Rio Ferdinand believes Frank Lampard is the best choice to replace Maurizio Sarri as Chelsea manager if the Italian does leave the Stamford Bridge outfit.
Chelsea could be set to endure another uncertain summer after growing tension within the club on their managerial situation. Maurizio Sarri is reportedly set to quit the club in the coming weeks, and Rio Ferdinand believes the solution is simple. As quoted by The Sun, the Manchester United legend has backed former Chelsea star Frank Lampard for the job, believing he is the perfect fit.
After the sale of Eden Hazard to Real Madrid, Chelsea are not only in the hunt for a replacement for the Belgian but could also be on the lookout for a new manager. Their current boss, Maurizio Sarri, could be set to leave the club after just one season. Links to fill the vacant managerial position in his country Italy are growing by the day, and many believe Sarri will take the vacant post at Juventus.
Chelsea, however, are no strangers to replace managers and have shown plenty of character in the last decade or so in bringing a top quality manager. Their approach previously has been to bring in someone who has experience and reputation, and the Blues have rarely appointed someone who lacks these qualities.
Rio Ferdinand though, thinks Chelsea should appoint Frank Lampard as their new manager if Sarri leaves the club. The Manchester United legend has opined that Lampard would be the ‘perfect fit’ for the role and Chelsea should not look elsewhere.
Ferdinand cited the example of Barcelona when they appointed current Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola 11 years ago and thinks Lampard, who has been heavily linked with the Chelsea job, could have a similar impact.
“I will actually be surprised if they look elsewhere — he is the perfect choice. People talk about experience, but what experience did Pep Guardiola have when he went into Barcelona first team? He trained the kids. Frank knows Chelsea, knows the players and the players will respect him. I don’t think he would be fazed by big personalities in that changing room.”
Chelsea, meanwhile, have other potential targets in mind as well, with several other managers linked to become Sarri’s replacement. However, there have been calls to bring Lampard back to the club where he excelled as a player, with many believing he could do the same being a manager.
Chelsea have garnered the reputation of appointing top-notch managers and might continue that trend. But if they do appoint Lampard, they might be taking something of a risk on a professional who has no managerial experience in the top-tier.
Considering it would definitely be a morale-boosting appointment and the general belief that Lampard could bring an identity to Chelsea’s footballing style, his appointment might prove to be a stroke of genius. There will only be more clarity on Chelsea’s managerial position when Sarri’s future gets decided. Till then, Lampard’s links to take over at Chelsea will only keep growing.
