Lampard’s managerial journey started at Derby County, guiding them to the 2019 Championship play-off final, which they lost to Aston Villa.
He was then lured back to Chelsea, where he had assumed legendary status as the club’s all-time record goalscorer with 211 goals in 648 appearances, winning 11 major trophies including three Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2012.
In his first season as Chelsea manager, while operating under a Fifa transfer ban imposed for breaching rules on signing young players and after losing their best player in Eden Hazard to Real Madrid, Lampard took them back into the Champions League, also losing to Arsenal in the FA Cup Final.
Lampard’s commitment to attractive football, as well as his iconic status, was well received, but a run of five defeats in eight Premier League games saw him sacked by then Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in January 2021.
Many regarded Lampard’s dismissal as harsh but he knew the rules for Chelsea managers under the ruthless Russian. He had lived by them long enough as a player.
When his replacement, incoming England boss Thomas Tuchel, subsequently won the Champions League within months, it was used as a stick to beat Lampard.
But he did much good work at Stamford Bridge, leaving with 44 wins from 84 games, a respectable 52.4% win rate.
Lampard resurfaced at Everton 12 months later as successor to sacked Rafael Benitez. Any assessment of his time at Goodison Park must be viewed through the prism of that chaotic club, recovering from the angst created by owner Farhad Moshiri’s controversial decision to appoint former Liverpool manager Benitez.
Lampard proved a highly popular figure with fans, buying into the club’s culture and engaging with supporters.
His open approach helped heal some of post-Benitez wounds Everton were suffering from when he arrived, keeping them in the Premier League in their penultimate game on a dramatic Goodison Park night when they came from two goals down to beat Crystal Palace.
Despite early promise the following season, Everton plunged into decline again and Lampard was sacked after less than 12 months with them second from bottom of the Premier League.
Lampard may now view his interim second spell at Chelsea as heart ruling head. He ended up losing from a position where it looked like he had nothing to lose.
