Frank Lampard sends message to Chelsea owners over Enzo Maresca

Frank Lampard has urged Chelsea’s owners to be ‘patient’ with Enzo Maresca and allow him to build on the ‘positive’ platform laid by former manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Chelsea hired Leicester City’s Championship-winning boss Maresca on a five-year deal after Pochettino’s surprising departure from Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.

The Blues were languishing down in mid-table for much of the 2023-24 campaign but won their last five games to finish sixth in the Premier League and qualify for Europe.

Pochettino was expected to get the chance to build on that promising run of form next season but the Argentine agreed to leave the club following talks with the Stamford Bridge hierarchy.

The Chelsea owners will now hope Maresca – their sixth managerial appointment in five years – can lead the club to major trophies following back-to-back seasons outside the top-four.

Asked about Maresca’s appointment and the state of play at his former club Chelsea, Lampard told talkSPORT: ‘It was good to see a positive end to the season.

‘I was there at the back-end of the previous season and I knew it was going to be a tough build and a tough ask because of where the club was at and the distance now to the top clubs.

‘And I think there’s still a gap so you need to be patient and give the new manager the chance to do his work, assess the squad, maybe affect the squad and bring players in.

‘We’ll see how they go next year but they definitely finished on a positive note which was good to see. We’ll see what happens at the start of the season now.’

Lampard, who is considered Chelsea’s greatest ever player, has been out of work since his second spell in charge at Stamford Bridge came to an end this time last year.

The 45-year-old, who has also managed Everton and Derby County, says he is ‘ready’ for a return to football management, having turned down offers over the past 12 months.

‘I’d like to find the right opportunity,’ he said when asked about his own job prospects. ‘I’ve enjoyed the break because football management takes over your life.

‘Some opportunities have come my way that didn’t feel right for whatever reason but I feel ready now, we’ll see what opportunities come up because I love the work and I love what I do.’ 

Lampard is managing England alongside his uncle Harry Redknapp for Sunday’s charity game against Soccer Aid World XI for UNICEF.

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