Frank Lampard makes immediate visit to Everton academy, ready to give youth a chance
Frank Lampard and his assistants “swiftly made a beeline” for the Everton academy on his first day at Finch Farm, reports the Daily Mail’s Dominic King.
The new manager has a reputation for giving youth a chance after his revolution at Chelsea, and his early move suggests he was making clear to the Toffees youngsters that they will get a chance.
This should excite fans, and King believes it will make a big difference at the training ground.
He writes in the Daily Mail: “Lampard, accompanied by two of his assistants, Chris Jones and Joe Edwards, swiftly made a beeline for the club’s Academy.
“He had some spare time, as first team training wasn’t due to start until 3pm, and readily exchanged high fives and fist bumps with those young boys who are a daring to dream.
“A small gesture, perhaps, but it was important. Finch Farm, increasingly in recent years, has lost its soul”.
This ties up with the Liverpool Echo’s reporting that “young players continued to be involved in the latest session at Finch Farm, no doubt looking to impress their new boss early doors” suggesting Lampard could bring some through.
Untapped potential
The early signs are very encouraging for Everton fans hoping that Lampard can instil new hope on Merseyside.
Results need to improve, there is no doubt about that, but the atmosphere around the club is another major issue.
If there is excitement and competition around the training ground that is a perfect place to start with changing the attitude at the club.
Whatever arguments there are about how successful Lampard was back at the club where he became a star, the generation of academy products he brought through at Stamford Bridge are a great legacy.
It was famously difficult for players to break into the first team in West London, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi the only ones to even feature semi-regularly since John Terry.
Thanks to the club’s transfer ban the manager introduced the likes of Mason Mount, Reece James and Tammy Abraham.
With academy product Anthony Gordon one of the few shining lights for Everton this season, it will make a huge difference if the new boss can unearth a few more like him.
In other Everton news, Lampard wants to bring in a legendary ex-teammate to be part of his staff.