Coventry boss Frank Lampard's return as Chelsea manager was far from a fairy tale, with the club legend reflecting on a stint that did little to bolster his coaching resume.
Taking the reins as an interim replacement for Graham Potter in April 2023, Lampard's brief tenure was marked by a dismal record – winning just one of his 11 games and contributing to Chelsea's first bottom-half league finish since 1996. Now thriving at Coventry City, the 46-year-old recently opened up about his time at Stamford Bridge, highlighting issues within the club during his short spell in charge.
His insights offered a critique of the management under American owner Todd Boehly, who took over the Blues in 2022. Lampard shed light on his experience in an interview with Sky Sports, saying: "I saw things that I know cannot be right at elite football, and that's the truth.
"I didn't love working in that short period because it's hard to lay down an idea when you're going to be leaving, but Chelsea will always be a massive club in my life. But when I understand the standards of Chelsea - in that period of time, a lot of players were in transition of maybe leaving, and some problems and motivation were a problem - in an interim period, you can't really affect that.
"When you see the results of it, I'm experienced enough to know what's right and what's wrong and basic things in a training ground on a pitch."
During Lampard's initial tenure as manager from July 2019 to January 2021, Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich was still at the helm of the club. The period was considered a relative success with Chelsea securing fourth place in the Premier League and reaching an FA Cup final, despite a transfer embargo that they had to navigate, reports the Mirror.
Since Todd Boehly became owner nearly three years back following his £4.25 billion acquisition, Chelsea's direction has been shrouded in controversy. Within that timeframe, four permanent managerial hires were made in addition to Lampard's own unsuccessful attempt to secure glory with his second stint.
Frank Lampard during Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Newcastle, his final game in charge at Stamford Bridge.
Frank Lampard had two spells with Chelsea (Image: Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
The club's spending spree under Boehly's reign has surpassed £1.1 billion, focusing on youthful and sometimes unproven talents, secured on lengthy contracts extending up to eight years. High-profile signings like Mykhailo Mudryk, Christopher Nkunku, and Wesley Fofana have yet to live up to their hefty price tags.
The seemingly random approach starkly contrasts with the thrifty methods Lampard excelled under when he first took the reins at his former club. Despite being enforced due to Chelsea's embargo, the Blues legend nurtured a host of young talents from the club's academy at no cost, demonstrating that success doesn't always require hefty expenditure.
Boehly recently faced backlash from the Chelsea Supporters' Trust after it was revealed he serves as a director for Vivid Seats. Fans are demanding an investigation into his ties with the site, which is selling tickets for Liverpool's potential Premier League title decider against Chelsea at prices reaching £6,333.
Since joining Coventry in November, Lampard has once again been making the most of limited resources. The club was suffering in 17th place in the Championship when he stepped in, but has since climbed to fifth and is now contending for promotion via the play-offs.
Under Lampard's leadership, the Sky Blues have won 13 of their 22 league games or 13 of their 24 matches across all competitions. This translates to a win percentage of 54.17 per cent, marking the highest he has achieved with any club as a coach so far.