Gullit: Chelsea need right staff around Lampard

Frank Lampard's lack of managerial experience should not concern Chelsea but they must make sure they get the right people in as his staff, according to Ruud Gullit.

The Blues are searching for a new boss after confirming Maurizio Sarri's departure on Sunday, with the Italian leaving Stamford Bridge to take over at Serie A champions Juventus.

Chelsea great Lampard is the favourite to take over despite his coaching CV including just a solitary season in charge of Derby County, who missed out on promotion after losing in the Championship play-off final to Aston Villa.

Yet Chelsea have taken the plunge with inexperienced appointments in the past. Gullit came in as player-coach in 1996, while Gianluca Vialli filled the same role after the Dutchman departed in February 1998.

"Look, he [Lampard] has done nothing yet as a coach. They gave me this opportunity as well - and we won. That has nothing to do with it," Gullit said at the Costa Smeralda Invitational event.

"I think it's important for Chelsea to have somebody who they can relate to - that's what they try to find.

"I hope also that they get the right people around him who can help him.

"So don't make a mistake to get friends there, make sure that you get somebody that has experience in managing and coaching teams and things like that. That would be the best thing for him."

June 16, 2019

Sarri won the Europa League and finished third in the Premier League in the 2018-19 campaign, yet a section of the club's support failed to warm to him during his reign.

Gullit, however, feels the Italian did a solid job, particularly as he was left to work with a lopsided squad that forced him to play Eden Hazard out of position.

"It's just Chelsea," he said of Sarri's exit. "Every time somebody wins something they're going to get sacked. It's better not to win anything!

"I think he was in a little bit of a difficult situation because of the fact he had three wingers all for the right side. He tried Eden Hazard up front and it didn't work. So he had to play him on the left.

"He kept on rotating with three of them, Pedro, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Willian, of course. For that reason, they wanted to have the youngster to give the benefit, but Willian is a Brazilian international.

"It was a difficult situation that [Sarri] didn't create. But I think that he did okay. If you see how the rest are, with Liverpool especially and Manchester City, it was difficult to get to first place."