Tomorrow marks a year since Frank Lampard was appointed Chelsea head coach, and at his press conference this afternoon he gave some thought to his first 12 months in charge, reflecting on what he’s learned and what he might have done differently.
It was an exciting day for Blues fans last summer when one of our greatest players returned to the club he served with such distinction. In normal circumstances Lampard would be preparing for his second pre-season right now, but the global pandemic means he does not yet have a full campaign to analyse, with so much still to play for in the coming weeks. It has certainly been an eventful first year in charge.
‘It feels like a long time ago, but at the same time it’s flown by,’ said Lampard.
‘It’s something I’m very proud to be doing, and to have been offered the opportunity to do one year ago. A lot has happened, there have been a lot of crazy circumstances for everybody. The experience alone of being Chelsea manager has been a great one.
‘I have learned for sure. Even though I knew the club well I didn’t know the current squad so well. Certain things had changed, you come up against different challenges every week. Every manager learns all the time, I did at Derby last year. It’s been enjoyable, there are lots of thing I have learned and will continue doing so.
‘There is a lot of work to do, so I can think about and have some good and not-so-good memories from the year, but I’m very much more focused on what the next years ahead look like.’
Read: A reminder about behind-closed-doors games at Stamford Bridge
With the Blues currently sitting in fourth place with six league games to go, as well as having an FA Cup semi-final to look forward to, Lampard considered if there was anything he would have done differently if he had the chance.
‘There are always lots of little things. Football at this end, the result doesn’t always mirror your work or what you expect, or for whatever reason things can change.
‘I’m very much one to look over the decisions I make, or the way I work or we work, and try and analyse it, and maybe you think differently in retrospect, but I look forward. If there are things that haven’t gone to plan, we will work to get them better for the future.’
Read more from Frank's press conference today
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