JAY Bothroyd believes Coventry City should look to strengthen their squad in defence ahead of the upcoming January transfer window.
The former Sky Blues striker believes City have looked fragile at the back when missing players from their regular starting backline this season.
And while Bothroyd does not expect much business at the Coventry Building Society Arena in January, he insists Frank Lampard will know where he needs to strengthen his squad.
Speaking to BOYLE Sports, who offer football betting, Bothroyd said: “I probably would say that Coventry City need to bring in some players in the January window. Not too much. But definitely in defence.
“There’s been games in which their starting backline have had suspension or injury issues and they’ve been a bit more fragile at the back.
“They’ve got some very good players that are in a good situation. They’ll want to get promoted with Coventry.
“Obviously they are top of the league, in the driving seat. But the Championship, there’s so many games there, it’s just relentless, especially at this time of the year. So the squad is going to be stretched.
“But I think Frank Lampard is an experienced enough manager now where he might look at it and think we need to bring in a couple in here or there in a few positions but no drastic changes.
“I’d love to see Coventry back in the Premier League. The last time Coventry were in the Premier League was when I was there. That’s a long time ago. So I would love to see them back.”
Bothroyd also believes Sky Blues boss Lampard could become a future England manager if he succeeds in guiding Coventry back to the Premier League.
Bothroyd added: “If he does get promoted, win the league, win it in style, then teams are going to be looking at him saying ‘you know what, we’re going to take a punt on Frank Lampard’.
“Like if we see [Andoni] Iraola leave for example at Bournemouth, or [Oliver] Glasner leaves Crystal Palace, those kind of teams.
“I’m not entirely sure Frank Lampard will get a big job straight away after the Chelsea situation and Everton but I definitely think he is a very good manager that will get a good job again.
“The England job, if that becomes available again, that’s a conversation. Who is really out there that would take the England job? The only one that springs to my mind is Eddie Howe. After that, you’ll probably be interviewing Frank Lampard.”
Bothroyd scored 17 goals in 83 appearances for the Sky Blues which included making his debut for the club in the Premier League against Manchester United.
And the one-cap England striker reflected fondly on his time with Coventry and particularly enjoyed Gary McAllister’s management style.
Bothroyd said: “Making my debut against Man United was unbelievable. I always thank Gordon Strachan for that.
“He brought me in and he was kind of like a father figure to me in terms of he always put his arm around me, around the training ground, he looked after me.
“I genuinely feel like if he had told me during the week or the beginning of the week that I was playing against Man United on Saturday, it would have given me the opportunity to get my head around making my debut against the best team in the country at the time, one of the best teams in the world.
“But he told me on the morning of the kick-off. Straightaway my hands broke into sweat.
“I remember the midfield, it was [Roy] Keane, [Paul] Scholes, [David] Beckham, [Ryan] Giggs, and they had [Andy] Cole and [Dwight] Yorke up front.
“I remember thinking ‘how are we going to get a result today?’ I was playing up front with Mustapha Hadji, a really good player.
“We lost the game. He brought me off at half-time. I remember going to speak to him during the week and he said ‘you played well but I just wanted to bring some experience on’ and I was fine with that. But that was probably my best experience.
“Then I really enjoyed it when Gary McAllister came in as well. Because after Gordon Strachan left, there was a lot of questionable decisions about management and what not, and who is going to be the best person to take the club forward.
“But when Gary McAllister came in, he applied that passing philosophy because he was a baller.
“Gary McAllister didn’t want to see the ball flying over his head as a midfield player, he wanted to get involved with the game.
“He actually played me off the right side of the three, that was the first time I really played as a right winger.
“Normally in my youth years it was like a 4-4-2 and I might drop in the hole and, even when I went to Coventry initially, Gordon Strachan sold it like it was going to be and Robbie Keane playing up front but then Robbie Keane left and went to Inter Milan I think.
“But the Gary McAllister days were enjoyable.”
