4 reasons why Frank Lampard's Chelsea re-hiring makes sense

Frank Lampard's first managerial stint at Chelsea was an underwhelming one. Taking over the reigns at the Blues in the summer of 2019, the Englishman oversaw 84 games, winning 44 of them, drawing 15 and losing 25. He was ultimately sacked in January 2021 when Thomas Tuchel took over.

After sacking Tuchel and Graham Potter in quick succession, Chelsea brought back Lampard on an interim basis earlier this month. On the face of it, bringing back a failed former manager within two years of firing would be a bad idea. But Frank Lampard's return to Chelsea is different.

Chelsea's recent rehiring of Lampard makes sense and was also one of the few options for Todd Boehly and the rest of the ownership group. Below, we have listed the reasons why bringing Lampard back is not such a bad idea.

#4 Lampard is a fan-favorite

Lampard is still revered by Chelsea supporters.

Despite Lampard's lack of overall success as Chelsea manager in his first go-round, he still commands and receives the respect of the Chelsea fan base. Lampard is revered and, as the team's all-time top goalscorer, he'll always be a part of Chelsea's first sustained success in England's top flight.

It's very unlikely that chants of "You don't know what you're doing" will ring out from Blues supporters should Chelsea continue to struggle under Lampard. These taunts and outbursts of frustration from supporters were common near the end of Graham Potter's short tenure.

#3 Familiarity with players and the league

Mason Mount was allowed minutes to develop under Lampard.

Lampard knows Chelsea and many of the players that remain on the team from his previous stint. He also developed some of the young talents that still get regular time on the pitch for Chelsea, such as Reece James and Mason Mount. This familiarity makes the transition easier on both the manager and the players.

Also, having just been dismissed by Everton three months ago, Lampard is well aware of all the Premier League teams and Chelsea's opponents. He knows Stamford Bridge, Chelsea's training ground, Cobham, and what the Chelsea fans want. There is no need for Lampard to adapt to the club and the league or take time to settle.

#2 Zero risk for Chelsea

Chelsea face a 2-0 deficit heading into the home leg of their Champions League Quarterfinal with Real Madrid.

If the club legend isn't able to guide Chelsea to many domestic wins, or an unlikely comeback victory in the Champions League tie with Real Madrid, Lampard will likely depart at season's end. He'll have stepped-in and fulfilled his duties as Chelsea caretaker towards the end of an already lost season.

Lampard's first stint as manager of his former club resulted in a solid but unspectacular record. While this stint is expected to be short, it's one that could be beneficial for both sides. Lampard will gain more experience managing in the Premier League and Chelsea will see the season out with the fans' support of the temporary manager.

#1 More time to find the "perfect" manager

Chelsea have a difficult schedule to close the season.

Lampard and Chelsea have eight Premier League matches left and one guaranteed Champions League second leg remaining. The remaining fixtures won't be easy for Lampard either, with only Nottingham Forest residing outside the top 10 in the current table.

But installing the club legend also buys the ownership group time to conduct a proper search for a long-term manager (though Chelsea have their own version of "long-term").

In its current state, Chelsea are a bloated squad. The off-season will see several players exit Stamford Bridge, so the new manager will have time to work with the new and streamlined squad that is past the state of flux. The new manager will also have time to assemble their preferred starting XI and bench.

Whatever happens to Chelsea over the rest of the season, they'll likely be seeking a ridiculous fourth manager in under a year. Instead of rushing the search for a full-time manager in a squad that will change drastically in only a few months, Chelsea have given themselves time to find the right boss by hiring Lampard.

After a disastrous 2022-23 campaign that started with such promise, there is hope that 2023-24 will look more like Chelsea's successful seasons of the last twenty years.