For the first time Frank Lampard appears to have laid the foundation to be the manager of West Ham one day after a major admission as Nuno Espirito Santo struggles.
West Ham and Frank Lampard mix like oil and water since he left for Chelsea as a player.
There is plenty of history between West Ham United and Lampard junior.
But while his dad is a certified Hammers legend, Frank Lampard junior went from hero to hate figure.
Although the story of how and why is rarely reported with any degree of accuracy.
Supporters of a certain age know the truth, but those outside the Hammers bubble may have been misinformed by the media coverage of the Lampard-West Ham situation over time.
The truth about Lampard’s West Ham fallout
Yes there were unfortunately pockets of West Ham fans who felt Lampard was only getting in the first team through nepotism with his dad Frank Senior assistant manager to his uncle Harry Redknapp.
But it was never as widespread and vitriolic as he has been portrayed since, with spice added by journalists down the years.
Hammers supporters have taken a great deal of stick over their treatment of Lampard after he joined rivals Chelsea all those years ago when his dad and uncle were sacked.
The truth has undeniably been twisted, misunderstood and misconstrued over time.
Lampard was a huge West Ham fan as a kid, watching his dad carve out his legend status.
Things turned sour when he pushed to be sold to Chelsea and then claimed he was not liked by supporters, when in fact it was a minority who had given him a hard time – no different than it would be at any other club.
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Coventry’s manager went on to criticise West Ham and the club’s fans on several occasions and received abuse from the stands whenever the two clubs met.
Lampard would invariably stir things up by kissing the Chelsea badge to antagonise Irons fans further when he scored against his old side.
His proclamation that he was Chelsea’s biggest fan also didn’t help relations.
The truth was most Hammers supporters were excited about Lampard when he was emerging in the first team.
Lampard was hailed as a top talent by the vast majority of Hammers fans when he became a fixture in Redknapp’s side.
Lampard lays foundation to be future West Ham boss
People tend to forget Lampard scored 10 goals or more in three of his four full seasons in the Hammers first team and was revered not reviled by most.
West Ham fans still sing derogatory songs about Lampard to this day.
So in many ways it has been hard to imagine the 47-year-old ever managing the Hammers.
Time has been a great healer for some, though.
And Frank Lampard has shown a lot more class when discussing West Ham in recent years.
Now Lampard has laid the foundation to be a future West Ham boss with an admission as Nuno Espirito Santo flops.
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When the board were weighing up the candidates to replace Graham Potter, Lampard was linked with a return to West Ham.
Hammers News revealed sporting director Mark Noble really liked Frank Lampard for the West Ham job after being impressed by his revival of Coventry.
In the end West Ham went with Nuno following his sacking by Nottingham Forest.
But the Portuguese is struggling badly.
After impressing initially, Nuno’s team selections have caused major concern and anger among fans in woeful defeats to Brentford and Leeds which leave the Hammers staring relegation in the face.
Lampard makes big West Ham admission as Nuno flops
Clearly the problems at West Ham are not simply down to managers as the club made Nuno their fourth head coach in 17 months.
Nobody is blaming Nuno solely or writing him off after just four games.
But there have been few signs Nuno is going to be the man to turn things around.
Where that will leave the Hammers if and when they do get relegated remains to be seen.
Will Nuno be shown the door or decide to leave?
And where would West Ham turn given the dearth of managers that would be available to them?
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In years gone by the Hammers would usually appoint a manager who has a connection or link to the club.
That has changed under David Sullivan’s tenure.
But Lampard has now put himself in the mix as a future candidate by showing he has matured over the fall-out with West Ham.
Lampard has Coventry top of the Championship after taking over with the club in the relegation zone last season.
No team in Europe’s top five leagues has scored more goals than Lampard’s swashbuckling Coventry side.
Nobody would need to tell Lampard about the West Ham way or what fans expect and want.
And now he has admitted he is over the Hammers hate and completely understands why fans gave him stick.
Matured Lampard hands West Ham fans an olive branch
It is the clearest sign yet Lampard would be open to returning to the club which launched his glittering career.
Lampard has shared how he really feels about getting stick from West Ham supporters – insisting he really doesn’t mind.
“When I left West Ham and went to Chelsea, I completely get them giving me stick,” Lampard said on The Boot Room.
“That’s that’s why we love football.
“But as long as it doesn’t go over the line. It’s like, yeah, it’s pantomime.”
This is the first time Lampard has ever stated he understands why West Ham fans gave him stick.
Breaking his silence on the sore subject suggests he would be open to a return to the club one day now he is forging his own path as a manager.
Given the club’s struggles over the last two years, many West Ham fans would be much more open to that redemption arc to this particular story.
The problem for the Hammers will be that Coventry look on course to replace them in the Premier League next season as things stand.