Harry Redknapp admits to Frank Lampard ‘fear’ at Everton, regular texts sent
Harry Redknapp had feared that his nephew, Frank Lampard, would be sacked as Everton manager at the start of the 2022-23 season.
Pressure is still very much on the Toffees boss with the club now in the Premier League relegation zone after a 4-1 humbling at home by Brighton and Hove Albion on Tuesday (3 January).
Redknapp, a highly experienced manager himself, has been in contact with Lampard via text messages to try and offer advice and support.
“I text him all the time and I sit and follow every game and kick every ball for him, to be fair,” Redknapp said to talkSPORT. “I want to see him do well, but I did fear at the start of the year, I must be honest.
“I looked at their squad and the centre forward [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin was injured. They bought in [Neal] Maupay and he works hard, but he doesn’t score many goals. So they’re really very short, I think.”
Borrowed time
Everton cannot afford to be relegated in the next two or three seasons with the Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium fully under development and need to be paid for without external investment at this stage.
Going down to the Championship would see their TV money from the top flight disappear overnight and the parachute payments that come with relegation won’t be enough to fund the huge project.
Farhad Moshiri has never shied away from making a big call during his time on Merseyside and it would not come as a surprise to see him give Lampard the boot.
It almost seems as though the fans’ liking of the manager and how he tries to get everything out of his squad may have delayed the inevitable for a short while.
But the writing is almost certainly on the wall for Lampard with the club in such a position and the board may not back him in January if they are going to get rid anyway.