London Jan. 31 (BUS): Frank Lampard will get another chance as Premier League coach after being appointed by Everton on Monday, the Associated Press reported.
Lampard replaces Rafa Benitez, who was sent off two weeks ago, and charged with reversing Everton’s slide towards the relegation zone.
The club, which has been in the English Premier League since 1954, is 16th in the 20-team league and just four points above the three broadcasters.
Lampard, 43, was sacked as Chelsea manager a year ago after 18 months in charge of the club he starred in.
Chelsea brought back an impressive midfield and top scorer as coach in 2019, although Lampard only had one season’s experience managing in the second tier with Derby.
He achieved qualification for the Champions League in his first season at Stamford Bridge by securing the fourth place in the English Premier League, but he was expelled in the middle of last season with Chelsea in ninth place and his defensive record especially with regard to the leadership of Lampard.
More pressing for Lampard was the fact that his replacement – Thomas Tuchel – almost immediately got the best out of Chelsea’s heavily assembled squad and led the team to the Champions League title in May.
Lampard scored 211 goals for Chelsea from midfield from 2001-14, during which he won every major honor at the club including three Premier League titles and the Champions League.
Derby coach Wayne Rooney, Lampard’s former England team-mate, said on Friday he refused to be interviewed over the vacant job at Everton.
Everton is a nine-time English champion – but not since 1987 – and has not won a major award since 1995, living in the shadow of neighbors Liverpool during that time.
The team has always been in the Premier League since the 1992-93 season opened, but it looks like it will fight a relegation battle this year after winning just one of its last 14 games.
Lampard, who has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract, is the sixth full-time director to be appointed since Moshiri became majority owner in 2016. The Iranian businessman has spent nearly $700 million on transfers at the time and this month injected another 100 million pounds. Sterling ($135 million) at the club, saying he was showing his commitment amid turbulent times at Goodison Park.
Lampard’s first match in training will be at home against Brentford in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
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