- Potter relieved of his duties
- Big names linked with post
- Club legend in place for now
WHAT HAPPENED? The Premier League giants have returned a club legend to familiar surroundings at Stamford Bridge on an interim basis after taking the decision to part company with Graham Potter. Lampard has answered an SOS call and agreed to see things through to the end of the 2022-23 campaign. He is back in west London a little over two years after seeing his own managerial stint brought to a close, but Hiddink feels he could be the best man to take the club forward – with the likes of Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique boasting no emotional ties to the team.
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WHAT THEY SAID: Hiddink, who has taken in two spells at Chelsea caretaker – leading them to FA Cup glory in 2009 – has told The Telegraph of Lampard’s return to the Bridge: “Honestly, I would like him to be considered not just as an interim coach. But also to be given the confidence to continue with the project next season. He knows the club like nobody else and it’s important to give continuity to things. Like anyone, Lampard is going to need time. Chelsea have invested a lot of money but now need to adapt to an idea. I’m very fond of him, I hope he will get Chelsea out of this predicament and get them back to where they deserve to be.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Lampard took in 84 games in charge of Chelsea between the summer of 2019 and January 2021, winning 44 of those fixtures before agreeing to walk away as the reins were passed to Thomas Tuchel – who would go on to deliver a Champions League triumph for the Blues after less than six months in charge.
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GettyWHAT NEXT? Amid talk of fellow former bosses Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte and Carlo Ancelotti being considered for returns to London, Lampard will take Chelsea’s expensively-assembled squad to Wolves on Saturday for his first game back at the helm.