Chelsea are set to appoint Thomas Tuchel as their new manager after the ruthless dismissal of Frank Lampard, who was sacked less than 24 hours after beating Luton Town in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
The sensitivity over firing one of the greatest players in Chelsea’s history was reflected by Roman Abramovich, the club’s owner, taking the unprecedented step of releasing a statement after deciding to relieve Lampard of his duties. Abramovich was regretful in tone, speaking of his “excellent personal relationship” with the 42-year-old and calling him an important icon, but the Russian was also pragmatic, saying that the Stamford Bridge hierarchy felt that a managerial change was required “under current circumstances”.
Lampard’s legendary status at Stamford Bridge was not enough to save him after a run of form which has seen Chelsea slide to ninth in the Premier League, five points below Liverpool in fourth place despite spending £220m on seven players last summer. The west Londoners have lost five of their last eight league games and trust that Tuchel, who is available after being fired by Paris Saint-Germain last month, is capable of reviving their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League. The 47-year-old German could be installed in time for Chelsea’s home fixture against Wolves on Wednesday, although Covid-19 protocols could stop him from attending the game.
Chelsea said that the decision to sack Lampard, who was 18 months into a three-year deal, was not taken lightly. Yet the writing was on the wall after the shambolic 2-0 defeat to Leicester last Tuesday. Lampard feared that game would mark the end of his tenure. It is understood that he even said goodbye to some players in the dressing room after full-time.
Lampard hung on for a few more days and it seemed that he had bought himself some time after beating Luton. Yet Chelsea were not swayed by victory over a Championship side. They host Burnley on Sunday, visit Tottenham on Thursday week and face Atlético Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League next month. The hierarchy want to give a new manager time to build momentum and informed Lampard of his sacking after delaying training on Monday morning. The former England midfielder’s trusted assistants, Jody Morris and Chris Jones, are also expected to depart.
Chelsea had long been concerned with performances and began to consider alternatives after recent defeats by Arsenal and Manchester City. They were aware of Tuchel’s interest in the job and stepped up succession planning after the Leicester game. Petr Cech, the club’s technical and performance adviser, was involved in identifying replacements for Lampard, his former Chelsea team-mate.
RB Leipzig’s Julian Nagelsmann was one option but, after exploring the possibility of hiring Ralf Rangnick on an interim basis, Chelsea turned to Tuchel. The former Borussia Dortmund manager, who won two Ligue 1 titles with PSG and led the French side to the Champions League final for the first time last season, will be charged with rebuilding the entire squad’s damaged confidence.
Timeline
Frank Lampard: key dates as Chelsea manager
Lampard leaves Rams to make return
After Chelsea agree to pay Derby £4m in compensation, Lampard returns to manage the club he scored a record 211 goals for, winning three Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2012. "Everyone knows my love for this club and the history we have shared, however my sole focus is on the job in hand,” he says. "I am here to work hard, bring further success to the club and I cannot wait to get started."
A rocky start at Old Trafford
In his first Premier League game in charge, Chelsea lose 4-0 at Manchester United. After the heaviest defeat by United since 1965 he vigorously defends his players. "There were lots of elements about today that I liked," he says. "We were intense in our pressure. We won the ball back high in lots of areas. We dominated the midfield. For big spells in the first half they couldn't get out.”
Top-four finish and Cup final defeat
Having qualified for the Champions League by finishing fourth, Chelsea fall short in the FA Cup final, losing 2-1 to Arsenal, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scoring twice while Matteo Kovacic is sent off. Chelsea fail to recover from injuries to captain César Azpilicueta and goalscorer Christian Pulisic. "It all came together for us today: two hamstrings, a dislocated shoulder,” says Lampard. "It's the end of a long, long season and it was the tipping point for us.”
Big money, bigger expectations
Kai Havertz is signed from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of £89m, the most expensive signing of a £222m summer spree. Lampard’s successes the previous season had been achieved despite a transfer embargo, but Havertz and £47.5m forward Timo Werner struggle to adapt. "It's not an easy transition to this league,” says Lampard in January. "I think people that question them should give them time.”
Foxes failure marks beginning of the end
A comprehensive 2-0 defeat at Leicester is Chelsea’s fifth in eight Premier League matches as they tumble out of the title race. Lampard, as has been his recent practice, suggests his players carry significant blame. “There are players who are not playing as well as they should be,” he says. “They are the only ones who can deal with that. How you handle setbacks is what defines you.” Victory over Luton in the FA Cup is not enough to save Lampard, who is sacked on 25 January.
Timeline by John Brewin
Tuchel’s task is not just to revive his German compatriots, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, both of whom have struggled since moving to England. Werner has scored one goal in his last 16 games and Havertz has disappointed but the problems are widespread. Lampard has been unable to find a balanced team, while Chelsea conceded too many goals during Lampard’s reign. Kepa Arrizabalaga, the £71.6m goalkeeper, has struggled.
There were positives under Lampard, who overcame a transfer ban to qualify for the Champions League last season. His legacy will be seen in promoting academy products, many of whom are said to be fiercely loyal to him. Yet expectations were higher this season and Lampard, who has struggled to win over the powerful director, Marina Granovskaia, has failed to move Chelsea closer to Liverpool and City at the top of the league.
There was a lack of consistency in selection and players felt the team had no identity. Unrest in the dressing room has grown, with the mood worsened by Lampard’s occasional public criticism of his side after defeats. It is understood that Antonio Rudiger, an influential figure in the dressing room, had fallen out with Morris.
It came to feel that Lampard, who had only spent a year managing Derby County in the Championship before returning to Stamford Bridge, was too inexperienced when he replaced Maurizio Sarri in 2019. Although he did well in his first campaign there has been no visible progress this season.
Chelsea’s fans remained behind Lampard but he had the worst points-per-game average of any manager in the Abramovich era. It is down to Tuchel to pick up the pieces. He comes with risks given that he has a reputation for falling out with his bosses, but his coaching pedigree is not in doubt.
from Football | The Guardian https://ift.tt/3camefA
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