Not the fairytale return imagined

English Premier League (EPL) giants Chelsea have abandoned their usual post in the top four for a looming relegation scrap under Frank Lampard, who is quickly becoming one of the worst interim managers in league history.

a club record-worst start of four consecutive losses

Lampard, who was fired by his former club in January 2021 less than a half-year before Thomas Tuchel led a Champions League conquest, was reinstated as interim manager last month after Graham Potter was relieved of duty. But while “Super Frank” was supposed to reinstall the spirit and camaraderie he enjoyed during his playing days, he has been rewarded with a club record-worst start of four consecutive losses. 

Lampard, despite achieving Champions League qualification and finishing in the top four as the full-time manager, is proving to be one of the worst interim managers in EPL history. 

Recounting the worst interim EPL managers ever…

The five worst EPL interim managers

#5: Frank Lampard – 2023

Normally it’s polite to spare the bloody details, but since Lampard’s backstory has already been provided, it’s best to jump into the numbers.

Lampard, Chelsea’s all-time leading goal-scorer and the EPL record-holder for most goals as a midfielder (177), has seen his side be outscored 7-1 across his first four matches back on the touchline, leading to four losses. The only goal Chelsea scored during his reign was a Conor Gallagher deflection off a Brighton & Hove Albion player that mercifully squirmed over the goalkeeper’s outstretched arm.

The scariest part for Lampard’s Chelsea is the road ahead. They have six matches left, including ones against Manchester City, Arsenal, and Newcastle, and have nothing to play for. His record losing streak could easily be extended to an unbearable length—for Chelsea fans, that is.

#4: Les Reed – 2006

Reed only managed one club, yet it was enough to find his way onto our infamous list. His one stop came at then-EPL club Charlton Athletic in 2006, during which he accumulated one win, one draw, and six losses.

Reed’s 41-day time in charge makes him the EPL manager with the shortest stint as full-time boss (excluding fill-in managers). That is quite ironic because he wrote a book called The Official FA Guide to Basic Team Coaching, a book which must be read with greater skepticism in the aftermath.

nicknames such as “Les Misérables” and “Santa Clueless”

Reed’s Charlton side was so dismal that the media began calling him nicknames such as “Les Misérables” and “Santa Clueless.” He was also later voted “the worst manager of all time” in an unofficial online poll, but unlikely for Charlton fans, he was replaced by Pardew. Charlton went on to finish the season 13th but was relegated the following campaign.

#3: Alan Shearer – 2009

Shearer is the most prolific goal scorer in the history of the EPL, and in 2009, he returned to his former club to help them stave off an impending drop to the EFL Championship.

Shearer was appointed as the replacement for Chris Hughton, who was filling in for Joe Kinnear, who was recovering from heart surgery. He said during his introductory press conference that he only accepted the position because of his love for Newcastle and would not have done it for any other club, including the other two for which he played (Southampton and Blackburn).

While Shearer was successful in pulling on the heartstrings of Magpies fans across the globe, he was far less successful in the technical box. Newcastle won just one game and produced only five points from a possible 24 during Shearer’s brief tenure at the end of the season and was relegated from the EPL.

#2: John Carver – 2015

Newcastle had another infamous appointment as interim manager in John Carver and shockingly, they put him in place twice. The first time happened in 2015 when he filled in for Alan Pardew, who had departed for Crystal Palace.

In January, Carver led the team to one draw and three losses in his first four matches in charge. Then, from March to May, he oversaw eight straight league defeats, Newcastle’s longest losing streak in the top flight of English soccer. 

the best coach in the Premier League”

What does a situation like that call for? An injection of confidence! Carver boldly claimed that he was “the best coach in the Premier League” (though he later said that quote was taken out of context), and Newcastle finished the year safe and sound in 15th place.

#1: Joe Kinnear – 2009

Sorry, Newcastle fans, but the bad news doesn’t stop here. Kinnear was appointed in September 2008 to lead the team and got off to a bang. 

In his first week on the job, Kinnear swore over 50 times in the first five minutes of an interview with the national media. He was also given a red card for his sideline antics during a December battle with Stoke City and failed to connect with most of his players, whose body language reflected that of someone disinterested in their situation.

Kinnear fell ill in 2009 and was forced to undergo heart bypass surgery, leaving his record at Newcastle at five wins in 26 matches. His absence opened the door for Shearer to step back into the spotlight, and unfortunately, we already know how that went.