Frank Lampard had a pretty forgettable spell as Everton manager – but he does deserve some credit for one thing he did at Goodison Park.
Frank Lampard managed the Toffees from January 2022 to January 2023, being replaced by Sean Dyche in the end.
The former Chelsea midfielder managed to keep Everton in the Premier League at the end of the 2022/23 season.
But Everton only survived with one game remaining, and it was clear for all to see that Lampard was on borrowed time.
Abdoulaye Doucoure recently claimed he nearly left Everton under Lampard, revealing he was forced to train away from the group after an argument.
It wasn’t a good stint at all. However, Lampard does deserve credit for one thing he did as Everton manager – and that was the role he played in bringing James Tarkowski to the club.
Frank Lampard deserves major credit for signing James Tarkowski for Everton
Everton picked up James Tarkowski on a free transfer following the defender’s exit from Burnley in the summer of 2022.
Burnley had been relegated, so there was no chance Tarkowski was going to be extending at Turf Moor to play in the Championship.
A host of clubs were interested in Tarkowski at the time, but it was Everton who won the race – and Lampard was key to the signing.
| James Tarkowski for Everton |
| Appearances – 113 |
| Goals – 4 |
| Assists – 3 |
Tarkowski said at the time of his arrival: “Speaking to the manager, it was very important to see what he wants from his players and his team, what he saw in me and why he wanted to sign me
“I think the manager recognised my strengths, saw how I could fit into his system and hopefully improve the team. He also saw my character and leadership skills – that what I can bring to a group will be good and positive.”
Director of football Kevin Thelwell added: “Frank was very keen to bring him to the club. We look forward to him being a highly-valued member of our squad next season and in the years to come.”
James Tarkowski has become an Everton record-breaker
Tarkowski has proven to be a brilliant signing for the Toffees and Lampard’s work to get him in should not be understated. He could very easily have gone somewhere else had it not been for Lampard’s strong interest.
The 32-year-old has played an important role in Everton’s defensively solidity in recent times, helping the club to survive relegation for the past couple of campaigns.
2024/25 has been another decent season for vice-captain Tarkowski, who actually became an Everton record-breaker with his appearance against Brentford in midweek.
Against the Bees, he made his 103rd consecutive Premier League appearance. Previously the record was 102 held by Joleon Lescott.
That is remarkable to consider, given Tarkowski spoke of injury niggles earlier this season. He hasn’t always been completely comfortable, but he’s still always played.
That is a clear indicator that Tarkowski has been a top signing for Everton, with durability and consistency always important traits in any footballer.
Regardless of who’s been in the dugout, Tarkowski has always played and generally always been very dependable.
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