Joe Cole sends clear message to Frank Lampard over Chelsea job | Football

Joe Cole has advised Frank Lampard to ‘stay away’ from Chelsea amid some calls for his former team-mate to return as manager.

Lampard finds himself on a protracted list of high-profile names being linked with the vacant position at Stamford Bridge following Liam Rosenior’s dismissal as head coach last week.

Rosenior was relieved of his duties after overseeing five straight league defeats without scoring a single goal, an unwanted piece of history which had not happened at Chelsea since way back to 1912.

Under-21 coach Calum McFarlane has taken over the reins on an interim basis – just as he had done following Enzo Maresca’s departure – and the search is now underway for Rosenior’s everlasting successor in west London.

Having left his role as Chelsea’s caretaker boss at the top of the 2022/23 season, Lampard has rebuilt his status in command of Championship outfit Coventry City.

The Sky Blues had already guaranteed automatic promotion due to a hard-fought 1-1 draw away to Blackburn – and a rampant 5-1 victory over Portsmouth ensured the club went up as champions on Tuesday evening.

‘It was just a fantastic night,’ Lampard told reporters after the win, with Coventry set to return to the highest flight after a painful 25-year absence.

‘It was so nice because we had the jeopardy of Friday night, which in a weird way was great the way in which we did it.

‘That was amazing in its own right, that is amazing in its own right. That is what I actually, really wanted because we led the table for therefore long and pushed on this second half of the season because it’s gone on.

‘That takes a extremely strong unit and a powerful group and so they’ve shown that.’

Speaking ahead of the clash, Coventry chairman Doug King urged supporters not to fret about ‘what may or may not occur’ after Lampard was linked with the vacant position at Stamford Bridge.

‘He’s done a improbable job, it’s been an incredible 18 months for us and for him. I’m sure he’s in reflective mode,’ King told the BBC.

‘I said to him, “Don’t underestimate how difficult what you’ve just achieved is to do”.

‘He’s done huge things in his playing profession but to get out of this league as champions with out a parachute payment, from where we’ve come from, is a large achievement no one can take away from him.

‘Everybody goes to get linked with all the things, it’s a merry-go-round. It’s a bit disappointing clubs are appointing three or 4 managers a season.

‘We don’t wish to be in those positions, meaning something has gone somewhat bit astray.’

It appears ex-Chelsea winger Cole isn’t reading an excessive amount of into the speculation linking Lampard along with his former club either, with a ‘real challenge’ awaiting his ex-team-mate within the Premier League.

‘Frank should avoid it [the Chelsea job]. The temptation for Frank, because he loves the club, could be to return back and provides it one other whirl,’ Cole told Paddy Power.

‘He’s done a improbable job at Coventry. No one would have backed Coventry for promotion at the beginning of the season.

‘He’s got an actual challenge to maintain them within the league next season.’

In line with Cole, Coventry may herald as many as seven high-quality additions to present themselves the most effective possible probability of maintaining their Premier League status next season.

‘All his focus and mental energy ought to be about recruitment,’ he added.

‘He might be identifying five, six, seven players he wants [for Coventry].

‘If I were him, I wouldn’t go to Chelsea. In any job, you’re being judged on results, but at Chelsea, you don’t have full control over what you’ll be able to do. That’s insane.’

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