Gerrard vs. Lampard: Who has had the better managerial career?
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Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard are surely two of the most scrutinised names treading the path from great players to coaches. Their managerial careers have seen greatly contrasting highs and lows since hanging their playing boots in the past decade. From Gerrard's ups and downs at Aston Villa and in Saudi Arabia to Lampard's fleeting stops at Everton and Chelsea and now his resuscitation attempt at Coventry City, every step they take grabs the interest of the media and fans.
This paper seeks to investigate who presently has the upper hand in this long-standing rivalry by means of a thorough comparison of the coaching performances of the two individuals in recent years, an analysis of their differences in tactical principles, and mental resilience. This offers a peek at the future opportunities as well as a thorough look back on the careers of two aspiring coaches.
Years 18-21: Initial emergence
Gerrard: The Rangers era
Gerrard started his coaching career in '18 as manager of Scottish Premiership team Glasgow Rangers. This former Scottish powerhouse was in a slump at the time and in the shadows of Celtic, who had monopolised the league championship for a number of years.
But under Gerrard's direction, Rangers instantly regained some of their lost aura, as the Liverpool legend tactically underlined strong pressing and fast counterattacks while stressing the development of young players.This approach not only revitalised the team but also garnered attention from spectators.
In his third season, Gerrard guided Rangers to an unbeaten record in the Scottish Premiership, effectively breaking Celtic's nine-year rule in the league. This success brought him much acclaim and opened the path for his future coaching employment in the Premier League. With a goal difference of 96:13, averaging 2.5 points per game, the Gers attained a record of 31 victories and 9 draws that season.
Gerrard also showed rather outstanding performance in European contests. Rangers progressed to the knockout level after defeating formidable clubs, including Benfica, in the Europa League group stage.
Lampard: Early days at Derby County and Chelsea
Lampard's coaching debut, on the other hand, was somewhat low-key. He took over the championship team Derby County in the summer of '18.
Lampard's proactive tactical approach helped the squad reach the promotion playoff final despite well-documented limitations. Although they ultimately fell narrowly to Aston Villa and failed to secure promotion to the Premier League, his performance had already earned international acclaim.
In '19, Lampard made a storied return to Chelsea, becoming the new head coach of the Blues in place of the departed Maurizio Sarri. The London club finished fourth in the Premier League and advanced to the FA Cup final in his first full season (19–20), despite a transfer ban. Lampard's regular use of young players such as Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham showed his faith in the academy, one of the most reputed in the world.
Sadly, poor performances led to his sack midway through the '20-21 season, leaving a brief but divisive coaching record. With an average tally of 1.7 points per game, Lampard's win rate at Chelsea during his first term as manager was approximately 52%.
Year ‘22: Premier League trial ground
Gerrard: The challenge of Aston Villa
Gerrard replaced Dean Smith towards the end of '21 as new head coach of Aston Villa, and given his outstanding performance with the Rangers, his entrance caused a stir in English media.
But reality soon showed that the competitive scene of the Premier League is significantly more complicated than that of the Scottish Premiership.
Gerrard won his curtain-raiser against Brighton and brandished his well-known 4-3-3 high-pressing approach, marking a positive start to life in the Midlands. Through additions like Lucas Digne and Philippe Coutinho, he also enhanced the squad depth.
However, the team's performance progressively declined with time, as Villa only achieved 2 wins and 9 losses at the start of the '22–23 season, freefalling into a relegation battle. Gerrard was eventually let go in October '22, with only a 42% winning record.
Lampard: Everton's relegation battle
As Gerrard battled to keep the Villans afloat, Lampard was also under great pressure in the Premier League after taking over the role of head coach at Everton from Rafael Benitez at the start of the year.
The Toffees were firmly in the relegation zone at the time, barely 4 points from safety, but Lampard's crisis management skills were instant.
He guided Everton to a comeback against Crystal Palace at a pivotal point at the end of the season, thus maintaining Premier League status for the club. This is considered one of the great achievements of Lampard's coaching career.
