Chelsea fans are beside themselves with excitement as club legend Frank Lampard appears to be on the verge of taking charge at Stamford Bridge.
Following Maurizio Sarri’s move to Juventus after just one season in the Premier League, Lampard was deemed the favourite to replace him.
The former England international impressed during his stint with Derby County last season, leading them to the Championship play-off final where they lost 2-1 to Aston Villa in a bid for promotion.
Becoming Chelsea boss would see Lampard follow in the footsteps of legendary players who returned to manage their former clubs.
But will his homecoming be a successful one? Here’s five legends who delivered for the clubs in both capacities …
Kenny Dalglish
Not only is Dalglish arguably Liverpool’s greatest player but in his pomp, he was one of the best in the world. The iconic No7 starred as the Reds won three European Cups during his time as a player. He then transitioned into management seamlessly, taking over the reins as a player-coach heading into his ninth season at Anfield.
Dalglish however inherited a club struggling under the shadow of the Heysel Stadium disaster after which Joe Fagan resigned. He led them to a maiden domestic double. He made some stellar signings during his time, luring the likes of Peter Beardsley and John Barnes to the club before re-signing Ian Rush. In the aftermath of the Hillsborough tragedy in 1989, his leadership was crucial. That would be his final season and he signed off with another league title.
The Scot was back in the hot seat 21 years later, stepping up from youth coach after Roy Hodgson’s dismissal. The team was a work in progress but during his brief year-and-a-half stint, he at least ended a six-year trophy drought by winning the League Cup in 2012.
Zinedine Zidane
Looking back, Zidane’s first term as Real Madrid manager is still difficult to comprehend. A year and a half of coaching the Castilla side was all the experience the Frenchman had and yet, he was an instant hit at the biggest club in the world without any sort of tactical revolution.
His phenomenal career as a player earned him instant respect from the squad and with only a few subtle changes to the system, he helped Madrid conquer all without really playing teams off the park. Despite a suspect defensive record, his side went on to claim an unprecedented three consecutive Champions League titles.
Los Blancos weren’t as impressive domestically but still won La Liga during his first full season in charge. After just two and a half years at the helm, Zidane stepped down having delivered a whopping nine trophies.
His return earlier this year following Madrid’s worst season in living memory has been more aligned with reality and he has a huge task on his hands if his second term is going to be anywhere near as successful as his first.
Zinedine Zidane
Pep Guardiola
It helped that he had an incredible group of players at his disposal – including a virtually unplayable trio of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi – but Pep Guardiola’s philosophy and relentless coaching approach certainly brought the best out of them.
Having made the step up from the reserve team, Guardiola implemented his ideas quickly and transformed an already quality Barcelona team into an all-conquering force. He came through the ranks at Camp Nou during Johan Cruyff’s managerial reign and was heavily influenced by the iconic Dutchman, winning six league titles and one European Cup.
As a deep-lying playmaker he was at the heart of Cruyff’s system and carried that with him into management while adding his own ideas in the process. Equipped with a clear philosophy, he helped Barcelona embark on their most successful era. In four years, he led the Blaugrana to 14 trophies including a superb treble in the 2008/09 season.
Johan Cruyff
Barcelona wouldn’t be the European powerhouse they are today without the lasting influence of Cruyff. He was a breathtaking player and one of the all-time greats, but after lifting just two trophies with the Catalans during a five-year stay he Cruyff-turned back to Camp Nou as manager a decade later.
In implementing his tiki-taka philosophy, he revolutionised the team’s style of play and in the process, changed football forever. During an eight-year tenure, he led Barcelona to enormous success, winning 11 trophies including four successive league titles as well as a European crown.
But his time at the club is not defined by silverware. He is part of Barcelona’s DNA and his legacy lives on through his influence which stretched far beyond the walls of Camp Nou.
Carlo Ancelotti
As a player, Ancelotti was one of his generation’s best midfielders and thrived at a dominant AC Milan during the late eighties under Arrigo Sacchi. He would later serve as assistant to the Italian manager for the national team before stints at Reggiana, Parma and Juventus led him back to Milan.
He took over a floundering Rossoneri side though and he consolidated in his first season before turning the Serie A giants into one of the most feared teams in Europe during the following campaigns.
His eight-year stay at the San Siro yielded as many trophies including two Champions League titles. And to top it all, we have him to thank for unlocking the true genius of Andrea Pirlo having converted the attacking midfielder into a deep-lying playmaker back in 2002.
