Frank Lampard insisted that he is not worried about damaging his reputation as one of Chelsea’s greatest ever players now that he has returned to the club as head coach.
Lampard was unveiled at Stamford Bridge on Thursday afternoon after being confirmed as Maurizio Sarri’s replacement, five years after leaving the club as a player.
He remains Chelsea’s all-time record goal-scorer with 211 goals over 13 seasons, during which time he won three Premier League titles and one Champions League.
By taking over as manager, especially at a difficult time in the club’s recent history, Lampard knows that he is taking a risk with his standing with the fans.
Because there is always a danger that things will not go well and that the fans will turn.
But Lampard insisted that he was not worried about maintaining his standing with the Chelsea support.
Because he does not see it as his priority to preserve his popularity, like food kept in the freezer to stop it from going off. He is happy to take the chance.
Asked if he was worried about risking his standing, Lampard said: “I’m not. I understand fans want success, but my playing career is gone. If I wanted to go away for the rest of my life, and look back on my career and protect it, I could have done that. But I didn’t want that.”
Just like when he joined Chelsea from West Ham 18 years ago, Lampard is happy to embrace to challenge. “I don't see it as a risk,” he said. “I am the type of personality that loves challenges, I don’t fear the challenge, I am not fearful of the downside. I am ready to stand up and accept that side of it. I want to be successful, I am here to not be worried about that.
“Coming here 19 years ago was a challenge,” Lampard said. “I remember driving home and had the radio on and some people were questioning whether I should be here for £11m. I worked really hard to put that right as a player and now I am in a position where I have to work really hard to be successful as a manager here.”
Lampard said that he wants to be judged on his new achievements as a manager, not as a player. He does not want his playing career to influence how people he work at this stage of his life
“When I started out in management one year ago I thought that was a challenge, because you have to start again,” he said. “I don't want credit for my playing career, I think that should last five minutes. Because I should be judged on what I do here and what I do going forward.”
