Year-end period can be an important momentum for designing the targets to be achieved in the coming year. Lampard was underestimated because of the status of ‘newbie’ in the English League Success theory that is not just theory is what Frank Lampard has traveled in half the journey of the English Premier League this 2019/20 season. When appointed to coach Chelsea this season, Lampard came as a newbie. He is new to the ranks of the English League coach.
In fact, at the beginning of the season, he became the youngest manager in the Premier League. Frank Lampard, who was born June 20, 1978, began training Chelsea on July 4, 2019. Or 14 days after he was 41 years old. He is younger than the ranks of EPL coaches this season who are relatively young. Like Eddie Howie (Bournemouth) aged 42 years, Daniel Farke (43 years) who coached Norwich City, and Graham Potter (44 years) at Brighton & Hove Albion.
The newbie status factor makes Lampard was underestimated. He was considered minimal experience. He is doubtless able to replace Maurizio Sarri who moved to Juventus. In the previous season, in the Sarri era, Chelsea entered the top four of the English League and became champions of the 2019 Europa League.
Indeed, Lampard was great when he became a player. Chelsea legend. Last season, he was also quite successful in coaching the Derby County team. However, Derby is only a team that appears in the Championship Division (one level below the Premier League) in England. Competition in the Championship and Premier League is clearly different. Therefore, it’s easy to say that Lampard lacks training experience. So, he too is doubtful that he will be able to successfully coach Chelsea.
In fact, doubts about the quality of Lampard’s coaching seemed to immediately get justification at the start of the season. When in the first week of the 2019/20 Premier League, Chelsea were beaten 0-4 by Manchester United at Old Trafford. Lampard made his debut as a coach in the English League with Chelsea at the bottom of the table. What a terrible start.
After all, the bad start that occurred at the beginning of the league, does not mean Chelsea’s trip will be bad onwards. Lha wong life has its dynamics. And everyone has a chance to turn that bad into good news.
What happened later, Chelsea shot up. In fact, during the period September to early October, the Blues brought seven wins in a row. Lampard also passed Chelsea to the Champions League knockout round.
In an interview on the Chelsea club’s official website, Lampard mentioned the victory over Arsenal, a very different story when his team also won against another London team, Tottenham Hotspur on 22 December. At Tottenham’s headquarters, he called Chelsea won because it did play a cool attacking game. Chelsea were able to dominate the Spurs who were coached by Jose Mourinho.
However, at Arsenal headquarters, Lampard said Chelsea appeared nervous. Mainly in the first round. Moreover, his strategy did not develop because Arsena’s new coach, Mikel Arteta, said he had peeked at his team’s game against Tottenham.
“In the first half, Arsenal were faster than us. They played brave, while we were nervous. However, the players showed the response I wanted in the second half. Their enthusiasm emerged. They also could change the mindset to be more confident,” Lampard said.
So far, by bringing Chelsea to number 4 in the table, Lampard has not only matched the achievements of his predecessor (Sarri) at Chelsea. Chelsea’s position in the standings is also proof, that as a newbie coach, he was quite successful.
Lampard who was humiliated at the start of the season Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Manchester Unted), has now excelled from the 46-year-old coach. In fact, Chelsea are now above United who now occupies position 5 with 31 points.
He also defeated his former coach and teacher, Jose Mourinho, who now coaches Tottenham. Not just beat Tottenham 2-0 at home. Chelsea’s position in the standings is also better than Tottenham which is ranked 6th.
Lampard even became the best English coach in the Premier League this season. He was able to surpass his seniors who were both native English. Like Steve Bruce (58 years) who coached Newcastle United or Chris Wilder (52 years) who coached Sheffield United.
He even surpassed his former coach in the English national team, Roy Hodgson (72 years) who is the most senior coach in the English League this season. Hodgson now trains Crystal Palace.
Some British media have reviewed the secrets of Lampard’s success. One of them is about discipline. As a former professional player, Lampard knew very well the importance of discipline in order to keep players in shape. Mid-November, British media backed up some of the rules and fines that were applied by Lampard to discipline his players. As reported by The Sun, there are 12 Lampard rules which if violated by players, will result in penalties in the form of monetary fines.
For example if there are players who are late coming to practice. Then, if there are players who are late for medical check-up or take a bus on match days, they can be fined 2,500 pounds. There are also rules that prohibit players from being late at team meetings. Again there is a fine, 500 pounds (9 million rupiah) per minute. In fact, if the phone rings at an important event such as a meeting or a meal with the team, the player will also be fined 1,000 pounds.
Another secret, Lampard dared to play young players. Yes, one of the ‘methodology’ Lampard is his courage to show young players who were taken from the club academy. We know, Lampard dared to play some young players who are graduates of the Chelsea academy. They are played as core players. Amazingly, Lampard’s young troops are not nervous performing on the Premier League stage.
The striker Tammy Abraham, who is now 22 years old, became Chelsea’s top score with a collection of 12 goals. Tammy even outperformed the achievements of two of England’s top players, Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling who had just scored 11 goals.
Then, midfielder Mason Mount who was only 20 years old, became a subscription to the brothers in midfield. Mount, often referred to as “The New Lampard”, has now scored 5 goals.
It takes courage to play young people with minimal experience in competitions as tight as the English League.After all, although it might be considered “gambling” because there was no other choice, but whatever his name was, so far, Lampard’s courage was sweet fruit. He successfully raised the potential of young people who lack experience. He can build discipline and make young people want to work totally for the team.
Indeed, the 2019/20 Premier League season is only halfway. There are still 18 matches left. However, if Chelsea continues to appear stable. If the young people whom Lampard entrusts continue to look good, anything is still possible. At a minimum, Chelsea can finish in the top four like last season to win a ‘ticket’ to the Champions League.
If Lampard can continue to succeed in the next half of the season until the end of the season, he could be named as one of the successful coaches in the Premier League this season. At a minimum, he deserves to be regarded as one of the inspiring coaches.
That, like Lampard, anyone has a chance to succeed. Even though they are still ‘newbie’ and lack experience. Because indeed, success is not waiting for old age. Success does not only belong to those who are experienced.
ASL
