Frank Lampard hailed for Everton turnaround of ‘toxic’ environment
Michael Ball, a former Everton and England player, has hailed the job Frank Lampard has done to turn around the atmosphere on Merseyside.
There was a significant disconnect between the fans and the club while Rafael Benitez was in charge last season but the ex-Chelsea star has taken everyone under his wing and brought them all together.
BBC pundit Ball is delighted at seeing his former club back to its best and thinks it has really helped Scottish international Nathan Patterson’s development.
“When Nathan signed, the club was in a relegation battle and that’s why he was always going to find it difficult to walk straight into a Premier League side,” he said to the Daily Record.
“There was a toxic environment at Goodison Park and the fans felt a disconnect with the team. And that’s what Nathan walked into.
“Fortunately Frank realised that and has managed to get the fans behind the boys now by saving the club from relegation. There’s a unity to the club now.”
Inspiration
Benitez was always doomed to fail from the moment he arrived having previously managed and been loved by Liverpool earlier in his career and Farhad Moshiri had to make the right call on his replacement.
Lampard was exactly the correct man to take over and he proved that by guiding the club to safety n a very dangerous season in 2021-22.
He has continued that into this season and Patterson’s emergence as a star right-back is largely down to his guidance and ability to change the mood around Finch Farm in an instant.
The 20-year-old is now injured which could threaten to derail the good run of form he has got the tram going in with five games unbeaten in the Premier League.
The end of the road is still some way away for Everton to get back to the spirit they desire and command every week but with Lampard at the helm, anything is possible.