Frank Lampard wants to get back into management - but Norwich was too much of a risk.
Former Chelsea boss Lampard knows his next job must be right to help him rejoin England’s Golden Generation of blossoming managers.
Steven Gerrard has taken over at Aston Villa and Wayne Rooney is defying the odds at crisis club Derby County and Lampard is keen to get back into management after ten months since being sacked by Chelsea.
But it will mean putting his reputation back on the line - and making the wrong choice could wreck his whole career.
Clearly Lampard was interested in Norwich as he was interviewed twice before deciding to turn them down.
Norwich are rock bottom of the Premier League, are odds-on to be relegated and there is not even a huge transfer kitty to spend in the January window.
Norwich is a terrific club, good supporter base, the ownership have a long term plan and yet whoever succeeds Daniel Farke will inherit a club fighting for their lives.
It is a pretty thankless task and one which could quickly undo previous good work at both Derby County and Chelsea where he established himself as one of English football’s brightest young managers.
Lampard did well at Derby and guided them to the play-offs before getting the Chelsea job where he actually did a great job - no matter what anyone else says.
Was Frank Lampard right to turn down Norwich? Comment here
Lampard got Chelsea back into the Champions League places amidst a transfer ban, took them to an FA Cup final and his name is still sung at Stamford Bridge despite all of Thomas Tuchel’s success since succeeding him in January.
When you take all of that into consideration, Lampard must have been hoping for a bigger club, a better opportunity and yet his willingness to be interviewed by Norwich does still show that he was interested.
Lampard has been in the frame for previous jobs like Crystal Palace and Newcastle but neither came particularly close. Now Lampard has pulled out of the running for Norwich.
But now, having lost his job at Chelsea ten months ago, the danger is that you can often be a long time forgotten.
Lampard was hurt and scarred by his Chelsea departure. The club legend ousted at the first sign of trouble. There will be a burning sense of determination to prove a few people wrong. Not least at Chelsea.
Maybe Lampard feels he should be in the frame for a better opportunity having done so well at Chelsea. But it now appears he will have to work his way back up to the top of management again and take it step by step.
But he does not need this job. He was an incredibly successful player and has a wonderful life style with no stress or strains.
Why anyone would swap that lifestyle is anyone’s guess. And that is still the biggest obstacle in his return to management. The job and opportunity has to be right.
