FORMER Coventry City manager Iain Dowie believes Frank Lampard staying with the Sky Blues gives the club the best chance of Premier League survival.
Dowie managed Coventry for just under a year from February 2007 to February 2008.
The 61-year-old won 20 of his 49 matches in charge of the Sky Blues as he twice contributed towards the club retaining their Championship status.
Dowie played alongside Lampard at West Ham United during the mid to late 90’s in the Premier League.
And Dowie believes Lampard remaining at the Coventry Building Society Arena holds the key to the club’s chances of Premier League survival next season.
Speaking to Betano Casino, Dowie said: “I think Frank will stay. Given what he did at Chelsea and the player he was, he’s had some super moves in management.
“We haven’t seen a midfielder score 20 goals a season like he did anywhere else in the world, let alone the Premier League.
“I have a feeling he’ll stay. He has a very good relationship with the chairman. With the bid for Carl Rushworth, if there was any sense of him leaving, I don’t think they’d be doing that.
“Palace would have been a good move. I’m sure Frank would have been on Steve Parish’s list. Maybe they’ll look to France instead.
“My view is that Frank staying is a good thing because it gives Coventry the best chance of getting promoted and staying up.”
Dowie also revealed he has a soft spot for the Sky Blues and believes signing goalkeeper Carl Rushworth on a permanent deal would send a statement of intent to the rest of the top flight.
Dowie added: “I think Carl Rushworth is an outstanding keeper. His kicking and shot-stopping are excellent, he makes difficult saves look easy.
“He’d be a big part of any team. I’m not sure Brighton will love a £20m bid, but in the modern market, that’s where it is.
“I have a real soft spot for Coventry and I’d love to see them get Rushworth. It would be a real statement bid.
“The Championship next year might be a different animal, I’m hearing that many clubs are having to cut their budgets.
“There won’t be quite as much money in the Championship as before, so £20m is a lot of money. It will be very interesting to see if Brighton take that.”
