New York City FC’s disastrous 7-0 aggregate defeat to Toronto FC marked the end of the line for 38-year-old midfielder Frank Lampard, who soon after announced that he would be departing the emerging club once his contract expires at the end of the year.
While the Chelsea legend has made no comment about the future of his football career, with a return to the Premier League club that he called home for 13 years in a coaching role supposedly an option, Lampard’s time in America seems to be up.
As recently as April, Lampard was branded as the ‘worst signing in MLS history’. He got off on the wrong foot with the club’s supporters after extending his loan spell at Manchester City last year, before a calf injury which kept him out for the first 12 matches of the 2016 season saw him labelled as an irredeemable flop. However, has Lampard’s spell really been that bad, and can the English veteran leave Major League Soccer with his head held high?
Of course, after such a long time playing in the Premier League, a change of pace was always going to be tough for Lampard. Many viewed the 2015 season as his adjustment period. However, when Lampard returned to action in May, a 7-0 mauling at the hands of their city rivals New York Red Bulls failed to convince the club’s fans that he could inspire the team to push on over the coming months. Either did a 2-2 draw with Orlando City, or a 3-2 loss to Real Salt Lake. However, his fourth game back, a visit from Philadelphia Union, would see him net his first goal of the season, prompting a run of 12 goals in 14 games.
He finished the regular season with 12 goals and two assists in 19 appearances, taking his tally for the club to 15 goals from just 29 matches. You would expect that kind of goal return from a out-and-out goalscorer, but Lampard has been doing it consistently from a midfield position for years. Despite his age, he hasn’t shown any signs of letting up in MLS.
His phenomenal goalscoring feats helped NYC FC to maintain their place near the top of the table and qualify for the MLS Cup Play-offs in just their second ever season. Lampard’s contribution single-handedly earned the club nine points - without them, NYC FC could have finished as low as fifth and would have had to compete in a qualifying round to clinch a place in the cup competition.
However, despite helping to ensure that the club got there, Lampard was unable to make an impact in the MLS Cup. Lampard won a total of 11 major honours with Chelsea, including three Premier League titles and the Champions League. NYC FC would have expected big things from a player that is more than used to playing in big, important matches. While it wasn’t entirely his fault, he certainly didn’t impress against Toronto.
He is undeniably finishing his MLS career on a low. Lampard hasn’t been a Sebastian Giovinco or a David Villa, despite his $6 million-a-year wages. Yet, he has provided exactly what NYC FC would have expected from him - goals, and plenty of them for a 38-year-old midfielder.