With an average of 1.3 points per game, Lampard's win rate at Everton stands at an approximate of 39%. However, the '22–23 season once more highlighted his tactical shortcomings—an imbalance between offence and defence and a lack of consistency. Lampard was eventually fired in January ’23.
‘23: Transformation and adjustment
Gerrard: A new chapter with Saudi Arabia
After months as a free agent, Gerrard surprisingly decided in July '23 to move to Saudi Arabia to take charge of ambitious side Al-Ettifaq. With an annual pay of up to £15 million, this contract seemed like an opportunity to restore his reputation.
Gerrard guided the Saudi Pro League team towards a sixth-place finish in the first season, and even though this fell short of expectations, it was still seen as a "soft landing."
However, this glory was short-lived as Al-Ettifaq's performance notably dropped in the '24–25 season, and the club finished in 12th place, closer to the relegation zone than continental qualification.
Gerrard's strategies mostly depended on high pressing, though they proved useless against opponents who played defensively and counter-attacked. He left the team by mutual termination at the end of January '25, thereby ending this not very successful abroad trip.
Lampard: Chelsea's rescue mission
Lampard returned to Stamford Bridge in April '23 in the capacity of interim manager for Chelsea following the sacking of Graham Potter. This appointment was centred on team stability rather than on a long-term agenda.
However, Lampard fell short of his former grandeur with the Blues, winning just one of the remaining games and finishing in the bottom half of the league. This was the poorest season performance of the club since 1996.
Ultimately, Lampard's two coaching stints at Chelsea gave him insightful experience—especially in terms of managing demanding situations. At this stage, he would have understood the need to improve his tactical adaptability and instantaneous decision-making capacity more still.
Comparative analysis:
While Lampard fearlessly embraced the challenge, Gerrard decided to travel to Saudi Arabia in '23 in order to escape public scrutiny. Lampard's approach is more admirable despite neither manager enjoying favourable outcomes.
While Lampard bagged more experience from his mistakes, Gerrard's performance in Saudi Arabia reinforced the fact that his tactical style may be more suited for less competitive leagues.
‘24-’25: A fresh start
Gerrard: Seeking new opportunities
Gerrard hasn't secured a new coaching post as of February '25. There have, however, been persistent reports on social media about him possibly taking over a lower-tier English team for an opportunity to prove himself once more.
The general consensus, though, is that Gerrard needs time to ponder over the achievements and disappointments of the past few years and fine-tune his coaching approach.
Lampard: The revival of Coventry City
Lampard officially began his second stint in the Championship in November '24 after taking the managerial reins at Coventry City.
In just a couple month, the Chelsea legend has led the team to remarkable success, including a four-game winning streak, moving Coventry just 3 points below playoff spots as of press time.
At Coventry, Lampard has maintained his regular tactical approach, emphasising midfield inventiveness and depending on youthful players. Simultaneously, he has placed greater focus on defensive elements in an attempt to offset his previous coaching's flaws. With an average of 1.8 goals per game, Lampard's strong return to manager is defined by a 60% win rate with Coventry as of February '25.
Comparative analysis
Lampard is obviously ahead of Gerrard as of the 24–25 season. At Coventry, he has shown indications of rebirth, while Gerrard still awaits the right opportunity.
Lampard's tactical changes and mental resilience have seen him discover a breakthrough in what is shaping up to be one of the managerial comebacks of the decade.
Summary: Who is more outstanding? Gerrard or Lampard?
The overall coaching careers of Gerrard and Lampard have their individual virtues. Gerrard's remarkable success with Rangers established his foundational reputation, but his subsequent experiences in the Premier League and Saudi Arabia suggest that he still has to adjust to the pace of higher-level competitions.
Conversely, Lampard has been in a never-ending cycle of trial and adaptation, and, despite all the turns, has shown more resilience and learning capacity.
If we just compare their current managerial successes, Gerrard is certainly ahead; yet in terms of long-term development potential, Lampard looks to have a higher ceiling.
Still, the coaching paths of these two legendary athletes have only started, and the future presents countless opportunities. Seeing their development makes supporters happy just by itself.