Chelsea finds themselves in a dangerous position now; they’re out of Europe, aimless, and have a failed manager back in as interim. That may sound harsh on Frank, he comes across as a likable individual, and there’s no disputing his legendary status at Stamford Bridge, but as a manager, there is a lot left to be desired.
Lampard’s football is trite. The fact he identified Neal Maupay as a player that any club operating above League One should purchase is frightening. However, Frank was managing with more extensive problems dragging him down at Everton, such as a disruptive board room that lacked cohesiveness. So, it’s a good job he’s returned to Chelsea, where the board knows exactly what they’re doing.
We’re joking, of course. However, now is a time to get behind him and try, but judging by his first few games, the players are less inspired now than when they were under Graham Potter. Make no mistake, this mess started as a combination of factors beyond Potter, but he didn’t leave himself steeped in glory following his final few fixtures whilst managing Chelsea.
The End of The Roman Empire
If we’re going to be truly honest with ourselves, this whole downfall started when Roman sold up. We aren’t pointing fingers at him; he had to sell the club as things that go above and beyond football were unraveling. Under his leadership, Chelsea went from the backbenches of English football to multiple European Cup winners.
Once Todd Boehly entered the frame, it was clear that the transfer policy and structure of the club were all over the place. Yet, Boehly operated as though he was playing fantasy football or FIFA.
Scratch that; playing FIFA usually requires much more skill than roaring into lower-status clubs with giant bids. This is evident in some eSports tournaments where the colossal prize money highlights the talent on display. These tournaments have grown so much that many have large betting markets; you can find more esports options at https://thunderpick.io/en/esports.
Boehly is a businessman that is used to taking big gambles. Whilst eSports markets may be too niche for him, his daring and gargantuan risks have caused significant disruption in the dressing room. Following the news, he wandered into the dressing room to tell players like Ngolo Kante that they needed to up their game sums it all up at the minute.
Was Potter Really That Bad?
Graham Potter has proved at other clubs that when given the time and resources to build a style of football, he is a manager adept at the Premier League level. So, although Boehly handed him a team full of fantasy football players, you would expect Potter to get a much better tune out of him than he did.
He looked completely out of his depth. For a manager who has nurtured some of the top Premier League talents of recent years, it was a perplexing spectacle to watch the team implode consistently and for him not to be able to do anything about it.
Even in his interviews, he looked disheveled and lost. At Brighton, he was a composed figure who often made big decisions at the right time, coming across well in interviews. His football style is still being played at Brighton today as they push towards Champions League qualification. A big win recently at Stamford Bridge will have given them some renewed hope of qualifying for the elite club competition.
Although it is tough for any manager to make an immediate impact, Eddie Howe is an excellent example of a manager who has come in and slowly implemented his style, gaining effective results. Unfortunately, Chelsea looked lost without a paddle with Potter, and at times it was frankly embarrassing.
Conclusion
Potter was not the right fit, but when he landed the job, few said they disapproved of his appointment. However, once his disappointing tenure began to unravel and the pressure piled on, it became apparent that he was out of his depth, and didn’t even have a Plan A, never mind a Plan B.
The upheaval at the pinnacle of the club will not have helped matters – it still isn’t helping now. All great things ended, and Roman’s reign at Chelsea was one of the most successful ownership periods for any club in Europe. It would have been difficult to replace him with a man with the same vision, goals, and ability.
Boehly’s experience as Los Angeles Dodgers Chief should help him. Captaining the corporate ship of a significant sporting entity isn’t wholly foreign to him. However, he has undoubtedly discovered stark contrasts between managing a franchise in American sports and the cut-throat hypercapitalist Gladiator pit of the English Premier League.
Potter wasn’t great, and it wouldn’t work, but who will it work with? Chelsea is in trouble at the minute, and if they can’t break back into that top four, things could get dark quite quickly.
