Frank Lampard
Manager Frank Lampard insists he’s put “everything” he can into trying to revive Everton’s fortunes ahead of their relegation crunch match at West Ham United on Saturday. Asked if he were to go now as Everton manager, whether he’d been able to do the job to the best of his ability,
Frank Lampard said: “That’s a tough one. I’ve absolutely given it everything that I can. It’s not one for me to analyse all the circumstances.”
Lampard took over for the final 18 matches of last season, narrowly avoiding what would have been Everton’s first relegation in 71 years with a dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Crystal Palace in their final home game, securing their top-flight status despite what would prove to be the joint lowest equivalent points total in the club’s history. However, his points per game average of 1.11 last season has decreased to 0.79 this term and, despite having been in charge for one extra Premier League game compared to his tenure in the previous campaign, there have been half as many victories (three rather than six).
The former Derby County and Chelsea manager maintains that he knew what he was letting himself in for, though, when taking on the role on January 31 last year.
Frank Lampard said: “I’ve been given the opportunity to work here at a great club. I don’t want to sound too philosophical because it’s not a podcast but everything is a challenge, a good challenge and an opportunity. I had one of the most-amazing nights in my footballing career against Crystal Palace. I’ve learned a lot about myself and about coaching and living in this area of England which I’d never lived in and worked before. I don’t think I want to get hung up on those kind of things. I’ve got my own opinions on those things but I think it would be a lot for me to sit here ,and make statements like that because when I came in here I had an understanding of what the job was. There was the size of the club and all the positives and maybe some things that were going to be taxing. Some things I can’t control on that front so I just work. We’re all different, aren’t we? It doesn’t mean I do think about things but I have my way and try and be as natural as I can here and how I deal with things. That’s part of the challenge of being a Premier League manager because maybe I would have handled it differently before this job at Chelsea or Derby. I have my way about going about things and the reality is when I get asked questions here I don’t say everything because I think that’s also part of the responsibility of the job to keep certain things private and keep working out of respect.”
