ClapThroughout the entire history of football, it has always seemed as if players have been the ones to transition most successfully into becoming managers. It’s almost as if there’s no other possible avenue for hopeful managers in which to get into the game itself, which is a shame. Then again, in recent years, it has consistently come across as being more and more difficult to make that transition successfully.
In the modern era we’ve seen a series of great players such as Ryan Giggs, Thierry Henry and Paul Scholes all fall flat on their faces when they decided to try and make it on their own. Of course, someone like Zinedine Zidane is living proof that it can still happen, but then you’ve also got gaffers who are located somewhere in the middle.
Here he comes
Case in point: Frank Lampard. When the legendary former midfielder decided to take up the role as Derby County’s new boss, it was a pretty brave thing for him to test out. The expectations have been high at the club in the last few years, mainly due to their many close calls with promotion. When Lampard came through the door there was a certain expectation of failure from him, but as the months went on, it became pretty clear to see that he was growing into the role – and he was doing so in an increasingly impressive manner.
He just seemed to have this bond with the squad that very few others possess, which in a way, can probably be put down to his age. In the end he was able to lead the Rams all the way to the Championship playoff final, and whilst they may have ultimately fallen short courtesy of Aston Villa’s strong performance, they could still leave with their heads held high.
The dream return
Now, however, as reported by BBC and The Guardian, it seems as if a return to Chelsea could be on the horizon. Lampard first made a name for himself with the Blues, to the point where many called him (and still do) one of the best midfielders of his generation. Now, with Maurizio Sarri looking set to make the jump to Juventus, Frank is the prime candidate to try and guide Chelsea back towards title contention.
The belief is that Chelsea will need to pay around £4 million in order to officially bring him back to the club, and we’re interested to see how that goes down. It doesn’t seem like such an extravagant fee, but for a manager, it really is quite the statement of intent.
It’ll be particularly interesting to see how John Terry takes the news, because you just know that he’ll be dying to join Lamps and be side by side with him once again. Of course, in order to make that happen, he’ll need to leave Aston Villa – the same club he just helped towards promotion.
One way or another we’re excited about the direction that this is going in, because Lampard is going to be a featured member of English football in the role that it feels like he was born for.
