Chelsea in the unusual position of having the right relationships in place

The show is about to begin for Chelsea FC, and the nervous excitement is reaching unfamiliar levels. Surely no one is more nervous and eager than Frank Lampard.

Two friendlies in Ireland presented a picture that Frank Lampard is someone who cannot be underestimated. Does that mean Lampard can get results for Chelsea’s fans? No, as nothing is ever a guarantee at Stamford Bridge. If anything ever was, those days are gone. But only the worst results might dent the long-term love affair between he Blues and their legendary midfielder.

So many things are positive at Chelsea this summer, but day-to-day life around the club is still complicated. Everyone involved needs to keep up their end of relationship to survive in their jobs, and to keep Chelsea in the race for the title and pride.

Roman Abramovich needs to end the streak of divorcing his coaches casually and treat Frank Lampard the a genuine long-term coach who will build the club into the future.

Lampard is a genuine Blue who would do anything to make sure the club is on the right track in all competitions and in all areas of the organization. But he needs Abramovich and the rest of the executive team to match his dedication.

Like any relationship, both the club and the coach must be partners who put in equal efforts to run the show. Look at Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Mauricio Pochettino and now Jurgen Klopp. The two-way dedication is impossible to ignore. Those managers took care of the club like their own family. That should be their sole purpose: get the best results for the club, and the relationships are the most effective way to do that.

Obviously, there will be dark days but that’s the usual path for every relationship. If the partners work together to survive it, then it could turn into being happy for forever.

This mutual understanding among the partners is paramount, but avoiding the external influences will keep things stable. The media, demanding fans and the occasional individual player causing trouble must be addressed from a united front.

The approach has to be clear now, with one aim: avoid having to find a new coach again for a minimum of five years. Petr Cech, elder of the house on the football side, must play his part and act like a glue for the club, its policies and the owner-manager partnership.

This season will overturn Chelsea’s established ways of doing things: the core management, Abramovich’s patience, Lampard’s profile and the fans’ reaction towards every second of the match. Chelsea has a very strong chance of finishing in the top four. The major posts in the club hierarchy will be held by Chelsea’s loyal and trustworthy people, while some of the other top-six clubs are spiraling into discord and disarray.

The upcoming friendly with Barcelona and the season opener with Manchester United won’t set the tone for the rest of the season. But carrying the victories through preseason and into the Premier League will increase the confidence around the club, and set them on the right foot to handle the dark patches the inevitably challenge every relationship.