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Frank Lampard’s Chelsea return ‘good news’ as Mateo Kovacic welcomes coach’s ‘clear idea’ on expectations.
Frank Lampard’s return to Chelsea, according to Mateo Kovacic, is “good news,” since the coach has already made it clear what he expects from his team.
The Blues icon, who was relieved of his managerial duties at Stamford Bridge back in January 2021, has been reappointed by the Premier League heavyweights as caretaker boss following the sacking of Graham Potter.
As Lampard spent 13 wonderful years playing for Chelsea, he is well-versed in West London life, and Kovacic is pleased to see a familiar face taking on the responsibility of turning around a poor season.
Kovacic, who played under Lampard during his first spell as Blues boss, has told Sky Sports: “We know him, he was our coach. It’s good news that he is back and trying to change our season, because it’s not been good. We need to be honest with ourselves. In the end it is easier to sack a coach than 30 players, but it’s on us as well. We need to do better and to say thank you to Potter, who was here and did a good job. It is not easy when many changes are here, so it was a bad situation for him as well.”
Croatia international midfielder Kovacic added on Lampard’s early messages to the expensively-assembled squad he has inherited from Potter: “We had a short meeting. He explained what he wants and what his desire is for the end of the season. We now have the opportunity to go and climb the table in the league as much as we can and we have two beautiful games with Real Madrid so there is a possibility, and if there is a possibility to finish the season good, then we should take it.
“He came very calm with a clear idea about what he expects from us, but it’s one day so we will see in the next days what he will ask us to do on the pitch and how we prepare. It’s difficult to tell how it’s going to be, but he’s back and we want to do out best for the club.”
Chelsea’s first match under Lampard will be on Saturday when they play at Wolves. The opening leg of their keenly anticipated Champions League quarterfinal matchup with Real Madrid will take place at Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.