Chelsea legend leaves the club and joins Frank Lampard at Everton

Frank Lampard’s appointment at Chelsea in July of 2019 wasn’t just iconic, it was symbolic. Roman Abramovich and the board extended an olive branch to fans with the hiring of the club legend following their fractured relationship with the first team that was led by Maurizio Sarri. Lampard boarded a sinking ship and miraculously helped keep it afloat. He unfortunately steered the boat into some choppy waters during year two, which saw Thomas Tuchel replace him as the crew’s captain. Nevertheless, Lampard’s stint represented the dawn of a new era at the club.

In the summer of 2019, Lampard achieved what many former Blues hoped to in their careers. It’s no secret that players like John Terry aspire to stand on the touchline at Stamford Bridge one day, leading their Chelsea sides. Lampard was a trailblazer in that aspect. He became the first former player amongst a generation of defining stars—the mid-2000s to early 2010s club icons—to turn his dreams into reality. Technical and Performance Adviser Petr Cech joined the club during the same period as his former teammate. Therefore, Lampard was not only a trailblazer, but also a mentor to those closest to him. He helped launch the careers of many old colleagues. Now, one of his former teammates at Chelsea is on his way to join him at Everton.

Chelsea legend Ashley Cole leaves the club to join Frank Lampard at Everton

Ashley Cole, who has been a coach in the Blues’ academy for nearly three years now, will get his first crack at first team management at Goodison Park. Lampard is elevating Cole to an assistant role on his staff following his appointment late last month as Rafa Benitez’s successor at Everton. Cole has spent the last seven months wearing two hats. In addition to his role at Cobham, he also acts as Lee Carsley’s No. 2 for the England U21 side.

The legendary Chelsea left back now becomes one of two coaches to have departed the club to join Lampard on the blue half of Merseyside. Joe Edwards—one of the few coaches to survive the managerial change in 2021—left Thomas Tuchel’s staff to become Lampard’s assistant at Everton last week. Former Blues assistant Chris Jones is also a part of the newly assembled staff. Lampard attempted to pry an up and coming superstar in the managerial world, Anthony Barry, away from the reigning Champions League winners, but Barry ultimately decided to stay in SW6. This is huge news for the Blues, especially considering Lampard gave Barry his big break when hiring him away from Wigan Athletic prior to the 2020/21 season.

If there’s one thing that’s obvious about this situation, it’s the fact Everton’s new staff has a heavy Chelsea influence. This is no secret considering Lampard has always looked to involve those closest and most loyal to him. The English manager realizes how many people have put their faith in him throughout his career as both a manager and a player—this can be viewed as his way of repaying the favor. It’s hard not to be happy for all of these lovable characters, as well.

Although Cole represents another former Chelsea star leaving the club, the Blues’ DNA still runs deep within the walls around Stamford Bridge and Cobham. Recently, Terry took up a role in the academy as he continues to wait for his first crack at becoming a first team manager. He spent a few seasons under Dean Smith at Aston Villa both playing and coaching. The new Norwich manager has always had a lot of praise for Terry, indicating it won’t be long before he gets his opportunity. For now, Chelsea fans are just glad to still see familiar faces around the grounds.

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