Frank Lampard admits he is uncertain about his future at Chelsea : The comments reeked of a man who knows the writing is on the wall for him
Prior to Chelsea’s showdown with Leicester City, reports were rife of Chelsea ready to pull the plug on Frank Lampard if he lost the match. And while the manager hasn’t been asked to vacate his office yet, it looks only a matter of time before he’s relieved off his duties.
If anything, it was Lampard’s reaction ensuing the defeat which alluded to this narrative. Looking like a man under severe pressure, a defeated Lampard didn’t embolden his position with his comments as he spoke proceeding the club’s 2-0 defeat.
Asked if he sensed time was running out for him at the club, Lampard said he had no idea about what would happen in the future.
You said when you took the job that if things didn’t go well your reputation would last about five minutes with the board and fans, do you get a sense of time running out for you?
“I can’t control it. I don’t think this is the first time I have been asked this, I have been asked this across the last few weeks. We went 16 unbeaten, then lost two on the bounce, and I started to be asked about it,” Lampard said.
“I understand it, the expectations of this club whether I think it is right or wrong, we are not in the position as Chelsea Football Club as we were in the periods when we were winning leagues.
The squad consistency is not the same, the level, the robustness of players who’ve won leagues is not the same. The ability of players that can get you results, at the top end of the pitch in a tight game, is not quite there. It is a developing team.
I can’t get caught up in what the reaction will be or I will be sitting there all day concerned about it.
I took this job knowing there would be difficult times because it is not a club ready to compete.”
The Chelsea man was also quick to admit that the new signings had failed to settle down at the club with a bevy of names struggling for form at the moment.
Do certain individuals in this team need to step up, are they letting you down?
“I wouldn’t say letting me down because that’s not my job to sit here and say that to you. There are players who are not playing as well as they should be, that’s a simple fact. It was clear tonight and they’re the only ones who can deal with that,” Lampard replied.
“I was a player for 20 years and when your form isn’t good, there can be a multitude of reasons as to why confidence drops.
“The things you can deal with, how you work in training, how you prepare, how you handle setbacks, will be what define you. There are players in the team who are in that position.”
Chelsea who have won just one of their last five fixtures in the Premier League have plummeted all the way down into 8th spot in the league. Lampard is set to be removed in the forthcoming days with the club having run out of patience with him.
