Frank Lampard: New Everton manager 'a unity candidate who can heal divisions'

This time a year ago, Frank Lampard was coming to terms with his brutal sacking as Chelsea manager after his return to Stamford Bridge, which held so much promise, turned sour.

Now Lampard, a Chelsea icon as the club's all-time leading scorer, is preparing to take charge of another of English football's great institutions in vastly different circumstances.

Twelve months on from his Chelsea dismissal, Lampard assumes control as Everton manager with the Merseyside club mired in supporter unrest and sinking like a stone towards the Premier League relegation zone after the ill-advised and short-lived reign of Rafael Benitez.

The former England midfielder has waited for his moment to return, and after a chaotic recruitment process, Everton owner Farhad Moshiri has alighted on the unity candidate to lift spirits and heal divisions at Goodison Park.

«Sensible» is not a word much associated with Everton in recent times as Moshiri's high-risk strategy of appointing former Liverpool manager Benitez in the face of supporter suspicion and reservations in his own boardroom went wrong.

The arrival of Lampard, an intelligent thinker on the game with a forward-looking approach, could redress the balance.

Moshiri may have taken the scenic route in his managerial search, but there is a feeling inside Everton that he may have arrived at the right destination.

Once Benitez was sacked after the 2-1 defeat at Norwich City, Everton turned to Belgium coach and former manager Roberto Martinez — a move laced with irony because he was the first of five men in charge who have been sacked by Moshiri. Martinez's dismissal in May 2016 came amid the sort of fan protests that have been seen again in recent times.

Former striker Wayne Rooney declined to