Six club icons who went back as managers for better or worse | OneFootball

Frank Lampard and Chelsea just belong together, don’t they?

He’ll be hoping so, anyway. It doesn’t always work out when club legends return to their old stomping grounds in the dugout.

Here are some who can inspire Lampard, and some who may warn him not to destroy his legacy.

It went well for …

Johan Cruyff and Pep Guardiola, Barcelona

Johan inspired the first truly great Barcelona team as a player, then returned as a manager and led them to their first ever European Cup. With Pep Guardiola in midfield.

Obviously, Guardiola himself – after 382 appearances for the club – was appointed manager of the first team in 2008.

He left four years and 14 trophies later.

Zinedine Zidane, Real Madrid

Signed as the world’s most expensive player at the time, Zidane joined Madrid and became a club icon. His winning goal in the 2002 Champions League final is one of the greatest of all time and he saw out his career in the Spanish capital.

Fast-forward to 2016 and he was appointed head coach at the Bernabéu. Two-and-a-half years on he’d led them to three consecutive Champions League titles.

And now? Now he’s back again for more!

Carlo Ancelotti, Milan

A hard-working midfielder in his playing days, Ancelotti was part of the Milan side that won back-to-back European Cups in the late 1980s.

Ancelotti hung up his boots as a Milan player in 1992 but was at San Siro again by 2001 to replace Fatih Terim as first team boss.

Incredibly, two more Champions League titles – in 2003 and 2007 – followed, as well as one Scudetto.

It went badly for …

Thierry Henry, AS Monaco

Monaco made a huge fuss over appointing Thierry Henry last year.

Having started his playing career there, the legendary Frenchman was supposed to begin a similarly storied managerial career with the club.

And then, 20 games and four wins later, it was all over.

Alan Shearer, Newcastle United

The club’s all-time top goalscorer, the Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer, former captain Alan Shearer returned to Newcastle to save the club from relegation in 2009.

He didn’t. Then he was overlooked for the job for the following season.

Fair to say that could’ve gone better.

Half the 2005 team, Milan

Three of the four Milan players in the picture above – Gattuso, Inzaghi and Seedorf – have all managed the club since retiring and it’s not gone too well for any of them.

Leonardo, who played for the club a little earlier, also unsuccessfully took charge.

Milan, please, don’t give the job to Káka anytime soon. It just isn’t meant to be.