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

bluesman added 19:46 - May 20 Noooooooooooooooooo ‘Hours of experience' Hilarious
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Warkys_Tash added 22:52 - May 20 Let it be known that Frank Lampard has a higher IQ than Carol Voderman.. Plus he was a top player, loves football, has his coaching badges..young, brought, energetic and full of enthusiasm. I wouldn't be unhappy..
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hopefulblue added 23:18 - May 20 The more I think about lampard the more I like the idea, Eddie Howe springs to mind, no experience but knew the game look at what he done and is doing with such a small club! Surely if he toulk the town job he would not attend the World Cup as he would want to prove a point and get stuck in at Portman road, any way it's all ifs and but's! I have faith Evans will get it right whoever he picks

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hopefulblue added 00:02 - May 21 An Iq of 131 gets you into Mensa, lamps with his 150 probably does make him a genius to be fair!
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brittaniaman added 08:08 - May 21 It looks like Sunderland have thrown there hat in to the ring for the services of Jack Ross now ?? We know that several clubs are on the look out for Managers now !!!
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Barty added 08:16 - May 21 Personally I would prefer Hurst or Ross [ in that order ] but if it was Lampard I would not be that disappointed - ok he may not have the managerial experience but his footballing pedigree is excellent. Several so called experienced managers have all failed to get us back into the premiership over the past decade or so.
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Cloddyseedbed added 08:49 - May 21 Personally I think it would be another pr disaster where it turns out to be all about the manager and not about the club or team. I've had enough of big personalities and look at me, look at what I've achieved, aren't I great, look at all my friends and contacts. I don't think Ross would be like that. Just my opinion.
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tractorintheloft added 09:11 - May 21 I think he comes across very well and is a well measured intelligent bloke. I don't know how he can be described on here by some as having no experience, he has worked with some amazing Managers in his career and been through good and bad times. I wouldn't be disappointed with his appointment and I think he would be more score one more than you rather than MM concede one less. Would be an inspiration for the youngsters trying to break through at the club at the moment. He might coach goals into Teddy (if he stays fit)

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Razor added 10:34 - May 21 He will eventually get round to Nigel Clough-------wont he!?
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Southamptonblue added 11:05 - May 21 No, no, no, no. No!
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Elizabeth added 14:13 - May 21 Not sure why so many negative comments ! He's young and ambitious , would like to see him given the opportunity !1
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Bluroo added 14:46 - May 21 I'd go for Frank over Ross. There's something about the fella that makes me believe he's going to succeed in management and eventually become the best English coach in years. I think he has the right blend of charisma, authority, competitiveness, ideas and intelligence. Reading lots of comments on here that we should have learned from the Keane debacle. But there is nothing relevant there. Keane was the wrong kind of human being to be a successful manager, its not his experience or status that was the problem, it was his ego. The benefit of an ex-top tier player is that players want to play for them, they bring ideas gained from being coached by some of the best managers around. I think that's worth more than winning a minor division title in Scotland. Can't see the downside, whoever we pick is a gamble. The last 3 choices have been awful in different ways.

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blackheath_blue added 21:01 - May 21 I'm not for this giving the more famous ex-players a higher rung of the ladder to start on (e.g. Gerrard at Rangers) but at least Lampard has got a little bit up top and seems like a decent guy from what little I'm able to tell (early-career nookie hoo-har aside)
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