Coventry City manager Frank Lampard only got to work with Haji Wright for half of the 2024-25 campaign, but is now seeing the striker’s full potential when he is fully healthy for the Sky Blues.
Wright is riding a blistering run of form in Lampard’s squad right now, scoring in each of his last four EFL Championship appearances. The 27-year-old’s six goals in all competitions lead Coventry City in the early stages of the new campaign, continuing a productive spell at the cub for the forward.
Despite missing four months of last season due to injury, Wright scored five goals in the second half of last season, including a hat trick against eventual promotion winners Sunderland. He was part of the USMNT’s Gold Cup roster, but only featured once before a slight Achilles’ issue forced him to withdraw from action.
Wright has fought his way back to full fitness this summer and Coventry City is reaping the rewards of having him fully healthy and confident. Lampard knows Wright’s versatility after using him as a winger for parts of last season, but has shifted him back into the No. 9 role in recent weeks.
That shift has certainly paid off and Lampard is fully pleased with Wright’s production through the opening five league matches of the league season.
“We can see that he’s feeling really released from the issues that he had last year that were sort of bugging him through to the end of the season,” Lampard said in an interview with the Coventry Telegraph. “But it’s more now a case of how we can work and be specific about the role that I, and we, want him to play, and trying to work with him on the training pitch.
“There’s a really good energy about Haji at the moment and he’s a very, very good player,” Lampard added. “So we’re happy to have him and I hope we’ll push that and that he remains as consistent in how he started the season because he’s shown already what I believed in him anyway. But in the role he’s been playing, which has been more central now, he’s a very dangerous player, so I’m very happy with him.”
Wright’s five league goals have him tied with fellow American forward Josh Sargent atop the Championship’s leading goalscorer list this season. The in-form striker will aim to add to his tally on Saturday when the Sky Blues visit Leicester City in league action.
Pick him for the next camp Poch! Please!
For real, for real
I want to see him on the LW w/ Flo at CF and Timmo at RW. Put CP10 underneath with Adam’s and Johnny holding.
Haji – – – – Flo – – – Weah
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
– – – – – – – CP10 – – – – – –
– – – Tyler – – Johnny – – –
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Rob – – – – – – – – – – – Dest
– – Ream – – Richards – –
– – – – – – – Matt – – – – – – –
This team can’t play a 4-3-3. Wright far more effective as a Striker.