My eyes are wet, forehead wrinkled in anger, fists clenched as the news finally breaks. What is inevitable, is inevitable. Frank Lampard sacked, fans in utter divide, and the players in the limelight of criticism. It was a bad day for me. The news shook me to my core. Lampard was a loved manager. Despite the fact that he did not win a trophy for Chelsea, he was someone you loved seeing on the sidelines. His very presence with the squad was a soothing factor no matter how bad things would get. After Jose Mourinho, he was the first manager that I, and many other Chelsea fans, fell in love with.
But this love wasn’t unfounded, neither was it because of his status as a club legend. Perhaps that contributed, yes, but not entirely. Lampard was setting up a legacy at Chelsea. He was building a team that showed glimpses of brilliance, forcing us to hope for a future where this squad would dominate with world-class football. The fans were patient because Lampard had asked for 3 years and we were ready to give it to him. But Roman Abramovich, the Chelsea FC owner, was not.
Now, it’s not important as to why he was sacked, or whether he should’ve been. It is his legacy at Chelsea that matters. Lampard came on the back of a career which could define him as the best English midfielder in history, being Chelsea’s record goalscorer and arguably the greatest in the club’s history as well. But he did not cower behind this reputation. Lampard was successful in bringing back the fighting spirit in the Chelsea team. Ever since John Terry’s departure, the team had lacked leadership and a sense of ruthlessness. Players were starting to slack off during games because the hunger just wasn’t there anymore. This was the problem that Antonio Conte faced in his second season, as well as Maurizio Sarri in his only season as Chelsea manager. When Lampard came in, apart from the transfer ban and Eden Hazard’s departure, this was the most challenging problem he faced. He reinvigorated the team, introducing young talent from the Chelsea academy like Mason Mount, Reece James and Tammy Abraham. These were players who fought for Chelsea with all their heart and soul. They had been part of the club for as long as they could remember and now they took their opportunity to fight for it when it mattered the most. This fighting spirit, a champion’s mentality, materialized in the form of comebacks against Ajax and West Brom, as well as countless other occasions when the team simply did not give up. A certain Liverpool match also comes to mind.
But the introduction of youth players was more impactful than just this. In Chelsea’s recent history, the only academy player who had made it to the first team was John Terry. Terry ended up being the club’s most successful captain in history, but despite that, no manager ever put their faith into the club’s youth. It resulted in poor decisions like letting Salah, De Bruyne and Lukaku go, while deadweight signings (see: Drinkwater, Zappacosta) plagued the club. Lampard’s trust in the youth helped bring the best of the academy forward, and these players performed massively. Mount ended up being a regular starter for England, Tomori has been praised by Paolo Maldini himself, while Reece James is being termed as the best right-back in the league.
Fact is, Lampard, transformed what the club looked like. Instead of letting it transition into becoming another Arsenal, he brought meaningful change to the way the fans and the players saw things. For the first time in the Roman Era, Chelsea fans were prepared to go trophy-less because they understood what it took to construct a strong basis for the coming years. His charisma helped attract the likes of Kai Havertz and Timo Werner to Chelsea. His handling of the transfer ban helped keep the club afloat in the Top 4 of the Premier League. I could go on all day.
Perhaps his legacy is that he made us fall in love with the club and its players once again. After a period of disappointing seasons, this was the most important things the fans needed. Now, whenever the team steps onto the turf, we love the sight of Mount, and Zouma, and Mendy, and James, and Tammy, and Chilwell. We love them because Frank loved them. We love them because they make us hope. And hope, in football, is all that matters.
Writer is a student in Lahore and can be reached at [email protected]