Chelsea sack Frank Lampard: Club legend departs after just 18 months

Nicholas Hughes

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 2 min read

Less than 24 hours after advancing to the FA Cup fifth round, Frank Lampard has been sacked as Chelsea manager.

The former club legend has reportedly been on thin ice for some time after a run of just two wins in eight games in the Premier League, leading Roman Abramovich to wield his axe again.

The Blues are currently languishing in ninth-place in the Premier League, and Lampard has failed to make an impact despite spending big in the summer.

The likes of Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz were all brought in by Lampard for huge sums of money but have failed to adapt to the English top flight thus far.

In a club statement, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich said: “This was a very difficult decision for the Club, not least because I have an excellent personal relationship with Frank and I have the utmost respect for him’.

“He is a man of great integrity and has the highest of work ethics. However, under current circumstances we believe it is best to change managers.

“On behalf of everyone at the Club, the Board and personally, I would like to thank Frank for his work as Head Coach and wish him every success in the future. He is an important icon of this great club and his status here remains undiminished. He will always be warmly welcomed back at Stamford Bridge.”

Frank Lampard’s summer spending failed to materialise

Lampard has been criticised for failing to control and stamp his authority on what is a very deep squad of players, particularly in midfield and attack.

The former No.8 and club-record goalscorer was appointed in the summer of 2019 after guiding Derby County to the Championship promotion play-off final in his first year in management.

After Maurizio Sarri fell out with the Chelsea hierarchy, Lampard was given the opportunity to return to the Bridge as manager.

Lampard’s first season at the club coincided with a transfer ban and the departure of star man Eden Hazard, leaving the manager with no choice but to blood some of Chelsea’s young talent.

Reece James, Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham have all featured heavily as well as Callum Hudson-Odoi, but the boss seemingly lost faith in centre-back Fikayo Tomori after letting him go to Milan last week.

Former Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain manager Thomas Tuchel had been heavily linked with the role at Stamford Bridge and is expected to be announced as Lampard’s successor almost immediately.

Lampard leaves the club after 84 games in charge, with 44 wins, 15 draws and 25 losses during one-and-a-half seasons.