“There was a lot of tension at the club.”
Former Chelsea legend lifts the lid on crazy “Wild West” situation during his time as Everton manager as the club’s struggle continues under Sean Dyche.
Lampard had previously managed Derby and Chelsea before taking the Everton job and managed to save them from the brink of relegation in a fight that went right to the last day.
However, his second season in charge was even more difficult and he was eventually sacked, to be replaced by Dyche, who is now experiencing some trouble himself.
Frank Lampard on his spell at Everton.
Speaking on the latest episode of Stick to Football, Lampard explains to the panel just how difficult it was juggling all of the problems on Merseyside.
“At Everton in the end, there were a lot of issues in and around it – we all know that there was an issue between the fans and the board at the time,” said Lampard.
‘”I was on the phone a lot in the evenings, trying to connect with the owner, chairman, CEO, then go in and do the day job the next day. During this time, I found it an intense period.”
“The minute January came, it was like the Wild West,” he continued. “Agents, and everyone, it was all about what it was going to be and who we could bring in.
“We were struggling to spend money because of the FFP situation, but I desperately wanted to bring in some players, and in the end after I’d left, where Sean Dyche came in the back end [of the season], he couldn’t make any moves anyways and Anthony Gordon left the club.
“There was a lot of tension at the club through that and I think it would have been a build-up over the past few years, I felt it from the minute I came in until the minute I left – it was almost like we were in a crisis but there is going to be another crisis, it was quite difficult.”
Frank Lampard explains the truth behind his second stint at Chelsea.
Following Lampard’s exit at Everton, he was quickly reinstated as Chelsea manager on an interim contract to guide them through until the end of last season, but in terms of results, it proved to be disastrous.
However, despite the crazy financial situation, the influx of dozens of new players and the swinging door of superstars leaving Stamford Bridge, the former England international didn’t think this challenge was as difficult as his time at Everton.
“I didn’t find Chelsea as difficult, personally, because I knew it was finite, it was going to be six or seven weeks,” he said.
“I learnt very quickly in my head, what the issues were there, and they were not my issues to solve long term. I don’t want to sound like I palmed them off, it’s just that you want results, but at the same time if you go into a place where there are a lot of problems here, can I turn it around in nine games when motivation has just gone down?
“I came to peace with that a little bit – I wanted to win games because it was my reputation on the line, but at the same time, I wasn’t so bad. Probably at the end of Everton would be the biggest spell where it’s been a challenge, but it makes you a better person.”
Related links:
- Roy Keane makes his strongest pitch yet to be Ireland manager
- Gavin Bazunu has his own Frank Lampard moment as Russell Martin puts it up to fan at supporters forum
- Roy Keane compares “amazing” Kevin De Bruyne to Man United legend
