Why Chelsea are rehiring Frank Lampard makes perfect sense to Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali

The appointment of Frank Lampard as interim manager is unlikely to mean much for Chelsea’s season: a Champions League victory feels like a great opportunity – although that has been said before – and there is nothing to play for at home.

What it will do, however, is bring back the buzz. Not the buzz, as we heard last time at Stamford Bridge under Graham Potter, nor exactly the short-term optimism, just excitement.

Lampard’s return is a great step to earn some goodwill for Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali ahead of one of the most important periods in the club’s 113-year history. The future of Stamford Bridge – and what Chelsea will do next – looms large.

In the 10 months since the Boehly-Clearlake consortium took over from Roman Abramovich, the new owners can hardly be accused of a lack of financial backing or interest: nearly £600m has been spent on players, two managers have been sacked and the figureheads have been working. Cobham often enough to scare some players.

But as long as the commitment is there, a poll on the new regime would not shout back competence. Their team are 11th in the Premier League, the team has blown up and Potter has looked bad from the start.

The decision by Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly (left) and Behdad Eghbali (right) to bring back a club legend as interim boss is a great move that is likely to earn them some goodwill from fans

Fan forums organized by the club have suggested – although not confirmed – that there are price increases and are unlikely to be well received at a time of economic struggles versus major Premier League spending.

But the big issue coming up is Stamford Bridge vs Earl’s Court. The official line is that Chelsea are ‘examining options’ for leaving.

The Blues want to make a choice between their home and moving less than a mile away by the summer. Architects are addressed, preferences are formed – and the atmospheric music indicates that Earl’s Court is becoming more and more attractive.

That’s for the property. The fans will need more convincing. Reports late last month indicated a group of ‘Super League style’ protests vowed if Chelsea stay out of their 40,341 capacity forever home. Others would welcome the option of not spending four years on the road at Wembley, Twickenham, Craven Cottage or elsewhere during a rebuild.

Boehly and Eghbali need Chelsea’s main support base. The Chelsea Pitch Owners (CPO) organization must approve any move from Stamford Bridge if Chelsea want to continue playing under the name ‘Chelsea’.

CPO also owns the Stamford Bridge property and the club’s new owners will certainly consider a buyout attempt which would help provide a significant portion of the funding needed for a multi-billion dollar new stadium by significantly lower cost than market value.

But it’s not easy.

Abramovich failed on that front in 2012. Any attempt to buy the land on which Stamford Bridge stands would require approval from 75 percent of CPO shareholders, and the then-popular Russian only succeeded in 61.5 percent.

If Chelsea want to move, the current owners need a robust plan to convince all naysayers that it is right to leave Stamford Bridge. And giving an impression of understanding of fans’ sentiment by turning to their hero in this situation works in that direction.

The stadium problem is coming back to the fore – and fast.

He arrives at a crucial time as Stamford Bridge’s future approaches a critical period

Lampard’s return is unlikely to save a dismal season, but it will cause another stir in the public

Lampard is the messiah at Chelsea, despite his last stint as manager in SW6 crumbling in the early months of 2021. Shortly before 3pm on Saturday at Molineux, Chelsea supporters will be energized and excited rather than the recent dull disappointment.

Boehly, Eghbali and co need more of that mood ahead of what might be a tough few months on the PR front if they want to push more for Earl’s Court.

The appointment of Lampard is a short-term solution for the team, but a longer-term goodwill boost.

And who knows, stranger things have happened than a mid-season fan favorite taking over from an unpopular ‘project manager’ and winning the Champions League, as Lampard himself will attest.