Haji Wright played a key role during Frank Lampard’s early time with Coventry City and the England manager is hoping to see his American forward take another major step forward this season.
Wright is currently with his Sky Blues teammates at preseason camp as he continues injury rehabilitation ahead of the EFL Championship campaign. The U.S. men’s national team attacker suffered an Achilles injury during the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which ruled him out of most of the tournament.
Although Wright’s international opportunity was hampered by the injury, Lampard doesn’t believe it to be severe.
“Haji sustained an injury when he was away with the USA team, I think we’re two-and a-bit weeks into what would you call his rehab from the moment he got the injury, which is an Achilles injury,” Lampard said in a club interview.
“Hopefully it’s nothing major,” he added. “He has done everything right and he has been off his feet for a few weeks.”
Wright missed parts of the 2024-25 league season due to an ankle injury, but returned to play a leading role under Lampard’s tutelage last spring. The 27-year-old scored five goals during the second half of the season, finishing with 12 overall as Coventry City reached the promotion playoffs.
The Sky Blues’ playoff run eventually ended against eventual playoff winners Sunderland, ending a promising six months under Lampard. Having Wright back for a full season will be key for Coventry City’s promotion quest this year and Lampard is eager to get the American back amongst the goals.
“He was really keen to come here with us, which I was really pleased with and it’s the right thing to have him around the group, we can do all the work with him here and Haji is a big player for us and I was very keen for him to be here with us,” Lampard said.
“He’s good with the work, he gets on it with it and even for me, this is my first full season with the players and I really want to get to work with the players and Haji individually, as he works through his rehab, we want to get him fit for the start of the season hopefully and I think it can be a big year for him,” he added. “He has so much talent and I want to work with him closely and I want to see the best of him.”
Coventry City opens its league schedule on August 9 against Hull City.
We really could’ve used him in the Gold Cup.
don’t rush back
don’t be rushed back
re. any injury/rehabs and also like this one in the off season, everything I have learned from my innumerable injuries and rehabs to coaching I don’t know how many with injuries, the goal should be to follow all the rehab of course, and then not push that stuff until you’re ready SO YOU CAN BE FIT ALL SEASON, at least from this injury. Fit for the first game? whatever, only if you’re fit. Or else it nags or recurs or worsens and the season is a mess and you’re never your best and the opponent knows it, and all of that. the goal is to be fully recovered so all season it does not recur, right?
Lampard has shown his lack of awareness with regards to this aspect of coaching before, maybe he’s learned, idk, we’ll see. Folks are like, well he’s a professional coach with a pro staff etc., yes all true, yet history is what it is. His handling of CP’s injury was awful. I’ve ruptured my achilles. You do not want to screw with this.
This is a pretty big year for Haji! I got a good feeling about this season for him and the run in to the FWC.