It was an announcement that many had expected.
Chelsea Football Club have officially dismissed Frank Lampard as manager after just 18 months on the job.
Photo via Sky Sports
The decision was made with the Blues currently lying ninth in the EPL standings.
Lampard took over from Maurizio Sarri in July 2019 and did an impressive enough job in his first season in charge, with Chelsea finishing fourth and making the FA Cup final.
This season, however, has been very different, with the Blues suffering five defeats in their last eight league matches.
He’s also been accused of struggling to get the best out of his new players, including Kai Havertz and Timo Werner.
No surprises then that club owner Roman Abramovich, who is notoriously impatient with managers, decided to make the chop.
What next for Frank?
Photo via AFP
With his limited CV, it would appear that a return to the Championship could be on the cards for Lampard.
He had impressed during his previous stint at Derby, and few would bet against him doing another good job in a more forgiving league.
He could also look abroad, specifically the US' Major League Soccer, where ex-players like Thierry Henry and Phil Neville are plying their managerial trade.
The question is, would Lampard be prepared to take what is considered a step down, having already managed a Champions League side?
What next for Chelsea?
Photo via Eurosport
Multiple sources are reporting that ex-Borussia Dortmund and PSG boss, Thomas Tuchel is set to take over at Stamford Bridge.
On paper at least, Tuchel appears to tick several boxes for the Blues.
He has Champions League experience.
He has spent years coaching in Germany and might be able to get the best out of Havertz and Werner, who are ex-Bundesliga players.
And he’s said to have a good working relationship with Christian Pulisic and Thiago Silva, both of whom he has managed at previous clubs.
What works against Tuchel, though, is his track record of high-profile disagreements with past club owners and directors.
It will be interesting to see how (or if) he would get along with Abramovich, who has now sacked 10 full-time managers since buying the London club in 2003.
by Nicholas Darren John
