Browsing through Chelsea Twitter over the last couple of weeks can only be described as a football gangland. Some of the clubs own supporters are once again picking sides and going at each other over an opinion on football.
Some want to see Frank Lampard sacked, others do not. Fair enough, we are all entitled to our opinions as fans.
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But the lifestyle of a football fan on social media simply does not involve just offering an opinion based on balanced analysis, giving a vast array of reasons why, and delivering said opinion in a respectful way. Nope, unfortunately it involves getting angry, offering personal insults to people they have never met, and simply refusing to look at all angles of a situation.
It is very gang-like; pick your side, campaign relentlessly for that side, and insult anyone who disagrees. I have seen people who I believed to be decent accounts on Twitter on both sides of this argument, simply forget about respect entirely in order to push their campaign and agenda.
Frank Lampard should never be immune from criticism, and he has raised many warranted questions on his tactics, team selections, and substitutions, and rightly so.
Frank Lampard is not indispensable. If Chelsea carry on throughout this season getting poor results, then he will have nowhere to hide and the board will probably part ways with him. Football is a results based business, and if they dip too far down the league for a long period of time, Chelsea will once again move a manager on, regardless of who he is.
But, and this is where my issue is. Frank Lampard is a person who at the very least, demands your respect as a Chelsea fan, regardless of your views on how good he is as a manager.
At the very least, respect a person who loves this club as much as you do, and a person who has been on that pitch literally bleeding blue trying to win matches and titles for this club.
When I see people mocking up pictures of Lampard with a fat face, or putting a red cross over him – that is point blank massively disrespectful and that I cannot accept.
This is Frank Lampard, one of the greatest ever players to represent the badge. The abuse and the constant gang-like campaigns against him is just plain stupidity.
Want him gone fine, but show the man some respect, please.
For the record, I don’t want him sacked as it stands. He needs at least this season to build his team with the new signings and perfect his starting formation. However, IF results continued to be bad this season then I would revisit those views. But although I’m far from saying that Lampard gets a free ride at this, I am more than willing to show some patience with a man who adores this club so much and has done so much good for it over the years.
He will always be a Chelsea legend, regardless. But we should separate the player from the manager, whilst always showing him respect in my humble opinion.
Totally agree