TWTD understands former England skipper Frank Lampard was interviewed for the vacant Town manager’s job earlier today. The 39-year-old is now the second-favourite to take charge at Portman Road.

Rumours that Lampard would be interested in becoming the Blues boss circulated soon after it was announced former manager Mick McCarthy would be moving on this summer, but his name had been mentioned less frequently in connection with the role more recently.

It’s understood today was the second time the Chelsea legend has met with Marcus Evans and it’s believed he impressed the Blues owner.

Lampard, who started his career with West Ham and also represented Manchester City and New York City in a glittering playing career, recently talked about his ambitions to get into management.

“I’m doing my coaching badges at the moment. I've spent a lot of time at Chelsea this year, gaining hours of experience," he said.

"I've already managed to get my A Licence in coaching. So yes, with the right opportunity and right timing for me, I'd really take a very close look at it.”

It’s likely Lampard, who won 106 England caps, scoring 29 goals, would appoint an experienced assistant to work alongside him in his first management role, as his former England team-mate Steven Gerrard has done at Rangers where Gary McAllister is his deputy.

Evans has interviewed a number of candidates over the last fortnight with St Mirren boss Jack Ross also having met with the Blues’ owner twice and TWTD understands the 41-year-old still remains the front runner for the job.

Another of Lampard’s England team-mates, Scott Parker, now Tottenham’s U18s coach, is also among those to have been spoken to, along with former Spurs and Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood and ex-Reading manager Jaap Stam.

Shrewsbury manager Paul Hurst is also understood to be someone Evans is keen to talk to about the vacancy but the Blues have made no formal approach to the Shropshire side and the former Ilkeston, Boston and Grimsby boss won’t be in a position to speak to Town until after the League One play-off final a week on Sunday.

Ross remains the favourite to take over at Portman Road at 3-1 odds-on with Bet Victor, but Lampard has now moved ahead of Hurst and is now at 3-1 with the Shrews manager at 4-1.

Photo: Action Images

Wicksy added 21:41 - May 19 “I'm doing my coaching badges at the moment. I've spent a lot of time at Chelsea this year, gaining hours of experience," he said. Measuring his experience in hours makes me nervouss
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TonyHumesIpswich added 23:12 - May 19 Love the way people automatically make a comparison with Keane. He's not Roy Keane, simple as. It's a cleat Association Fallacy, which is a basic appeal to emotion. In relation to real arguments, it's a very weak argument. Next people will be saying "We can't appoint Ross. He's a Gemini. And look what happened when we appointed FILL IN NAME who was also a Gemini "

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topshout added 00:29 - May 20 I would love to see him at ITFC give us a good kick up the ars* with new ideas and new contacts
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woohoo added 08:20 - May 20 Everybody may have to start somewhere - but not here please. Would you employ a builder who had never built a house before? Let Lampard start at a lower league club.
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Dissboyitfc added 08:43 - May 20 Well go back almost 50 years when Sir bobby was appointed, an England international who had just failed miserably at Fulham, who were relegated into the old 2nd division and was subsequently sacked. We took him on at Ipswich, our first choices not wanting the job. How many would have relished the situation? In his time at Ipswich he only signed 14 players in 13 years, preferring to rely on the Youth policy. I know football has changed in that time but the way forward is to develop our own again. And as for those saying Lampard or whoever would just use us as a stepping stone, i say this, whoever comes in will one day move on to a better job, just like sir Bobby when England came calling.

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Gazelle added 08:51 - May 20 Exactly right woohoo, St.Mirren might soon be looking for a manager so maybe he should apply there.
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ThePinkMist added 09:25 - May 20 Get Lamps in!
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budgieplucker added 10:22 - May 20 I personally have always wanted Graham Potter but I think Östersunds had him on something like a 7 year contract which led me to believe this would be beyond the thinkable for Marcus Evans. I think he would have been the totally different option this club needs but with experience of European football added to his reportoire. I do note though his odds are rapidly shrinking for the Stoke job as he was a former player. Putting Potter to one side the more I hear of Jack Ross the more he now becomes my number one choice. I have listened to the many available interviews with him on YouTube include an hours forum with a bunch of St Mirren fans and I can understand why they idolise him there. Highly intelligent articulate manager who likes solving problems and developing young players, whilst he has a preferred system of playing he stresses that this may have to change for St Mirren when they move into the higher league but is always looking at new angles on the game from all aspects. it's even more warming that they want him to succeed when he moves on and almost cares about him choosing the right club. I personally hope Mick McCarthy gets back into the game and has some measure of success but I am not really interested where he does that. Now I have to say I do remain open minded about other options I could see a scenario with Lampard and Eddie Newton as part of a package or something even totally surprising with somebody like Roberto di Matteo popping up with Lampard. I can even see a Parker/Curbishly combination which I think would be very interesting. However irresistible some of these potential options may seem I have to say I prefer Ipswich to be associated with the philosophy of making big names rather than accommodating them. Hence my preference towards Ross. That doesnt mean I would necessarily discard Hurst either but I would be making strong overtones to Jack Ross and to St Mirren (if this hasn't already happened) about us now having a very keen interest to want to explore what a deal might look like for Jack and for St Mirren in terms of compensation.

