Journalist Michael Graham has given his thoughts on the idea of Frank Lampard becoming the next Sunderland manager.
Sunderland remain without a manager ahead of the summer transfer window opening for business on June 14th.
The Black Cats will soon be four months without a permanent manager in place after sacking Michael Beale on February 19th.
Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman is coming under fire for his role in the managerial fiasco, along with owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus.
The latest on the manager hunt is that QPR boss Marti Cifuentes is liked by the Sunderland hierarchy, along with two unnamed candidates.
Liam Rosenior has withdrawn from contention, doing so as he pursues the vacant Burnley job.
Former Derby County, Chelsea, and Everton boss Frank Lampard is on the market and among the bookies’ favourites.
He’s not been legitimately linked with the Stadium of Light job. But many on social media are starting to speculate that he may soon come into the running.
Michael Graham comments on Frank Lampard to Sunderland
Lampard, 45, was last in management with Everton where he lasted one year, leaving in January 2023 with a record of 12 wins in 44 games.
Before that, Lampard was Chelsea manager for a year-and-a-half, winning 44 of 84 games at the helms, taking the job in the summer of 2019 after guiding Derby County to the Championship play-off final.
The Rams gave Lampard his inaugural gig in management. He oversaw 57 games and won 24, losing to Aston Villa in the 2018/19 play-off final.
Sunderland fans appear to be divided on the possibility of Lampard becoming their next manager.
Journalist Michael Graham has now given his thoughts on the idea, posting on X:
Why Frank Lampard could be a good fit for next Sunderland manager
Lampard certainly gets a bad reputation in management. But he’s had two difficult jobs and his win rate at Chelsea certainly wasn’t poor.
He ultimately kept Everton in the Premier League too, working wonders at Derby County to get them to the play-off final of what was a very tough 2018/19 Championship roster.
Like Graham says, Lampard being a ‘joke manager’ may be a joke in itself. He will have taken enough time out of the game to study his mistakes and plan his route back into management, and Sunderland may well be a good fit.
A huge aspect for Sunderland with this appointment is the coach’s ability to work with younger players, and if the likes of Chris Rigg and others saw an England legend in Frank Lampard arrive this summer, it could tempt them into staying.
Lampard is a player who’s worked his way through youth ranks and right to the top of the game, so he’d surely have a lot of knowledge to pass on to these younger players.
Tactically, there will remain question marks over Lampard. But again, he’s succeeded in Championship level before.
Lampard is not in contention for the Sunderland job, though as more and more names fall out of the running, Lampard’s name could soon be mentioned.