Photo credit: www.bbc.com
Frank Lampard’s Journey: From Player to Manager
After concluding his time with Chelsea, Frank Lampard had a brief tenure with Manchester City, guided by manager Manuel Pellegrini, followed by a season playing in Major League Soccer (MLS) with New York City FC.
In February 2017, Lampard officially hung up his boots, marking the end of a stellar playing career. He ventured into management in the summer of 2018, taking the reins at Derby County in the Championship.
Lampard’s inaugural season with Derby was marked by considerable success; he nearly led the team to promotion, ultimately losing 2-1 to Aston Villa in the play-off final held at Wembley in May 2019. His impressive performance piqued the interest of his former club, Chelsea, leading to his rapid appointment.
Within just 38 days of leaving Derby, Lampard returned to Chelsea as the club’s manager, signing a three-year contract. During his tenure, he was notable for integrating younger players into the first team, offering valuable opportunities to talents such as Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount, Reece James, and Fikayo Tomori. This approach helped the team secure a fourth-place finish in his first season at the helm.
Despite his efforts, Lampard’s closest approach to silverware was in the 2020 FA Cup final, where his side fell to rivals Arsenal. His managerial stint at Chelsea yielded a respectable win rate of 52%, yet in January 2021, he was dismissed and replaced by Thomas Tuchel.
A year later, Lampard made a return to the Premier League with Everton, where he worked to maintain the club’s top-flight status, achieving this goal at the end of the 2021-22 season.
However, his time on Merseyside was cut short after less than twelve months, culminating in his sacking in January 2023. Subsequently, in March 2023, Lampard returned to Chelsea once more, this time as interim manager for the concluding matches of the 2022-23 season following Graham Potter’s exit. Unfortunately, this return was challenging; he oversaw 11 games, securing just one victory while suffering eight defeats.
Source
www.bbc.com