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Frank Lampard’s former Chelsea team-mate reveals the one worry he has for him
FRANK LAMPARD has got what it takes to be a success at Chelsea - but only if he is given time to show what he can do.
That is the opinion of former Chelsea and England winger Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Lampard was appointed as the new head coach at Stamford Bridge last month.
The legendary midfielder has only had one season in management, leading Derby County to the Championship play-off final in May.
He replaces Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea who managed to finish in the Premier League top four and win the Europa League in his only campaign in charge.
My only worry was are Chelsea going to keep him long enough for him to stamp his authority and show people what he’s about?
Lampard will have to do without last season’s top scorer Eden Hazard, who has left for Real Madrid.
Christian Pulisic has arrived from Borussia Dortmund and Mateo Kovacic has made his loan move permanent.
But other than that duo, Lampard will not be able to make any new signings due to Chelsea’s two-window transfer ban.
Chelsea have a tendency to axe their managers if things are not going exactly to plan on the pitch.
But Wright-Phillips, who scored 10 goals in 125 appearances for Chelsea, hopes that fate is not something Lampard experiences anytime soon.
“One hundred per cent [Lampard can handle it],” Wright-Phillips told ESPN FC.
“I think Frank as a man, what he showed at Derby, he can handle the challenge.
“My only worry was are Chelsea going to keep him long enough for him to stamp his authority and show people what he’s about?
“As you can see in Chelsea’s past history they don’t really keep managers that long.
“When they’re sick and tired or possibly when the manager is going through a little bad spell, they tend to sack them rather than give them more opportunities to push and really show what they’re capable of.”
Lampard's first Premier League game in charge of Chelsea is away at Manchester United on August 8.