With the news that Frank Lampard is the favourite to become the next Everton manager, many have been weighing in with their opinions.
The 43-year-old has been without a job since he was sacked at Chelsea in January 2021. He has been linked with the likes of Aston Villa and Norwich when vacancies arose at those clubs.
Now it seems the former Chelsea captain is the preferred option to take over at Goodison Park and it has split opinion. Some think he's the right man for the role.
Others believe it's going to be a mammoth task and a very different environment to his days at Chelsea. One of those on that side is Tony Cascarino.
The 88-time capped Republic of Ireland international spoke on talkSPORT about Lampard's credentials and reckons he has been fast-tracked thus far in his managerial career.
Cascarino On Lampard
"He's a lucky man Frank," Cascarino said. "He's a lucky man and I mean that in a good way because he was an incredible player. A fantastic player."
👀 “He’s a lucky man.”
🤔 “What manager who finished 6th in the Championship would get the #CFC job? No body.”
🥄 “He’s the manager with a silver spoon in his mouth because of how good a player he was!”
Tony Cascarino has his say on Frank Lampard’s managerial career so far pic.twitter.com/05m8LakkT8— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) January 29, 2022
"Gets given the Derby job. Obviously Uncle Harry had a bit of an involvement with Derby and recommended him. Rightfully so, he's an intelligent guy."
"What manager in the Championship coming sixth would get the Chelsea job?" he continued. "Absolutely nobody because he's a legend at Chelsea and rightly so."
It's an interesting argument and another divisive topic when talking about Lampard's time at Chelsea. He has been widely praised for integrating some of the club's younger plays during his tenure.
It was inevitable that without challenging for Premier League titles or Champions League trophies - owner Roman Abramovich was going to go down a different route.
Cascarino continues:
Under difficult circumstances with an embargo, having to nurture a team. When he left, I think they were ninth in the table. This is a pretty, not very nice line to use but I'll say it because I've thought about it. He's the manager with a silver spoon in his mouth. Because a lot has happened for Frank because of how good he was as a player. He hasn't earned his stripes as in, what he's achieved, to be Chelsea manager or Everton manager. They were circumstances. And one of them was obviously Chelsea being a legend of the football club. This isn't sticking pins in Frank, this is factual stuff is what I'm coming from.
It's fair to say Frank Lampard made his mark as a player at Stamford Bridge. He played 648 times for Chelsea and won 11 trophies during thirteen seasons at the club.
Having spent time at Manchester City after his Chelsea departure in 2014, Lampard made the move to the MLS for his final season as a player for New York City FC.
The former England international replaced Maurizio Sarri as Chelsea manager in the summer of 2019. In his first season in charge Chelsea came fourth in the Premier League.
A disappointing run in the winter months of 2020/2021 left him in a difficult position. Five defeats in eight games led to his departure and managerial hiatus.
See Also: Chelsea Fans Fretting Ireland Assistant Could Be Joining Lampard At Everton
