Interim coach until the end of the season
Frank Lampard hasn’t struggled with a return to Chelsea. “It’s a pretty easy decision for me,” said the 44-year-old on Thursday (quoted via “The Athletic”) at a press conference as part of his presentation as interim coach until the end of the season. Lampard succeeds Graham Potter, who was relieved of his duties on Sunday.
Chelsea “is my club,” said Lampard, who made 648 appearances for the club as a player and was on the touchline between 2019 and 2021 – averaging 1.75 points in 84 games. Lampard was released when Chelsea slipped into the middle of the Premier League. Thomas Tuchel took over at that time. Now the sporting situation looks similar, only this time it goes on with Lampard.
He didn’t expect the possibility of a return to open up. “Of course it was a surprise because you never know what decision the club will make,” he said. And further: “I come with the conviction that I can help the cause until the end of the season. I’ll do my best to give the fans what they want until the end of the season.” Chelsea are eleventh in the Premier League with nine games to go, five points adrift of the European competition. In addition, the Blues are in the Champions League quarter-finals, in which it goes against the reigning title holder Real Madrid.
Most valuable squads: Man City one of two clubs over the billion mark
Asked about a possible stay beyond the end of the season, Lampard replied: “It’s not my decision as such. I expect those questions, but what’s important for me is to put them aside and focus on work.” In 2012 there was a case where caretaker coach Roberto Di Matteo was allowed to stay longer at Chelsea. This is “a different time in the club’s history,” said Lampard. Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique are traded as hot candidates for the coming season.
Lampard questioned on Mount future: ‘Would be wrong to look into it’
Lampard was also asked about the future of Mason Mount (24), whom he has known not only since his first tenure at Chelsea, but from their days together at Derby County. Mount is under contract with Chelsea until 2024, most recently he was loosely associated with Bayern. “I think it would be wrong of me to deal with it,” said Lampard. He doesn’t know enough about the situation to speak about it. Mount was “always a fantastic player for me” – he played so many games for no other coach (124). “I know what I’m getting from Mason and I just want him to perform on the pitch and I look forward to speaking to him more.”
To home page