Chelsea legend Alan Hudson has explained where he thinks it went wrong for Frank Lampard after his sacking today.
The Blues have been in poor form of late and Hudson thinks Lampard can have no complaints about the decision after getting a number of things wrong at Stamford Bridge.
Many Chelsea fans will be disappointed to see Lampard fail to make it as manager after his legendary playing career with the club, but Hudson added that he expects the 42-year-old to bounce back from this.
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Speaking to CaughtOffside, former Chelsea star Hudson explained the three things he feels Lampard got wrong in his time as manager.
Firstly, he feels Lampard probably took the job too early on in his coaching career in the first place, saying: “I recall Frank taking the job and my first reaction was that – and I did an interview stating this – he should have stayed at Derby.
“They gave him his first managerial break … It’s called ‘loyalty’ to those who give you that break. And while doing so, have a meeting with Roman and tell him of the situation and that his dream job was to take over Chelsea, but ‘let me do my apprenticeship’, and ‘please put me at the top of your list, as when I do get the job I want to stay here for ever!'”
Hudson also criticised Lampard for getting it wrong with his backroom team, as he could’ve benefited from more experience and a critical voice to keep him on his toes.
“I also worry about the backroom staff he selected, and again I said from Day 1 he should have brought in someone with vast experience,” Hudson said.
“He tried to take too much on himself, I always look back at the great Arsenal Double winning team, something our 1970 could have achieved had we had Don Howe, the best coach (because he kept everything simple) and as manager a physiotherapist Bertie Mee – yeah a physio, but a man who knew a player!
“It’s all very well these former team-mates alongside you, but where are they when the chips are down?
“He needed a strong character to watch his back also, as I have been informed that one, two three or four players have been in complaining about Frank’s management, something he knows about through the Player Power with JT, Petr Cech, Drogba and Ashley Cole. That was Player Power and they got two managers the sack – live by the sword?
“I never one saw anyone come up to him on the touchline and whisper in his ear, if that were me I’d have someone sitting upstairs with an ear piece in talking things over, because you can’t see the ‘big picture’ from the touchline. That’s why they need playbacks. If you watch Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United, he has a TV next to him on playbacks.
“It’s alright for all of these pundits sitting in their plush seats in the studio condemning – most of them failures in management – putting in their two penny worth, but Frank needed someone to turn to. Clough needed Taylor, Allison needed Mercer and Morecambe needed Wise, but Frank wanted to go it alone.
“But he found out that no matter great a player you were, going over the the other side is a different ball game. He could play the game on his own because he was very tunnel-visioned but as a manager you need help.
Finally, Hudson feels that Lampard never quite worked out his best team at Chelsea.
“Overall, Frank can have absolutely no complaints as he, unlike Liverpool when winning the League, chopped and changed his team.
“His biggest problem was that he did NOT know his best XI, and if you don’t know your best team then you haven’t got any chance.
“I have absolutely no doubt in my mind he’ll bounce back in management and be better and wiser as to his backroom staff he needs to take stock.
lampard is a hero to chelsea but for now he have to understand the current situation is too bad wish him the best