Ferdinand Backs Lampard For Chelsea Managerial Role
By Joshua Walters
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has thrown his support behind his former England teammate Frank Lampard to succeed Maurizio Sarri as Chelsea manager if the Italian leaves for Juventus as is being widely speculated.
Sarri is keen to replace departed Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri at Turin and Ferdinand believes Lampard should be the man to lead Chelsea for next season.
Ferdinand has likened Lampard to Pep Guardiola prior to his appointment as Barcelona boss in 2008, when the now Manchester City manager won every trophy available in his first season at the helm of the Blaugrana.
“He is the perfect choice," Ferdinand said.
"People talk about experience and what-not but what experience did Pep [Guardiola] have when he went into Barcelona's first team? He trained the younger kids at the club.
"Frank knows the club and he knows the players and the players will respect him. You can see he can carry himself in a particular way in front of the media and in the football club and he can change things within a season.
"If Chelsea are going to get a ban transfer-wise I don't think they can look anywhere but Frank if I'm honest. Because he and Jody [Morris, Derby assistant manager] they know all the kids from 16 upwards. They know what they can all do.
“Chelsea have had the best young kids in the country for a while now - Man City are coming around that but for the good years they have had the best kids and none of them get in the first team.
"As a football club, you would think they would like to change that. If they want to change that there is no one but Frank.”
Lampard nearly guided Derby County to the Premier League in his first season as manager but was defeated by Aston Villa in the play-off final at Wembley last month.
Lampard won three Premier League titles, the Champions League and four FA Cup trophies among other silverware during his time at Chelsea.
After joining the Blues from West Ham United in 2001, Lampard managed to become the club's all-time leading scorer with 211 goals in all competitions, including 147 in the Premier League.
