If Chelsea twist again they should look to home hero Frank Lampard... and why criticism of Gareth Bale at Real Madrid is so wrong

• e-mail

Peter Crouch is a columnist for Sportsmail

The first point to make is important: this is not a column that is advocating the sacking of Maurizio Sarri.

I've been in football long enough to know how managers react in times of great pressure and the last thing I would ever want to do is show someone a lack of respect. Sarri has had a good career. He earned the opportunity to work at Chelsea and could even lift a trophy for them on Sunday.

This has been a difficult season and being hit with a transfer ban on Friday has only added to their problems. I wouldn't completely rule them out of winning the Carabao Cup but if Manchester City turn up in top form, it is going to be incredibly difficult.

Another loss would leave Sarri back in the spotlight and it is not difficult to read the signals that are coming from Stamford Bridge. Chelsea managers are in trouble the moment Champions League qualification is in danger and the noise surrounding him is not without foundation. He is in trouble.

So what happens next? If they are going to make a change, the only man I could see altering the atmosphere around the place is Frank Lampard. Sometimes, appointing the polar opposite of your previous manager works and why couldn't that be the case with Frank?

I understand the risks that come with being Chelsea manager — it's not a position that offers long-term security — and I also appreciate why plenty of people would see it as a gamble for both sides: Frank lacks experience on the touchline, Chelsea want someone who will win immediately.

If Chelsea look to bring in another manager then Frank Lampard would be an excellent option

You only have to look at what happens, though, when you have a manager who is genuinely in tune with the club's history and traditions. Who thought Manchester United had made an error turning to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer before his first game? Now he looks like he's been in the role his whole life.

Football is all about timing and opportunity. Some say Lampard should wait before returning to the club where he is the record goalscorer — but what makes them think the opportunity will always be there? Things change quickly in this industry and chances don't always come a second time.

People can talk about him serving his apprenticeship but sometimes you have to be ready to make the jump. I know how ambitious Frank is. He is doing an excellent job at Derby but the dream will be to go back to west London.

Current Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri is under increasing pressure after a tough run of results 

I always got on well with him when we played together for England. Frank is a good lad and was always a good laugh around camp. But I saw first-hand how focused he is now he has started the second phase of his career.

Stoke played Derby at the Bet365 Stadium last November and he just came into the stadium to do his job.

There was no time for small talk or handshakes. Nothing else other than the game mattered. He is, I am sure, going to have a long managerial career.

One day I expect it to happen for him at Chelsea, in the same way I can see Steven Gerrard managing Liverpool.

If Sarri is moved on and Chelsea want to restore harmony, they know where to look.

Lampard is the only man I could see altering the atmosphere around Stamford Bridge

Criticism of Gareth Bale is so wrong, he's just a nice quiet lad 

For some reason, it seems Thibaut Courtois has become the unofficial spokesman of Real Madrid.

He has upset Chelsea fans with comments that Eden Hazard should leave to join him in Spain and now he has made some curious remarks about Gareth Bale.

It all revolves around Bale staying at home rather than going on a night out in Madrid with the squad.

Gareth Bale has won the Champions League four times since joining Real Madrid

Toni Kroos never attended, either, but the focus is on Bale, who has been christened 'The Golfer'. 

Marcelo has also joined in, saying Bale doesn't speak Spanish at all. I won't get involved in the dressing-room politics of Real Madrid but I will tell you that Gareth not going on a night out is not a detriment to his character.

I knew him as a kid at Southampton and played for two years with him at Tottenham.

He didn't drink with us — he doesn't drink full stop — and he didn't bother much with nights out but everyone in the squad knew him to be a good lad who was always involved in having a laugh.

He was quiet but why is that a problem? Gareth has won the Champions League four times since joining Real Madrid and I would say that would entitle him to some respect.

He will come back to the Premier League at some stage, I think, but there is still much for him to achieve in Spain.

Injuries have been his worst enemy but all players with his explosive pace are vulnerable to such issues.

If Gareth feels he needs early nights to ensure he is in the best condition, I don't see why it should be questioned.

Injuries have been his worst enemy since he left the Premier League to move to the Bernabeu 

There are some moments in life when you think 'is this really happening?' and Gordon Banks asking me for an autograph was one such episode.

It happened last year at Stoke's Clayton Wood training ground after Gordon, who was a regular visitor, had bought some copies of my book for a couple of the grandkids. 

I knew him well but, even still, it felt a little surreal that one of the heroes of 1966 wanted my signature. When you were with him, you knew you were in the presence of a great. 

Gordon Banks asking me for my autograph last year was a surreal experience

Even with his years advancing, you could tell he was a goalkeeper. He had these big hands and a presence about him and always had a story. His family were lovely, too. Jack Butland was particularly close to him and used to take advice whenever he could. 

I know he will take tremendous pride in wearing the kit Stoke have commissioned in tribute to Gordon: a plain green jersey, without a sponsor, name or logo, just a white No 1 on the back. The day I signed his books was the last time I saw him and it was so sad to hear he had passed away last week.

We can roll off the names of the great English goalkeepers, from Ray Clemence to Peter Shilton to David Seaman, but the best of them all was Gordon Banks. May he rest in peace.

When you were with the goalkeeper, you knew you were in the presence of a great

MY WEEK 

WHO'S CAUGHT MY EYE... Diego Costa

I make no secret of how much I love watching him and he was box office in Atletico Madrid's 2-0 win over Juventus in the Champions League, ruffling feathers from the start. 

Diego Costa was box office for Atletico Madrid against Juventus this week

 

NEXT UP FOR ME... 

A busy week at Burnley with games in quick succession against Tottenham on Saturday and at Newcastle on Tuesday.

We had a great few days training in Portugal and hopefully we can put it all into practice. I'm really starting to feel settled now.

 

WHAT I'M LISTENING TO... 

A very new band Lona have a debut track out called She's With Me. Give it a listen. It's gonna be big! 

 

WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO... 

I've spent most of my life in London but, last weekend, I did something that I have never done before: an open-top bus ride. I took the kids out and, with the exception of having to duck every time there was a railway bridge, it was great to see the sights! 

Advertisement