooked in the club’s two biggest matches of the season indicates Lampard doesn’t see Simms as part of his long-term plans.
Simms has struggled for consistency after promising first season
Ellis Simms did enjoy a fairly respectable debut season with Coventry, scoring 19 in all competitions in 2023/24 but his second season has been somewhat of a let-down – managing just six goals in 43 league games.
Simms has seemingly been marked by a pattern of inconsistency during his time at Coventry. Yes – he did have a productive first season – but his goals came in bursts rather than consistently throughout. He only had three by the turn of the year.
Similarly, this past season saw Simms score just two in his opening 24 Championship matches, and they were in the same game – a brace against QPR in September.
When Lampard arrived he had a little purple match, scoring four in six, but that promising run proved to be another false dawn rather than a turning point.
Cutting losses could benefit all parties this summer
Two full seasons at the CBS Arena are noiw complete for Simms, and it’s becoming increasingly clear that he may not be the answer to the Sky Blues’ needs under Frank Lampard.
At 24 – there is still potential resale value there, which is backed up by his previous success elsewhere when sent out on loan by Everton. He was at their semi-final rivals Sunderland for the first half of the 2022/23 season, and scored seven in 17.
For Coventry and Lampard, cashing in now would free up both funds and squad space to bring in a forward Lampard actually wants to play. It’s clear from the playoff snub that he’s not favoured by the Chelsea legend, and keeping an £8m asset depreciating on the bench isn’t exactly wise.
