Frank Lampard - End of an era at Chelsea?

“Sign him up, sign him up.”

Those chants seem to be getting louder by the passing day, and more so the decibel levels at Stamford Bridge, where the fans have just 1 name on their lips – Super Frank Lampard. No one ever expected Frank Lampard to become the mercurial figure that he’s become at Chelsea when he signed from West Ham in 2001. The rise of Frank Lampard in the world of football and in the hearts of Chelsea fans has been enormous over the years. No player evokes a better ovation when he’s on the field than Lampard. Scoring 20 goals almost every season from a deep lying midfield role is a magnanimous achievement in itself, but Frank Lampard brings more than goals. He brings a sense of belief and spirit, which totally epitomises the Chelsea lion and the passion of the fans.

As cool as a cucumber on the field and also off it, he’s perfect for every role that there was on offer at Chelsea. Being the captain in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich was his greatest achievement, where he led his troops to a remarkable fairytale win, which not many expected.

In his time at the club, Lampard has seen a lot of managers come and go, and many players kicked out or forever loaned out to other clubs. But now, as the summer approaches, it seems like the axe of his Russian billionaire owner has come closer than ever to his throat, and his romance with the club seems to be ending. Like the quote “All good things come to an end”, it seems like his days at the Bridge are numbered. But being the fighter that he’s always been all his life, Lampard will go down fighting, and evidence of that can be seen in his goal-scoring vein. He’s hit a purple patch, and wants to go out with a bang by reaching the top of the club’s all-time goal scorers’ list, something that would be a great parting shot to the club to tell them what they are going to miss.

He may have lost his legs and speed, but the spirit, grit and determination in him are still second to none. Lampard will be replaced if he does leave Chelsea in the summer, with loads of suitors lining up a swoop for him. But it will hard for Chelsea to get a player of his appeal and in his mould. The fact is that players can be replaced, but legends can’t!