Chelsea fans have taken a swipe at Frank Lampard as he joked that after this weekend the struggling Blues will be the 'new manager's problem'.
Since the 44-year-old stepped in as caretaker manager in April, the Blues have won once, drawn once and lost a total of eight games.
Lampard has been unable to stem the tide at Stamford Bridge after inheriting the wreckage of Graham Potter's reign and will have led the club to their worst league finish since 1996 when they wrap up their 2022/23 campaign this weekend.
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Their final game of the Premier League season is against Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United and the Blues are on course to set a number of lowest-ever Premier League records.
During his pre-match press conference, Lampard refused to comment on whether the rumoured new manager, Mauricio Pochettino, has the toughest job of all the bosses that came before him
Lampard said: “I don’t know. It’s a good headline but I don’t know, it remains to be seen.
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“I can’t jump into the future. I think it is a fantastic job because it is the Chelsea job and when I took it the first time I came, I probably got the job because a lot of top managers didn’t want the job.
“I know that for a fact,” he added. “That was a big part of it.”
The interim manager then stated that he ‘wished the new manager well’ but after this weekend’s game against the Magpies, the club is no longer his prerogative.
He said: “But I enjoyed the process and I enjoyed coming in and I wish the new manager well. I don’t know. It’s his problem.”
Following his comments, reporters at the press conference laughed. However, many social media users haven’t found Lampard’s sentiments very funny.
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One disgruntled fan took to Twitter and wrote: “Shame that it’s gone like this… Will also be a legend at the club. But maybe his reputation isn’t as high anymore.”
Another commented: “Every single time he speaks he ruins his reputation at the club more.”
A third said: “Sorry but I don’t think he’ll be taking advice from one of the worst managers in Premier League history.”
Elsewhere, Lampard offered another nugget of advice to whoever it is that takes up the reins at Stamford Bridge next.
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Speaking after Chelsea’s 4-1 defeat to Manchester United he said: “It's [been] a bad year for the club. The important thing is you get to the bottom of how it improves.
"It needs a rebuild, the club will move on in the summer in terms of the squad. Things need to improve to get to the level.”
51-year-old Pochettino is rumoured to be landing the top job, however, the club is yet to officially confirm his appointment.
Featured Image Credit: SkySports/AlamyTopics: Fan Reactions, Chelsea, Mauricio Pochettino, Premier League