Benitez: Out with the old, in with the new

Chelsea interim manager Rafa Benitez gave the biggest hint yet that Frank Lampard and the other “legends” may be on their way out in the near future.

Lampard and Ashley Cole’s contracts are due to expire at the end of the season, and have yet to be offered new contracts. It had been reported that Ashley would be offered a one-year extension to his deal, with Frank’s agent claiming that the Blues will not be offering the 34 year-old a new deal. No official stance has yet been given.

John Terry’s contract runs out at the end of next season, and is expected to be another Chelsea casualty when his current deal expires.

Rafa Benitez is only in temporary charge of the team currently, and it is unsure how much influence he has on the players in the long term.

Rafa said: “It’s easy to talk about the legends, and you have to have a lot of respect for them. What they’ve achieved for this club has been fantastic. But you have to have new players, English or foreign, it doesn’t matter, and carry on winning games.

“That’s what the fans are expecting. Everyone knows the legends have been here and what they have achieved, but you have to see new players coming. It’s part of life.

“I cannot talk about the past, but I can see the club is changing things for the future, thinking about being successful again. It’s not just: ‘Oh, we won,’ and that’s it.

“You have to keep winning as much as you can, you can’t think, ‘That’s it, we’ve won now’. You have to keep evolving. That means you have to keep bringing in good new players.

“If you want to keep winning, to have the winning mentality, you need the new generation pushing you. Chelsea are managing this situation because they were successful.

“Every year you have to bring in someone else. The English question is something you have to consider, but this year you have three or four players, you have Hazard, