Frank Lampard is facing a very familiar feeling after being sacked in January for the second time in three years.
Everton confirmed the ex-England international would be leaving his role as manager, less than a year after he replaced Rafael Benitez. Lampard helped the Toffees avoid relegation at the end of his first campaign in charge, but has failed to kick on with his side marooned in the relegation zone.
And following a damaging defeat to West Ham, Lampard was informed he would be leaving Goodison Park. His latest blow comes almost exactly two years on from his painful exit as Chelsea boss. Like in 2023, Lampard was axed towards the end of the January window, despite winning his final game in charge. "This has been a very difficult decision, and not one that the owner and the board have taken lightly,” the statement read.
Lampard was sacked by the Blues after a run of just one win in his final five league matches saw them drop to ninth in the table. Like on Merseyside, the Chelsea legend had a positive first campaign in charge, securing a top-four finish in spite of a transfer embargo.
But that counted for little when the club’s former owner, Roman Abramovich, saw the chance to bring in Thomas Tuchel. At the time, Pep Guardiola made a generous offer to the dejected Lampard - as well as offering him a harsh reality on life as an elite manager.
“People talk about projects and ideas, but they don’t exist - you have to win or you’ll be sacked," he said. “I respect the decision by Chelsea, but hopefully I can see Frank soon, take him to a restaurant to see him again when lockdown is over."
That wasn’t the first time Guardiola reached out to Lampard either, with the Manchester City boss going above and beyond to praise his first game as a Premier League manager. Chelsea were actually beaten 4-0 by Manchester United, but Guardiola was nevertheless impressed and left Lampard a voice note.
"He’s so great with managers, Pep, behind the scenes the things he does with the LMA, helping other managers. He’s sent me voice notes," Lampard explained on the Overlap Extra.
"I don't like giving away private conversations but in my first game as Chelsea manager we lost at Man United 4-0. We played well for 60 minutes, then got done on the counter, then bang, bang, 2, 3, it was 4-0.
“Then we lost to Liverpool in the Super Cup. Played well, lost on penalties... I was on the plane on the way back from the game, a little bit disheartened.
"Got a voice note from him, saying the way my team played was incredible, loved watching it, really positive chat. The voice note deleted itself though.
He added: “I wanted to get home and say, ‘listen to this, Pep said I’m a good manager’. Little touches like that, make an impression on you. Sometimes you get caught up in your own world and don’t see things. He’s doing the business and sends you a voice note like that, it was special.”
