Chelsea legend Frank Lampard believes the club should have stuck with axed boss Jose Mourinho until the end of the season.
The Portuguese manager saw his second spell in charge of the Blues come to an abrupt end earlier this month just seven months after winning the Premier League.
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Gus Hiddink is in charge on an interim basis and secured a 2-2 draw with Watford in his first game in charge on Boxing Day to lift the club to 15th in the table.
But Lampard, who won two league titles under Mourinho, thinks the decision to sack Mourinho may have been too hasty.
“Gus Hiddink will be a fantastic manager in the interim but I do think they should have waited until the end of the season,” said the New York City FC midfielder at the 10th Dubai International Sport Conference in Dubai.
“At the time I thought that was the right decision and I do now because if they could have recovered they would have had a great manager and a successful future ahead.
“Chelsea are used to change, though, and managers change but the club will always remain as one of the biggest in world football.”
When asked if he thought owner Roman Abramovich had made a mistake he added: “I wouldn’t say that Abramovich was right or wrong to sack him. I think for sure Chelsea are one of the best clubs in the world, and with that status they can’t be 16th in the Premier League in December, so there’s clearly a problem.”
There were rumours before his dismissal that Mourinho was the victim of player power.
But that’s a notion strongly denied by Lampard.
“I think if there’s a conspiracy then you have the wrong type of people at the club. I know the Chelsea players and the club, and it’s not a conspiracy,” he said.
“It’s people not performing, people on the outside always look for a conspiracy, but the answer is always on the pitch.”
#Lampard reserves praise for progression of top level football in the #UAE pic.twitter.com/EKCSERTOHk
— Sport360° (@Sport360) December 28, 2015
Lampard’s former Blues team-mate Didier Drogba has been linked with a return to Stamford Bridge to assist Hiddink in a coaching role.
The Ivorian, alongside Lampard, John Terry and Petr Cech formed a nucleus at the club that brought both domestic and European success during their time together.
Now heading into the twilight years of his career in the MLS, the 37-year-old says a return to club in some capacity is one he would relish.
“I don’t know about being a manager or coach because that’s the future,” he said.
“Chelsea is my club and I had 13 years of my career there and as a player you have to understand when your time has come to an end and I did.
“The club is close to my heart and I would like to be involved in the future but I can’t think too far ahead.
“You will certainly see my face at Chelsea games but how involved I am is not up to me it’s up to the owner and the board of directors.
“With Chelsea there are changes every year so I don’t want to say now I could be the manager or coach in the future but personally I would like to be involved in some capacity in the future.
#CFC and England legend #FrankLampard has arrived at the #DubaiISC10 to talk about his career in football pic.twitter.com/ppRulMmiMz
— Sport360° (@Sport360) December 28, 2015
“From my era at Chelsea, there are four of us, Didier Drogba, John Terry, Petr Cech and myself who really felt the club so I think it would be good for the club to keep us involved in some way”
Chelsea are in action this evening as they travel to Manchester United in what will be a crucial clash for both sides.
