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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Matt Verri

Frank Lampard sends message to Chelsea fans ‘not delighted’ with his return as interim manager

Frank Lampard told Chelsea fans he is “forever thankful” for their support as he returned to the club as interim manager.

The 44-year-old is back at Stamford Bridge until the end of the season as a short-term replacement following Graham Potter’s sacking, with the club continuing to talk to the likes of Julian Naglesmann and Luis Enrique in the background about taking the job permanently.

For Lampard, the focus is on swiftly turning the mood around at Chelsea, with the club languishing in 11th in the Premier League after a miserable season to date.

There is still the chance to finish the campaign on the ultimate high though, with the Blues facing Real Madrid in a Champions League quarter-final tie. Chelsea travel to Spain for the first leg next week.

Lampard’s return to the club has come as a surprise, just a few months after he was sacked by Everton with the club in the relegation zone and two years on from the end of his first spell in charge at Chelsea, when Thomas Tuchel then came in and led the Blues to European glory.

At his press conference on Thursday after his appointment was confirmed, Lampard spoke of his close bond with the Chelsea fans but also sent a message to any supporters unhappy to see him back in the Stamford Bridge dugout.

“I’m very thankful for the ones that are delighted,” Lampard said. “If there are some that are not, they can know I will give my upmost.

“I don’t think I need to speak too much about my relationship with the Chelsea fans. From the moment I joined many years ago they have been a huge support and I’m forever thankful for that.”

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