Desperate Times At Chelsea As Managerial Carousel Continues
Updated: Jun 28, 2023
Frank Lampard, one of football’s most celebrated players, has had a challenging start to his managerial career. In his last 17 games as a manager, Lampard has won just one, with 14 losses and two draws. His tenure at Everton ended in January due to a poor run of results.
Lampard recently returned to Stamford Bridge as caretaker manager for Chelsea, following Graham Potter’s departure. However, he has struggled to turn things around, losing all three games in which he has been in charge, across all competitions.
Chelsea Fans Still Hoping For Lampard’s Success
Chelsea, under the ownership of Todd Boehly-led Clearlake Capital consortium since May of last year, are hoping that their club legend Frank Lampard can lead them to a positive end to the Premier Leauge season.
However, this is the only remaining hope for Chelsea after a tumultuous 11 months at the club. The team has been unable to find consistent form in the leage, leaving them with no chance of finishing in the top four and securing a Champions League spot for next season.
Despite their struggles, Chelsea remains a top club in world football, with a proud history and a passionate fan base. However, the pressure is mounting on Lampard and the team to deliver results, and the Champions League quarterfinal against Real Madrid was not a result that the fans will appreciate.
Boehly Not Doing To Good As Owner
Todd Boehly, who led the Clearlake Capital consortium’s purchase of Chelsea for £4.25 billion from Roman Abramovich in May of last year, has had a challenging tenure as the club’s owner. Boehly had predicted a 3-0 victory for Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal against reigning champions Real Madrid, but the reality was a disappointing defeat.
However, this overoptimistic score prediction is just one of many errors that Boehly has made during his time at the club. Boehly’s mistakes are well-documented, including his decision to fire Champions League-winning coach Thomas Tuchel after just seven games and replace him with unsuitable Brighton boss Graham Potter.
Furthermore, he spent over £600 million on new signings, only to sack Potter earlier this month when he was unable to get the best out of them. The latest move was to bring in club legend Frank Lampard as caretaker manager until the end of the season.
Not The Greatest Track Record For Lampard
Less than a year after joining Everton, Lampard was dismissed from his position as manager following a poor run of form that saw the team win just three out of 12 Premier League games, leaving them in danger of relegation.
Despite this, Lampard was appointed as Chelsea’s caretaker manager earlier this month, based on his legendary status as a former player and his previous managerial stint at the club, which ended in January 2021 after a run of three wins in 10 games.
Boehly and the Chelsea board were hoping that Lampard could bring stability to the team and provide them with time to find the right permanent manager. However, the results have been disappointing so far, with three defeats in his first three games in charge. If the team’s poor run continues, Boehly may have to replace Lampard with a more experienced “firefighter” manager.
The situation at Chelsea is dire, with the team closer to the relegation zone than the top four in the Premier League, both in terms of points and position.
"We have been fortunate enough to have huge success for 20 years." Frank Lampard insists Chelsea can bounce back quickly next season from dismal campaign ✍️ @Dan_KP https://t.co/yekUwvGdS9 — Standard Sport (@standardsport) April 18, 2023
He’s Not To Blame
It’s unfair to blame Lampard for Chelsea’s current struggles. The 44-year-old was understandably eager to take on his dream job for a second time, despite his lack of experience, but his appointment highlights the lack of foresight and strategic planning by the Chelsea ownership.
Fans expressed their frustration during Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat against Brighton, with some directing their anger towards Boehly in his executive box at Stamford Bridge. Under Abramovich’s 19-year ownership, Chelsea gained a reputation for being quick to hire and fire managers, with a total of 13 managers in charge.
Given the rash decisions made regarding Tuchel, Potter, and Lampard, it’s natural to question whether Boehly, along with co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, are capable of making the right managerial appointment this summer. The early indications are not positive when you consider the long list of coaches reportedly under consideration.
Big Names In For The Job
According to sources, as many as seven names are being considered, including former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann, former Spain coach Luis Enrique, ex-Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino, Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti, and Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim. It remains to be seen if Chelsea’s ownership can avoid making another mistake and appoint the right manager to turn things around at the club.