Frank Lampard Raih Penghargaan Manajer Terbaik LMA 2026

Manajer Coventry City, Frank Lampard, dinobatkan sebagai Manajer Terbaik Asosiasi Manajer Liga (LMA) pada malam penghargaan di London pada Selasa malam waktu setempat. Keberhasilan ini diraih setelah ia membawa timnya menjuarai Championship dan promosi ke Liga Primer.

Coventry City besutan Lampard mengakhiri musim dengan keunggulan 11 poin di puncak klasemen Championship. Catatan tersebut mengakhiri masa absen klub selama 25 tahun dari kasta tertinggi sepak bola Inggris sejak musim 2000-2001.

Lampard menerima Trofi Sir Alex Ferguson yang diserahkan oleh manajer tim nasional Inggris, Thomas Tuchel. Penghargaan tertinggi ini dipilih oleh para manajer di seluruh liga dengan mempertimbangkan kesuksesan serta sumber daya yang tersedia.

Dalam acara tersebut, Thomas Tuchel mewakili Sir Alex Ferguson yang harus absen karena kondisi kesehatannya yang sedang dalam masa pemulihan. Tuchel membacakan surat langsung dari mantan manajer legendaris Manchester United tersebut.

"It is of course not the same without Sir Alex himself and we wish him all the best and a speedy recovery so that he is hopefully with us next year on stage again." ujar Thomas Tuchel, Manajer Timnas Inggris.

Setelah menyampaikan harapan untuk kesembuhan Ferguson, Tuchel kemudian membacakan seluruh isi pesan tertulis yang ditujukan khusus kepada Lampard atas pencapaian luar biasanya musim ini.

"Dear Frank, many congratulations on being named LMA manager of the year. You should be very proud of what you and your team have accomplished. Your personality as a manager and a leader is so clearly defined in how your team has played great football this season – with confidence and self-belief and I have enjoyed watching you. I know from speaking with you that you have great humility and that important quality of a curious mind for learning. I’m sure winning this award will mean a great deal to you, Frank, and I wish you the best of luck in the Premier League next season." kata Sir Alex Ferguson, Anggota Komite LMA.

Saat menerima penghargaan tersebut, Lampard merefleksikan perjalanan kariernya yang melesat cepat dari pemain menjadi manajer. Ia mengekspresikan rasa terima kasih kepada sesama rekan manajer yang telah memberikan dukungan serta suaranya.

"Wow. I moved from player to manager really quickly and I did not know much. Thank you to everyone who voted for me. British managers are pretty good. It is true. They are not idiots saying old school stuff. I have had messages from a lot of managers – and I will drop Pep Guardiola in there – and a lot of British managers know the score. It means a lot when managers like Steve Bruce and Sean Dyche send you a message after a game." ujar Frank Lampard, Manajer Coventry City.

Lampard juga mendedikasikan pencapaian ini kepada para pemainnya yang dinilai sangat layak mendapatkan kesempatan tampil di panggung tertinggi sepak bola Inggris musim depan.

"We haven't got Premier League minutes in our team. We've got a couple of boys that played, who got 30 appearances or whatever. The reality is that these boys have deserved a chance because of the hard work that they did." kata Frank Lampard, Manajer Coventry City.

Mantan gelandang timnas Inggris tersebut menambahkan bahwa kesuksesan luar biasa ini sepenuhnya merupakan hasil kerja keras kolektif dari seluruh skuad di lapangan.

"Sometimes I think it's not being humble, it's actually just acknowledging and crediting the players, who want to get to the Premier League. So, we go for it, right? You have to understand what they did. The accomplishment has been amazing from the players because they are the ones who go and do it." tutur Frank Lampard, Manajer Coventry City.

Apresiasi tinggi juga datang dari jajaran petinggi LMA, termasuk sang ketua yang memuji kepemimpinan, profesionalisme, serta visi kerja yang ditunjukkan oleh Lampard sepanjang kompetisi berlangsung.

"Sincere congratulations to Frank Lampard on a truly outstanding achievement in winning the Sir Alex Ferguson Trophy for LMA Manager of the Year following an exceptional season. His leadership, professionalism and unwavering commitment have set the standard throughout the campaign, and the success he has delivered at Coventry City is a testament to both his vision and his ability to inspire those around him. To be recognised by his fellow managers and presented with this accolade is a richly deserved honour, reflecting the significant impact he has made at the club." kata Martin O'Neill, Ketua LMA.

Selain memberikan trofi utama kepada Lampard, LMA juga memberikan apresiasi kepada seluruh pemenang di berbagai divisi sepak bola Inggris atas dedikasi dan ketahanan mereka.

"On behalf of the LMA, I would like to congratulate all of this year’s winners, whose dedication, resilience and professionalism continues to shine bright. To be recognised by your peers, those who truly understand the demands and challenges of football management, is a very special honour. This season has provided countless examples of outstanding achievements, and special congratulations must go to Frank Lampard, the winner of the Sir Alex Ferguson Trophy for LMA manager of the year and Championship manager of the year." kata Richard Bevan, Chief Executive LMA.

Dalam pemungutan suara tersebut, Lampard berhasil mengungguli sejumlah nama besar seperti Mikel Arteta yang membawa Arsenal juara Liga Primer, Unai Emery, Andoni Iraola, Pep Guardiola, Keith Andrews, Michael Skubala, dan Andy Woodman.

Dilansir dari BBC, Coventry City di bawah asuhan Lampard menjadi tim paling produktif di Championship dengan mencetak 97 gol dari 46 laga sekaligus memiliki pertahanan terbaik. Klub dijadwalkan meresmikan transfer permanen gelandang Frank Onyeka dari Brentford pada 1 Juli mendatang.