Lampard makes shock Chelsea return

06/04/2023 32comments  |  Jump to last

A little over two months since he was sacked by Everton, Frank Lampard is back in management at Chelsea having been named interim boss of the West London club.

The 44-year-old, who became a Chelsea legend as a player, had an 18-month spell as their head coach between 2019 and 2021 before being fired by then owner Roman Abramovich but the new supremo at Stamford Bridge, Todd Boehly, has turned to Lampard for the remainder of the season following the dismissal of Graham Potter.

Potter, hired to replace Thomas Tuchel, lasted just a few months before being canned by Boehly with the club sitting in the bottom half of the Premier League. Lampard is tasked with trying to steer Chelsea into as high a position as possible and to try and win the Champions League.

In the interim, Boehly will reportedly hold talks with the likes of former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique Martinez and ex-Bayern manager Julian Nagelsman about the full-time role.

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Lampard, who cut his managerial teeth at Derby County, became Everton manager in January last year in the wake of Rafael Benitez's sacking and successfully kept the Toffees in the Premier League with a game to spare, the club's survival confirmed on a dramatic evening at Goodison Park last May when his team came back from 2-0 down to beat Crystal Palace.

Together with Director of Football, Kevin Thelwell, he set about strengthening the squad in key areas, notably in midfield with the acquisition of Amadou Onana, James Garner and Dwight McNeil and in defence with Conor Coady and James Tarkowski coming in.

But it was Everton's collective failure to sign a suitable striker to replace the outgoing Richarlison and cover for Dominic Calvert-Lewin's succession of injuries that made Lampard's task of improving on last season that much harder.

That, combined with the Romford-born manager's own struggles to get the side playing effectively, led to a dreadful run of results that yielded just 2 points from a possible 27 between October and late January, prompting the Blues' hierarchy to end his employment and hire Sean Dyche instead.

 

Reader Comments (32)

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Andrew Brookfield
1 Posted 06/04/2023 at 16:01:30
Best of luck to him, was stitched up with no striker. Not the greatest manager but handled himself with dignity. We’re probably stronger without him but wish him well for the future.
Paul Hewitt
2 Posted 06/04/2023 at 16:21:35
Well for the future?. Nah, he was a disaster, would have definitely took us down.
Jerome Shields
3 Posted 06/04/2023 at 16:23:59
Second what Andrew posted.Lampard will do ok, the players are likely to play for him till the end of the season and enough know what they are doing..Potter was too nice of a guy for that job, but had ability.A few Managers have had problems with player power at Chelsea.
Brendan McLaughlin
4 Posted 06/04/2023 at 16:27:49
Really bizzare apppointment.

Obviously Boehly thinking "What would Everton do?"

Joe McMahon
5 Posted 06/04/2023 at 16:33:29
Paul, agree but he was still new to management, and a premier league team with a awful squad and no striker/goalscorers is not a good place to learn, Look at Unsworth and Dunc. Sean Dyche has many more years experiance and probably and realistically the better option for any relegation quality squad. He will be better off at Chelsea as they have more quality, I have no hard feelings and wish him well.
Michael Lynch
6 Posted 06/04/2023 at 16:44:38
Do you think we could get them to take Dele on loan? Or maybe add Kenwright to their board?

Great move for Frank, who I liked very much as a person when he managed us, but it's good to see we're not the only club in the Premier League run by idiots.

Ian Riley
7 Posted 06/04/2023 at 16:48:32
If we go down? It will be not sacking Frank sooner! Unable to steer us away from the iceberg! Not willing to change his biggest problem which rarely goes down well in management.
Chris Leyland
8 Posted 06/04/2023 at 16:55:39
Wish him well. He really made the effort to connect with the fans and immerse himself in the club when he was with us but his tactics and selections left a lot to be desired.

We should have got rid after the Bournemouth double disaster when it was clear that the squad just weren’t responding to his methods. We’d have been sitting comfortably now if we’d have got Dyche at the start of the World Cup break.

