What will be Frank Lampard’s next step?
After losing a job, most football managers remain vague while answering questions on their next move, because to be honest, there is no guarantee whether there will be the next move or not. However, there are a few exceptions to this. A prime example is Dean Smith, who took up the top job at Norwich, after being sacked from Aston Villa, within eight days. This unexpected news was greeted with surprise as many were still debating the justification behind his sacking.
A few factors
might have led to this development, one of which was the perception that he
could have an immediate impact at a dwindling club mainly seen as relegation
fodder. Moreover, his willingness to jump right back into Premier League action
was also fundamental to his return.
Frank Lampard is
another such football manager linked with every top job since his departure
from Chelsea. The media was rife with speculations about his name being
considered for the Norwich and Newcastle managerial positions, but he soon
withdrew his name from contention. He also had an underwhelming interview with
Crystal Palace which led to Patrick Vieira taking up the job.
Before joining
Chelsea, his brief stint at Derby County in 2018 was marred by a myriad of
issues, which were later inherited by his successor and former England
teammate, Wayne Rooney. Despite his track record at Derby County, he was soon
hired by Chelsea, which many believe was due to his legendary status as the
club’s top scorer. Appointments made through hope and sentiment rarely find
success, and many questioned hiring him for the top job.
He signed a
three-year deal with Chelsea in 2019 and led them to the FA Cup Final, and
salvaged a fourth-place finish in his first campaign. Despite his inexperience,
he created a reputation for himself as a manager who gave players the chances
they deserved, placing his trust in their abilities, and allowing them to play
to their full potential.
This turned out
to be a blessing in disguise as Chelsea had been placed under a transfer ban,
which meant Lampard had to make do with whatever he had. Once the ban was
lifted, he spent hefty sums to acquire players like Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech
and Kai Havertz.
However, things
went downhill quickly as the lack of experience exposed many chinks in his
armour. Problematic areas remained unnoticed, the failure of new arrivals, and
the fact that he had the lowest win percentage of all managers under Roman
Abramovich meant that his sacking was now an eventuality.
In the face of
all odds, he managed to preserve the idea that he was a talented manager who
can perform well in the Premier League if given the right opportunity. While
the debate rages on, on what his next step might be, Lampard has chosen to remain
silent keeping the speculation around his future alive in media discourses.
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