Why It's Time That Frank Lampard Returned to Chelsea

Frank Lampard is leaving New York City FC; it’s time he was brought back to Chelsea.

In the two years since he departed Stamford Bridge, much has changed. We’ve seen Chelsea crowned Premier League champions only to crash spectacularly in their defence of the title the following season. Systems have been altered, and the complexion of the club taking on a whole new look.

Despite all that, Chelsea are still lacking the soul that made them English football’s pre-eminent club of the 2000s. They’ve lost Didier Drogba; they’ve lost Petr Cech; Jose Mourinho’s legend has been diluted; and come the end of this season, it’s likely John Terry will join the list of absent heroes.

Now that Lampard is back on the market, he can help fill the void. His playing days are over, but it isn’t about that. Whether it be as a coach or a club ambassador, Chelsea need the likes of their former midfielder around.

It’s strange as, for every supporter who will relish his return to west London, there are those who will heed caution. There will be questions about how exactly Lampard would fit in—what his precise role will be.

When clubs are dealing with former players of Lampard’s stature, those conversations should come later. It’s about making the commitment to each other and then working out what the exact fit is. Chelsea wouldn't be signing a player, it would be Lampard the statesman now.

Dotted all around the Stamford Bridge concourses these days are larger-than-life images of the legends who have served the club with honour down the years. There are pictures of Ashley Cole and others with the Champions League trophy, Lampard included. Every other Saturday, Chelsea fans see Ron Harris and Ray Wilkins looking down at them, and there's the statue of Peter Osgood that welcomes supporters into the West Stand.

The purpose is simple—these artefacts are there to inspire. They're a reminder of the traditions that are embedded into the constitution of following the club; they tell players of the heights they must scale for their image to replace those that are already there.

Lampard returning to Chelsea would be a living, breathing example of that.

We’re not talking your average player here—Lampard isn’t just any old hero. He’s Chelsea’s greatest goalscorer and the finest player to have occupied the Stamford Bridge dressing room. That sort of status shouldn’t be allowed to disappear on the cheap. Instead, it has to be championed.

When Lampard departed for New York via Manchester City in 2014, he did so when the time was right. Things were changing under Mourinho, and he wasn’t what the club needed as a player. Age dictated the situation, as did style. We saw that when Cesc Fabregas replaced him to win Chelsea the Premier League.

The regret was about the club losing what Lampard represented. It wasn’t his loss as a player that Chelsea fans mourned. Whether it be consciously or not, supporters knew that Roman Abramovich's empire was beginning to be reshaped and take on a different form.

All that had once made them strong was now becoming the Achilles heel. To some degree, Chelsea had to forget the past in order to remain relevant in the future.

As a player, Lampard couldn’t be part of all that. If he wanted to continue playing, he had to leave. Legends sitting around on benches—itching to play and looking forlorn—is never good. It produces a vicious odour that can choke the life of a player's sense of prestige.

That was the reality facing Lampard.

The fact he will turn 36 this December and is still playing, says plenty about Terry’s ability to defy time. 

That said, the reliance on the veteran defender has been equally damaging for Chelsea. Failing to find his long-term replacement has held the club back; failing to do the same with Lampard and others is what contributed to the capitulation we saw last year.

Among Chelsea's many problems since Abramovich bought the club in 2003 is that they have enjoyed the good times too much. They haven’t planned for the future effectively—they were happy to dine out on whatever feast Lampard and others were cooking up. That gluttony eventually stalled the club and it’s taken head coach Antonio Conte until this season to start trimming the fat.

"

Frankie is going to be a free agent so plzzzz bring him back @ChelseaFC #GetLampsBackToChelsea pic.twitter.com/6vybFiEvK2

— Alex Cameron (@Alexocameron) November 14, 2016"

The Italian has much more to do in that regard, but it’s vital the process doesn’t become a distant relative of all that has made Chelsea the club it has become in the past decade. In order to avoid that, the past can’t be rejected as much as it can't be relived.

Conte spoke this week about the value Terry has in the present to his Chelsea side. The manager understands his captain’s position at Stamford Bridge, and he knows the armband comes with a mandate that only the club captain is capable of delivering on right now. It's for that reason he has spoken of Terry setting examples, leading the club even when he isn't playing.

That was a clever move. It showed political nous from the manager, that he understands successful clubs aren't just about Saturday afternoons. They have to function, and utilising a player of Terry's magnitude in the dressing room right now is a big part of that.

It's why Lampard is essential away from the pitch. The love affair between Chelsea and him is entering a new act. We’ve experienced the courting, the moments of lust and passion that fuelled the fire; now it's about the marriage.

Lampard and Chelsea have the opportunity to cement the bond in holy matrimony. They can't let the moment pass.

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes