Stressed frank must convince stars that he can take strain..
EASY to say, but perhaps Frank Lampard just needs to try and relax a little.
Whether or not you believe his position to be under threat, one thing is clear.
Even by rarefied Premier League standards, few managers have LOOKED as under pressure as Lampard has done in recent weeks.
That it bubbled over in the criticism of his own team in the immediate wake of the defeat at Arsenal was no surprise.
He has rowed back from that after more recent setbacks and sailed a different course, deflecting blame from the players. But he clearly feels the heat in every single game.
And why wouldn’t he? As an iconic former player – and a hugely successful one – you are certain to be initially indulged as manager. By both fans and media. But the pressure you put yourself under must be huge.
Imagine if Steven Gerrard’s second job in management is at Anfield. Not hard to do.
The expectation he would have on himself would be monumental.
It would be all-consuming. And that is how it seems with Lampard.
“When things go well, I put more pressure on myself because I worry about what’s round the corner,” he said last week.
Lampard is certainly not alone in having this level of intensity. In fact, in the Premier League he is probably in the majority.
It might seem a little odd.
What has Frank got to be so stressed about?
If he was canned by Roman Abramovich, there would be the obligatory fat pay-off.
Plenty of other clubs would welcome him and if he didn’t fancy carrying on with this managerial lark, a stellar career in television would probably beckon. It is no secret Sky had visions of Frank becoming their answer to the Beeb’s beloved Gary Lineker.
It might well be there but it is hard to imagine any insecurity in the Lampard household.
No, it is clearly pride that drives Lampard. He conquered all with this club as a player and believes he should eventually do likewise as a manager.
But the truth is he might not turn out to be half as good in the technical area as he was on the pitch. Time, if he is given it, will tell. Twenty-five wins from his first 55 Premier League matches in charge of Chelsea is not great. Seventy-five goals conceded in those games is not great. Compare his record with all the other managers from the era of the Roman empire and it is not great, either. Lampard insists there is a rebuild going on but when you change your manager as often as Abramovich does, there is always a rebuild going on. And rebuilding is expected to go hand in hand with winning stuff. So Lampard is under pressure, of course. But surely a crucial trick from a successful manager is trying to convince his men their boss is not feeling it. It is one Lampard could do with learning.