“He hasn’t earned his stripes” – Tony Cascarino labels Chelsea legend Frank Lampard as ‘manager with the silver spoon in his mouth’ amidst Everton links

Chelsea legend Frank Lampard is closing in on a return to the Premier League with Everton close to appointing him as their new manager. Amid the talks, former Blues striker Tony Cascarino has branded the Englishman a lucky man. He claimed that the former midfielder's managerial career has progressed beyond the quality of his work.

Lampard became permanent manager for the first time when Derby County appointed him in the summer of 2018. He led the Rams to a sixth-placed finish in the Championship during the 2018-19 campaign before Chelsea snapped him up the following summer.

Tony Cascarino has claimed the legendary midfielder didn't prove himself enough before getting the Blues' job. According to the Irishman, Lampard got the job at Stamford Bridge simply because of his legendary status.

Cascarino said on talkSPORT:

“He’s a lucky man, Frank. I mean that in a good way. What manager in the Championship coming sixth would get the Chelsea job? Absolutely nobody."

He added:

"He’s been given it because he’s been a legend at Chelsea and rightly so. And this is a pretty not very nice line to use but I’ll say it because I thought he is the manager with the silver spoon in his mouth."

The Irishman further suggested that Lampard's progress as a manager isn't down to his coaching abilities but how good he was as a player.

He said:

"A lot’s happened for Frank because of how good he was as a player. He hasn’t earned his stripes, as in what he’s achieved, to be Chelsea manager or Everton manager."

Frank Lampard's record as a Chelsea player in numbers

The Englishman will be looking forward to facing his former club when he returns to the dugout at Everton

Lampard joined the Blues from West Ham United on a transfer worth €16 million in the summer of 2001. He spent a whopping 13 years at the club, where he became a legend before leaving in the summer of 2014.

During his spell at Stamford Bridge, the iconic midfielder made 648 appearances for the Blues across all competitions. He scored 211 goals and had 150 assists to his name. All eyes will be on him once again when he returns to the Premier League to manage Everton.