Frank Lampard’s sacking led to a chorus of complaints that the Chelsea manager wasn’t given enough time.
But actually Lampard was the fifth longest-serving manager of the Roman Abramovich era at Stamford Bridge.
The former Chelsea midfielder was in charge for 18 months and 84 matches, which makes him positively long-term amid the churn of managers under the Russian’s ownership.
Only the two tenures of Jose Mourinho and those of Carlo Ancelotti and Antonio Conte lasted longer than Lampard’s – which was abruptly ended on Monday morning after a dreadful run of five defeats in eight Premier League games.
Appointed at the beginning of July 2019 to succeed Maurizio Sarri, the club legend lasted 571 days in the job or 18 months and 21 days. He won 44, drew 17 and lost 23 of his 84 competitive games in charge.
It seems that only delivering the Premier League title earns you any kind of extended stay at Chelsea.
Mourinho came in from Porto and lived up to his self-anointed ‘Special One’ label by winning the title in his first season – 2004-05 – and then successfully retaining it 12 months later.
That explains why his first spell in charge is the longest of the Abramovich age at three years and three months, or 185 games.
Mourinho also takes second position on the longevity list with his second spell between 2013 and 2015 lasting two years and six months, or 136 games.
Carlo Ancelotti survived for one year and 11 months in the hotseat – or 109 games – helped by a league and FA Cup Double during his first season in the job.
His fellow Italian Antonio Conte lasted slightly longer in terms of time span – just over two years – but took charge of fewer games (106) between July 2016 and July 2018. He too won the league title in his first year.
But compared to many other appointees, Lampard has done well. He is the only other manager to keep his job for longer than a year.
Sarri may have won Chelsea the Europa League during 11 months and 63 matches as manager but he didn’t look settled in English football and left to become Juventus boss.
Abramovich’s first manager, Claudio Ranieri, already in the job three years when the takeover happened, survived just 11 months and 59 games under Abramovich before he was fired.
Avram Grant took the club to their first Champions League final in 2008 but lasted just eight months, while Roberto Di Matteo was in charge the same length of time despite winning the competition in 2012.
Rafa Benitez (six months), Andre Villas-Boas (nine months) and Luiz Felipe Scolari (seven months) all came and went in pretty much the blink of an eye.
So in the context, Lampard was perhaps fortunate to last as long as he did. As with many who came before him in the past couple of decades, we’ll never know what he might have achieved given more time.
Chelsea bosses under Abramovich
Jose Mourinho (first spell) – 185 games; 3 years, 3 months
Jose Mourinho (second spell) – 136 games; 2 years, 6 months
Carlo Ancelotti – 109 games; 1 year, 11 months
Antonio Conte – 106 games; 2 years, 0 months
Frank Lampard – 84 games; 1 year, 6 months
Maurizio Sarri – 63 games; 0 years, 11 months
Claudio Ranieri – 59 games; 0 years, 11 months
Avram Grant – 54 games; 0 years, 8 months
Rafael Benitez* – 48 games; 0 years, 6 months
Roberto Di Matteo – 42 games; 0 years, 8 months
Andre Villas-Boas – 40 games; 0 years, 9 months
Luis Felipe Scolari – 36 games; 0 years, 7 months
Guus Hiddink (second spell)* – 27 games; 0 years, 5 months
Guus Hiddink (first spell)* – 22 games; 0 years, 3 months
Ray Wilkins* – 1 game; 0 months
Steve Holland* – 1 game; 0 months
* Interim or caretaker manager
