Haji Wright is a major reason for Coventry City’s early-season success in the EFL Championship, but the American forward credited his manager for being the inspiration behind his stellar run of form.

Wright praised Sky Blues manager and former England international Frank Lampard during his media availability on Tuesday ahead of U.S. men’s national team duty. The 27-year-old Wright currently leads the Championship’s Golden Boot ranks with eight goals, while Coventry City sits top of the league table with 19 points.

After taking over as Coventry manager last November, Lampard helped the Sky Blues reach the promotion playoffs in the Spring before kicking off a nine-match unbeaten run in league play. He’s won 22 of his 44 matches in charge of the second-division club while also watching Wright contribute 14 goals in all competitions.

Wright now has a strong chance to boost his stock for the USMNT’s No. 9 role this fall and thanked Lampard for helping him get the opportunity.

“Lampard has been a big inspiration for me since he came in,” Wright told reporters. “He’s shown me a lot of belief, has been able to help me in training and then games to…just perform my best.

“He’s a great player during his time, and now he’s a great person to be around, and he’s very personable, so it’s easy to talk to him whenever I have any questions,” Wright added. “He’s up until now gotten the best out of me.”

Wright is seeking his first USMNT minutes since scoring once in a 5-0 CONCACAF Gold Cup victory over Trinidad & Tobago last June. Despite finding the back of the net on that occasion, Wright eventually left camp due to an Achilles’ injury, one that hampered the start of his preseason training.

Wright is back in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad though, and arguably riding the best run of form of his career to date. While he admitted missing the Gold Cup schedule was disappointing, Wright’s quick shift to preparing for Coventry City’s schedule has helped him get back on track.

“I was super excited to be at the Gold Cup and to be with the guys. [It was] disappointing to not be able to really contribute much,” said Wright. “I just tried to heal up and get ready for the season, and hopefully earn my spot back into the national [team].”

Wright has scored five goals in 17 caps for the USMNT and will be seeking to add to those numbers, starting with Friday’s home friendly vs. Ecuador.