Legends not Maketh Managers

There is a large sign at Stamford Bridge – ‘Welcome back Super Frank‘ – notwithstanding he has lost his first five games and was sacked from Chelsea.

Lampard had early success at Derby largely because, through his Chelsea connections, he could get on loan youngsters like Mason Mount.

He failed at Chelsea – and then at Everton – but is still the Chelsea fans’ favourite as ‘he is one of our own’.

A good coach requires many skills – recruitment, man management – especially with a big group where some players are necessarily excluded- team building, supervising training, getting on with the Owners and CEO and game management.

Being a legend does not create these skills.

Three of the most successful Head Coaches this season – Thomas Frank at Brentford, Roberto de Zerbi at Brighton and Marco Silva at Fulham – had no playing connection with the teams they coach.

Liverpool had little success in the second term of player legend Kenny Dalglish and had to wait until Jurgen Klopp – no connection at all playing-wise -to restore their pre-eminence; Alan Shearer was brought in to avoid relegation at Newcastle but failed to do so.

It’s probably better to give these legends a lounge to host and/or to make them a number two, as Arsene Wenger did with Pat Rice at Arsenal, or Marco Silva has done with Luis Boa Morte.

Because of social media and phone ins, fans have greater power and say so. I don’t think Frank Lampard will be the last ‘one of our own’.