The manager of Liverpool football club, Jurgen Klopp, could not hide his displeasure over the sack of Frank Lampard by Chelsea. He described the owner of the West London club, Roman Abramovich, as a not too patient person.
Since Chelsea sacked Frank Lampard on Monday, January 25, most coaches in the Premier League including Tottenham Hotspur’s coach Jose Mourinho, have criticized the decision of the club to let the 42-year-old English tactician go after 18 months at the club.
Jurgen Klopp stressed that the decision to sack Frank Lampard was harsh and the English tactician didn’t deserve such treatment from Chelsea. Recall that Lampard spent over 13 years playing for Chelsea. He left the club as the club’s all-time highest goalscorer.
He returned to the club in the summer of 2019 to coach Chelsea that were battling with transfer restriction. Besides that, he came to the club when the club’s former talisman Eden Hazard has been sold to Real Madrid.
Hence, Frank Lampard had no choice but to work mostly with the club’s academy players and was able to use them to qualify for a Champions League spot.
Unfortunately for him, the Russian billionaire that owns Chelsea, Roman Abramovich released over £220 million for Lampard to buy new players when the club’s transfer restriction was lifted before the summer of 2020.
Lampard brought in Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Ben Chilwell, Edouard Mendy, and Thiago Silva but the football stars did not make much difference under the English tactician. They only helped Lampard to move from the top of the league table to the 8th spot with 29 points in 19 league games. Hence, Chelsea had to sack Lampard.
“I have to say, that is a really tough one, to be honest,” said Jurgen Klopp.
“I think Chelsea did an incredible job in the transfer market this summer, brought in really good players, and things like this need time. It is completely normal.
“I think it’s really harsh to decide that early. Mr. Abramovich gives you some chances, money, players, whatever… but he is not the most patient person in the world.
“I really feel for Frank because is a young and really, really talented manager and I wish him only the best, and I’m sure he will be fine.
“But it is a hard one if it happens at your club, and it was obviously Frank’s club.”
After the sack of Frank Lampard, Chelsea appointed former coach of Paris Saint Germain, Thomas Tuchel, to replace the sacked English tactician. Tuchel is a familiar face to Jurgen Klopp, not just because he is a German like Liverpool’s coach, but he was Klopp’s successor at Mainz and Borussia Dortmund.
The 47-year-old German coach kick-started his 18-month contract with Chelsea by leading the club to play a league match against Wolves on Thursday, January 27. The match ended 0-0 at Stamford Bridge.
“Thomas Tuchel is great,” Klopp said. “Unfortunately for us, he is a really good manager! I’ve known him a long time and respect him a lot.
“This Chelsea squad is a present and I’m pretty sure Thomas sees it like that. They will be good.”
Jurgen Klopp will lead Liverpool to Tottenham Stadium to face Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday, January 28, at 21:00.
Next up, it’s @SpursOfficial 👊#TOTLIV pic.twitter.com/84WssoNRYj
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 26, 2021
