An Ode to a Hero
Original Publication 27/01/21
Photo courtesy of Sky Sports
In some ways, it's not been the best of starts to 2021. As a lifelong Chelsea Football Club fan, I was very recently left rather devastated at the sacking of one of my all-time heroes, the great Frank Lampard.
The man encapsulated everything I adored about football growing up. He had heart, passion, determination and, above all, loyalty. Chelsea's all-time leading goalscorer was the pinnacle of what one hopes for in a sporting idol. Articulate, respectful and, above all, immensely talented. So when he made the rather daunting step up to become the head coach of our club, it was a dream come true not only for himself but for millions of Chelsea fans all around the world. It was, however, relatively short-lived. Recent results and a perceived inability to get the best out of new and expensive summer signings caused the Chelsea board to somewhat characteristically drop the axe on his time at Stamford Bridge. We've been here before, right?
In his own final words, Lampard attested to a confidence that he was, in fact, still the right man to carry Chelsea back amongst the worlds elite, and he conveyed a notion of disappointment that he wasn't given enough time to truly carry out his vision for the club. But that, in a nutshell, is the brutal nature of the modern game. Patience is a thing of the past and ruthless pragmatism such as this has become part and parcel of this sport we love. It has virtually developed into a cutthroat business, after all, and it's worth considering that Lampard's initial appointment was surely one made from the heart, rather than the mind.
He was and still is, adored by Chelsea and its faithful supporters. He knew the club like the back of his hand and was seen as the right man to lead the club into a new era. I still firmly believe that to be the case, however, if we are to treat football as a business, a failure to reach expectations will only lead you towards the door. That's the simple truth of any business, regardless of which industry. A club like Chelsea has no place languishing in 10th place in the league table, and many critics will point to the fact that he held the lowest points per game average of any Chelsea manager in the Abramovich era.
But this is no normal season, and the weight of that cannot be underestimated. Asking new players to acclimatise to a new club and a new city in the middle of a pandemic and without a decent pre-season is a colossal task, especially for a manager as young and inexperienced as Frank Lampard. This, considering he pulled up trees in getting Chelsea to 4th place last season, and an FA cup final to boot, all without the services of our best player by a country mile, Eden Hazard. Nevertheless, he's not the only manager to be dealt this unruly hand. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Mikael Arteta, two managers with their own playing legacies, have succeeded in turning around the fortunes of their respective clubs.
Perhaps, curious reader, therein lies the problem. I'm biased, emotionally influenced by admiration and disappointment for my fallen idol. His legendary status means I'm currently unable to look at this objectively, as I would for any other manager. My sadness at his departure is blinding me to the potential of his replacement Thomas Tuchel, our first German manager and a coach recognised for his high-pressing, attacking style of play. One much similar to that of Jurgen Klopp, a man he replaced at FSV Mainz 05 and, then, Borrusia Dortmund. His tactical awareness and man-management abilities leave a lot of room for excitement in a season that, at this point in time, has been marred by disappointment.
So I will sit back, lick my wounds, and solider on, as I have always done. This is Chelsea Football Club, after all, and managers come and go as freely as the changing of the tide. There's still half a season to go, and one hopes for some silverware at the end of it.