Guardiola discusses Lampard sacking: Projects and ideas don´t exist – you have to win!

Pep Guardiola offered his sympathy to sacked Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard but recognised managers have to win to keep their jobs in the Premier League.

Blues playing great Lampard was dismissed on Monday following a run of just two victories in eight league matches, leaving Chelsea in ninth and 11 points off the top.

A club statement described “a very difficult decision”, but owner Roman Abramovich is now set to turn to Thomas Tuchel, who was fired by Paris Saint-Germain last month.

Lampard averaged an underwhelming 1.67 points per game during his tenure and Manchester City counterpart Guardiola knows more is expected.

“Young and old managers, here you have to win,” Guardiola said. “When the people talk about projects and ideas, they don’t exist. You have to win; if not, you will be sacked.

“Respect for Chelsea, huge hug for Frank. Hopefully I can see him soon; when the lockdown will be over, I can go to a restaurant to see him again.”

Asked for his assessment of Lampard’s work, Guardiola reiterated: “It depends on the results.

“The way we play, the philosophy, the project… you have to get results. If you don’t, you will be replaced by another manager.”

1.67 – Frank Lampard’s points per game average of 1.67 is the 4th lowest of any permanent Chelsea manager in the Premier League, with the 1.35 goals per game conceded under his reign the worst at the club. Door. pic.twitter.com/dlYtzG6l1x

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 25, 2021

But the City boss does wish coaches were given more time – from the media as well as clubs.

“All the managers, we need this,” he said. “I’m not judging the decision from Chelsea ,I am not there. Respect in every decision, it has to be this way.

“But sometimes the journalists ask the club to be patient when the journalists don’t have patience. We drop one game and we should sack all the managers?

“We try to win as much as possible, but it doesn’t happen if you don’t have the directors, the board, the owners and CEOs in the same line and you know exactly what the target is.

“Every manager needs time to do what you believe or make the players feel that it doesn’t matter what happens, we believe in this, in this idea.

“And that is exceptional; it only happens in a few places around the world because the board, owners, CEOs want results immediately, quick, quick, quick.

“Winning the Premier League in November is better than January and winning in January is better than May. But this doesn’t happen.

“It’s difficult to talk about the projects in years, because in one month you can drop everything you built. The opponents also have good players, managers, too; you are always at risk to be out.”

Guardiola finds himself in a relatively comfortable position at City, though, after a run of 10 straight victories in all competitions eased early-season pressure.