Barry Hesketh
9 Posted 06/04/2023 at 17:03:37
Frank hopefully will make a better fist of it against the sides struggling near the foot of the table at Chelsea than he did with us, starting with his first game in charge this weekend. I liked Lampard a lot, but he obviously couldn't judge the players at Goodison very well as he continued to make things harder rather than sticking to a simple plan like Dyche has. I agree he should have gone following the Bournemouth debacles and if he had, we may have been in a far better position. Good luck to him, but can't see him lasting, but I can see him managing England following Southgate.
Steve Shave
10 Posted 06/04/2023 at 17:11:28
Michael @6 and Ian @7 echo my main sentiments about this. I too like Frank as a person, his media and fan engagement was up there with the best I've seen.

However, conversely, he would have taken us down and our failure to address this prior to the World Cup might yet still cost us. Still, I wish you well Frank.

Barry Rathbone
11 Posted 06/04/2023 at 18:17:05
Wish nothing but good luck to the fella he tried his best and never had a bad word to say about us, quite the opposite.

It didn't work out for many reasons, not all of them down to Frank, but the number of managers getting the boot these days confirms patience longer exists in the game, especially here.

Make no mistake SD is the great redeemer right now but the first sign of poor results will bring the pitch fork crew out en masse.

Fill your boots, Frank, club management is nothing more than well paid russian roulette these days

Colin Glassar
12 Posted 06/04/2023 at 18:43:23
Good luck to him but he was at the wrong club at the wrong time. Despite him being a Tory I quite liked him as a man and a great footballer in his own right.
Ian Riley
13 Posted 06/04/2023 at 19:08:29
Barry#11 spot on! Frank was never the appointment we needed. He tried to change our playing style from the back. When you come in from a manager struggling with results and continue with relegation a cert. What is the board to do? Premiership clubs are on fine margins financially with expectations way above reality with fans. Patience from owners and fans are in short supply. Hopefully Frank can be successful. Nice guy and understood our frustrations as fans. Just didn't work out.

Robert Tressell
14 Posted 06/04/2023 at 20:10:24
Destined for punditry. Likeable, kept us up last year for which I'll always be thankful and genuinely cared. Also (sounds a bit twee this) did get the club. However, he's just not a good manager.

I was worried when he turned up that he couldn't organise a defence. Having seen him in action he can't organise a midfield either.

If we'd have signed a few forwards in January he might have turned it around. But he'd have had this squad relegated with about 28 points.

Mike Doyle
15 Posted 06/04/2023 at 20:14:50
Nice guy, great player, but probably not what we needed. Expect to see him as England manager in a few years time.
Gary Brown
16 Posted 06/04/2023 at 20:57:47
Good luck to him. Gave it his all, his all wasn’t enough. Hopefully remembered here for the palace game and not the fight this season. Make no mistake, if we go its still on him.
Andy Crooks
17 Posted 06/04/2023 at 21:08:35
Wish him all the luck in the world. It didn't work for us and he should have gone sooner. However, intelligent, decent men with integrity are rare in football and we had one.
Phil Bellis
18 Posted 06/04/2023 at 21:13:30
Just seen him on Sky Sports...he looks so much healthier and 10 years younger than his last days at Everton
Good luck and stuff Wolves please
Tony Everan
19 Posted 06/04/2023 at 21:15:56
Wishing Frank the best of luck, and especially to beat any of our relegation rivals.

If he beats Real Madrid and also gets them into Europe he may get a stay of execution.

Mike Doyle
20 Posted 06/04/2023 at 21:19:06
Phil # 18] I was thinking the same thing. Clearly the Everton job was taking its toll.
Tony Everan
21 Posted 06/04/2023 at 21:42:07
Nice one Sean, you should be doing stand up! “Harry Kane nearly broke an eyelash “. Comedy gold and will strike a nerve too.

Reports that Tottenham squad will be having a vigil for the sad demise of the eyelash this weekend, and will wear a black armband in remembrance.

Lee Courtliff
22 Posted 06/04/2023 at 22:06:45
Good luck to Frank, he genuinely cared and tried his utmost to be a success here. I hope they win the CL now, although I know its far from likely.

Surely the return of a Hero will galvanise the fanbase and see Chelsea stuff Wolves on Saturday!!

All the best, Frank.

Jeff Armstrong
23 Posted 06/04/2023 at 22:59:41
It would be ironic if he “wins” the Champions league at the end of this season, he was sacked by Chelsea I think after guiding them to the knockout stage and then Skeletor took over and ended up winning the thing,I mean Frank got them that far with transfer sanctions on them.

Roles reversed now and a couple of years later he picks up from where he left off, it would be a miracle if he pulled it off but this is football, you never know.

