Much has been made about Frank Lampard becoming the new Chelsea manager, with many experts using his inexperience as a stick to beat him with. So, the question I ask all the experts who are writing off Lampard – if he’s not the right manager for the job, who is?
The most experienced manager linked with the job at Chelsea remains Massimiliano Allegri, however, I believe that Lampard trumps the Italian and is a better option for the hot seat.
There are many reasons Chelsea should turn down Allegri for the manager’s job, with the first being his overstated league achievements with Juventus. The 51-year-old manager has led Juventus to five Serie A titles in a row, which on the face of it looks sensational. However, Allegri took over a squad of players, who had already won three Serie A league titles in a row under former Juventus boss Antonio Conte. The Premier League is an entirely different prospect for Allegri as he enters a competitive league where relegated Huddersfield Town beat a Wolves side, who finished seventh, twice.
While Lampard can’t boast about winning major trophies, the former England international managed to successfully change Derby County’s style of play, and lead them to the Championship play-off final. All of which was achieved in Lampard’s first-ever season as a manager.
As well picking up a successful team, Allegri was afforded a star-studded squad at Juventus, with a monstrous defensive trio of Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonnuci and Andrea Barzagli at the heart of the defence. Unfortunately, Allegri won’t have such luxuries at Chelsea, and despite many of Chelsea’s defence having won league titles at Stamford Bridge, they performed woefully last season.
You could even argue Chelsea are in need of an overhaul, with players required in all three areas of the pitch. However, after a transfer ban for the next two windows, Allegri won’t have the chance to bring in the players he likes. While Lampard will have the same set of players, there will be a stronger connection between the players and manager, due to Lampard’s strong connection with the club.
This leads on nicely to the next point, Allegri’s style of play. While Juventus have been majorly successful under the Italian, there have been murmurs of discontent regarding Allegri’s style of football. Constantly switching between different styles of play doesn’t help players. If Allegri is chosen as the next manager, Chelsea players will once more spend their pre-season adjusting to yet another style of football. Lampard would be far better for Chelsea, as the Englishman is a believer in possession-based football. Hiring Lampard would ensure a smoother progression for Chelsea players, who already spent last season adjusting to Mauricio Sarri’s demands of possession-based football.
Lampard is an appointment that makes more sense than Allegri. The former Chelsea man would have the unequivocal support of everyone at the club, after more than 600 appearances at the club. And with there being a lack of a transfer window and an average squad, there’s no guarantee that Allegri would succeed, even with his successful career to date.
