Lampard becoming immune to pain of being sacked as Chelsea manager says ‘we’ve lost sight of reasonable expectation’

FRANK LAMPARD is already becoming immune to the pain of being sacked.

At only 44, he has been axed twice in his fledgling managerial career — by Chelsea and Everton.

Lampard is now back at Stamford Bridge as interim boss while the search goes on for a permanent appointment, with ex-Spurs chief Mauricio Pochettino in pole position.

Lamps said: “Pretty much every manager will get let go at some point.

“And once it’s happened once or twice, it feels a little bit softer than the first time.

“That’s a reality and it will only feel that bit softer if you give everything you can in the circumstances you’ve got.

“It’s making sure you get the balance right of what’s reasonable expectation and what isn’t — and that’s not just talking about Chelsea.

“The landscape’s changed and, this is generally, we have maybe lost sight of reasonable expectation.

“Some of it has been fast-tracked with social media and this open world — like politics — you either hate something or you love it.

“You’re not allowed to be somewhere in between and it feeds into football. If you’re winning games, OK we love you, but if not, OK we hate you and there’s pressure.”

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Lampard was most recently sacked in January this year by the Toffees, who are in the bottom three and still right in the thick of the Premier League relegation struggle.

One of his many Blues predecessors, feisty Italian Antonio Conte, joked that all managers sleep with a suitcase beside their bed in readiness for a quick exit. Lampard said: “Yeah, that sums it up.

“He stayed in a hotel when he was in London. I don’t have a suitcase by my bed now but at Everton I did.”

Lamps played for Chelsea for 13 years and is their record 211-goal scorer having won every trophy — but it still did not spare him when it came to being ditched as manager in January 2021.

The former midfielder said: “I’ve been sacked twice and I was fortunate enough to have a playing career where I never had that feeling too much. I got released by Chelsea but I was 34, 35.”

Chelsea have lost all four games so far under Lampard but he is expected to remain in charge until the end of the season.

He said: “I wouldn’t expect anything in football.

LAVA LAMP

“I think it’s very clear we came into this club when it’s in big difficulties.

“One day to prepare for Wolves, two games against Real Madrid — the second was much better, a proper team performance.

“The game in between that with Brighton we had to change a lot of the squad.

“There were a lot of factors as to the four games we have had since we’ve been working here.

“The team and the club have been struggling for a while.  We come in with a view to help and we will keep working to help in the short time.

“The world will not change in a short time but we’ll keep doing our maximum to do that.”

Forward Kai Havertz is struggling with a knee injury and could miss tonight’s home game with Brentford.

CHELSEA (likely): Kepa, Azpilicueta, Thiago, Fofana, Badiashile, Chilwell, Kovacic, Fernandez, Sterling, Felix, Ziyech.