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grumpyoldman added 11:51 - May 20 Lampard is covering the World Cup so would not be able until late June early July, as soon as the new manager is appointed his only focus should be planning for next season, as for describing him as a genius is going completely over the top. In my opinion he wasn't a genius as a player, so am at a lost to understand in what field he is a genius. Jack Ross or Scott Parker for me.

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stiffy501 added 12:47 - May 20 marked that down by mistake Grumpy sorry, not to sure about Scott Parker though, what has happened to the dutchman ?
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bernie added 12:58 - May 20 Think Lampard is worth a go with a decent experience number 2 all these town fans going on about a ex town player doing it get real , football has move on like we should don't get me wrong if there was a ex town player out there capable of doing the job I would be all for it but for me there's not !! Don't think we should keep comparing lamps to Keane either . And for me regarding players for next season is Carter-Vickers if we can,and some pace on the wings think midfield ok once we get all players back and a right back and possibly left back

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bernie added 13:03 - May 20 Sorry Dissboyitfc meant to mark you up
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luckydiddy added 13:31 - May 20 seen a lot of people commenting they have faith in the interview system and ME because he's a top businessman.... so how's that worked out for us so far? Clegg Keane Jewell Milne McCarthy ???
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grumpyoldman added 13:36 - May 20 stiffy501 I am not one to care if I get up or down marks. The main thrust of my post was arguing that Lampard is not a genius, people may mark it down but nobody has come up with a reasoned argument supporting that theory. Genius is bandied about to nowadays to describe adequate, nothing more, players. To me a football genius is a person who by their skill or force of personality raises those around them to preform way beyond expectations over a period of time, Pele, Cruyff & Maradona. At this club we have had two Robson & Ramsey, there have been great players but none geniuses in my opinion.

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I_AM_GOD added 13:38 - May 20 GrumpyOldMan - I am sure getting the manager job here would mean missing the world cup responsibilities if it gets offered. But then again, he gets first hand view of players from lesser nations who could do a job here!! I don't see him being any worse or better option than someone like Ross who admittedly has more experience within smaller leagues, but he will come with a lot of contacts from Chelsea so a few loan moves will happen there I am sure. I'd be happy to give Lampard an opportunity here with an experienced team behind him.

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grumpyoldman added 15:04 - May 20 I AM GOD, loans from Chelsea will upset a few on here as they want us to use our own players. Of the candidates mentioned Ross has had success, Hurst has done well, and the Dutchman has done well, Parker has spent time coaching and would have links to Spurs, counteracting Lampards contacts at Chelsea. Now MM has gone I am looking forward to the new season, whoever the manager is. But my original point is still valid Lampard is not a genius as some have called him.

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hopefulblue added 15:54 - May 20 About lampard not being a genius https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/metro.co.uk/2009/03/05/lampards-iq-score-makes-hi
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hopefulblue added 16:04 - May 20 Lampards iq is 150 not far off Einstein's who had an it of 160! Not bad for a footballer so clearly he is a Smart guy, that doesn't make him a good manager though I know that but one of the games best midfielders in Morden times, very respected, probably has bags of contacts and any young player would love to play for him! Jack Ross sound by all accounts like a good manager but he was managing a Scottish championship side that to be honest is vanarama football at best. I like the sound of all three of the names (hurst,Ross,lampard) so would be happy to back any of them! I think the future bodes well for town and can't wait for next season! Also anyone comparing lampard to Keane clearly doesn't know have a clue about football or people, two completely different players and personalities!

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TrickyTaricco added 16:07 - May 20 Just read that Sunderland are considering making an approach for Jack Ross. Come on ME, don't waste time! https://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/football/sunderland-afc/exclusive-st-mirren
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grumpyoldman added 16:31 - May 20 Just because somebody has a high IQ does not make a football genius, surely we should have had Stephen Hawkins as our manager on that basis. From my understanding Scottish Championship is at the same level as league 1 or 2 and people were suggesting Crowleys who are managing in division 2, as our best hope! It is of course all about opinions. A few on here, not the ones I am at present discussing matters with by the way, took an IQ test and it came back negative!

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hopefulblue added 16:36 - May 20 Which part of what I said claimed he was a football genius? just stating that he clearly is a smart guy!
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armchaircritic59 added 17:51 - May 20 Something else interesting about FL. He had no experience in writting books, but now he's a successful childrens books author. I'm certainly not saying that qualifies him for the managers seat here. Merely pointing out that being inexperienced is no barrier to success!
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itfcgene added 17:52 - May 20 An etheric Stephen Hawkins would be a great fit.
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grumpyoldman added 17:56 - May 20 hopeful blue You did not say he was a genius, on page 4 somebody described him as a bona fide genius, I started commenting on that post and others joined in
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hopefulblue added 18:23 - May 20 Grumpyoldman, fair enough chap I didn't read that comment!
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