Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi has urged Evertonians to stick by manager Frank Lampard, insisting he is the right man to turn around the club’s fortunes.
The Toffees have had a disappointing start to the 2022/23 campaign, and currently sit just one point above the relegation zone. A 4-1 defeat at Bournemouth in the Third Round of the League Cup increased the pressure on Lampard’s position, but Iwobi believes that the ex-Chelsea coach has what it takes to be a success at Everton.
The Nigerian international said, “I say stick by him [Lampard] because, not just me, the players do appreciate what he is doing and what he is doing for the club. He is a hard-working man, who is putting his job first – maybe before his family! He does work very hard and is an understanding man, so stick by him.”
It should come as little surprise that Iwobi is eager for Lampard to remain at the Goodison helm, with the 26-year-old flourishing under his guidance.
Indeed, Iwobi’s transformational form has been one of the few positives at the club in recent months, and despite a rocky start to life at Everton, the former Arsenal man insists that he has now fully embraced life on Merseyside.
“I’ve had some mad experiences as an Everton player but for them to stick by me and give me the praise I’ve been getting; I really appreciate it. Maybe it was just a confidence thing and being able to express myself. Embracing the Everton culture was a bit difficult for me, but now I feel like I am one of them and I’m at home now.”
Iwobi joined the club for and initial fee of £28 million in 2019, and with his current contract set to expire in the summer of 2024, there have been suggestions that his performances in recent months could earn him a new 5-year deal.