I hope he does it for his own sanity, he’s a decent bloke but a very conservative manager, he needs to throw off the shackles and go for it, this is his free hit.

Ian Riley
24 Posted 06/04/2023 at 23:44:38
Phil#18

If Frank looks 10 years younger after leaving Everton after 18 months? What does that say about us fans after 30 years being a supporter? Thank goodness for international breaks and pre-season.

Mal van Schaick
25 Posted 07/04/2023 at 00:19:03
I wish Frank and his family the best.

He is football through and thorough. He would be a great Chelsea manager as he was a player. His last stint didn’t work out well, but he has grown, matured and for me he is the right man for them for years to come. All the best Frank.

Paul Birmingham
26 Posted 06/04/2023 at 00:31:51
I never forgave the diving header from his Old Man, in 1980, after Bobs magnificent trade mark diving header, equaliser, at Elland Road, but getting past that Roundabout, in the day after the game was an achievement.

In 2009, Imho, it was one of the worst long range shots to be scored at Wembley, since 1975, when the Scotland GK, Stuart Kennedy, played. ( No disrespect to Scottish Evertonians, some of my best mates,are Scottish), I still think Tim Howard should have done better, but also Everton gave him enough time, to slash a goal in from 30 yards,

I’ve no issue with Lampard Senior, Junior, both are good football people, as players in their day, but as to be a good Manager, and many have said over years on TW, great or very good footballers and even World Class Footballers, very rarely make a good manager.

In fairness to Frank, he done a decent job at a Derby, but he should have stayed there longer.

Chelsea, is a poison chalice regardless unless your as good as Guardiola, or Enzo Bearzot.

I think Frank, will bring some humanity, to Chelsea, and after his Everton stretch, ( no pun ), as it wasn’t 12 months, id like to think, Frank, has reflected. Let’s see how Chelsea, finish this season.

But, we shall see. Europe, will make its own view, as well.

Some cracking sketches out today on the internet.

But for me, at Everton, Frank, and his backroom staff were football reporters, and teachers, and not football coaches. Even Frank, him self.

As for his backroom /support staff, they made up the numbers, and nothing more. Frank, surely must learn to share responsibility and delegate?

May be the next Everton Board, will also run the club as a business on a proper management structure for an EPL football club.

In my view, at Everton, they were his recurring ulcer, no personality and no punch, no long term value, it became a circus, and opened the wounds of scorn, very early this season.

The dressing room was long lost, before the West Ham, game, in my view.

So for Old Trafford.

I’d take a point but I reckon, if Everton, show the same belief and effort v Spurs, then, Everton, can go better than last season, when they should have won.

Gutted, I won’t be there, but my lad will be there.

Good luck, to all Evertonians, this weekend, and those going to Old Trafford, safe journey to and from the game.

Everton, can beat United, and if they play like v Spurs, they will beat United.

UTFTs!


James Flynn
27 Posted 07/04/2023 at 01:40:33
Paul (2) - Agree. He was clueless.


George Stuart
28 Posted 07/04/2023 at 07:54:47
I really like Frank.
Maybe he can manage a team of world ranked players. Good luck to him.
Frank often looked on the sidelines when we did something daft or crap, oh dear, why on earth are they playing so poorly. Hm. Why arnt they playing better. I genuinely think he couldn't figure out why they didnt play as well as he did. And being a nice guy he didn't tear a strip off them when they didn't try.

I thought Dyche would come in ranting and raving. Bollocking everyone in sight. But he's applying the scalpel with a much finer touch.
More depth to him than I thought. Here's to him managing a champions league team with discipline and verve in 6 years time.

Ray Jacques
29 Posted 13/04/2023 at 14:39:55
He may still get us relegated, as Chelsea are likely to lose to all the teams they play against until the end of the season!!!!
Kevin Molloy
30 Posted 13/04/2023 at 14:51:28
I wish you hadn't said that Ray.
Sean Roe
31 Posted 13/04/2023 at 15:11:04
Frank carrying on in exactly the same fashion with which he left us, losing, and then waffling a load of rubbish in press conferences
Mike Owen
32 Posted 13/04/2023 at 15:29:17
29, Ray,
May 6, Bournemouth v Chelsea
May 13, Chelsea v Forest
I'm hoping he'll have them up to speed by then.

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