Chelsea Football Club has today announced legendary footballer Frank Lampard as it’s Head Coach, with the former Blues midfielder signing a three-year deal to replace Maurizio Sarri.
Despite a third-place finish in the Premier League last season and Europa League glory, Sarri struggled to win over fans and jumped at the chance to succeed Massimiliano Allegri at Juventus. Lampard quickly emerged as the stand-out candidate to take over at Stamford Bridge, having made a promising start to his managerial career with Championship outfit Derby County.
The 41-year-old said:
‘I am immensely proud to be returning to Chelsea as head coach. Everyone knows my love for this club and the history we have shared, however, my sole focus is on the job in hand and preparing for the season ahead. I am here to work hard, bring further success to the club and I cannot wait to get started.’
Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia (pictured above right) added:
‘It gives us great pleasure to welcome Frank back to Chelsea as head coach. Frank possesses fantastic knowledge and understanding of the club and last season, he demonstrated he is one of the most talented young coaches in the game.
‘After 13 years with us as a player, where he became a club legend and our record goalscorer, we believe this is the perfect time for him to return and are delighted he has done so. We will do everything we can to ensure he has all the support required to be a huge success.’
Lampard learned from some of the best managers in the history of the sport during his trophy-laden 13 years at Chelsea when he blazed a trail. Only Ron Harris, Peter Bonetti and John Terry played more than his 648 games and Lampard famously leads Chelsea’s all-time scoring chart with 211 goals. His goal touch allied with all-round quality and fantastic stamina helped change the way football views the modern central midfield player.
Lampard’s dedication to improvement, versatility and reading of the game was exemplary, and those assets bode well as he begins life in charge of an elite Premier League club he knows inside out.
Derby had wanted to keep Lampard, and even opened talks over a new contract, but he was convinced to return to Chelsea and the Blues have paid around £4million in compensation.
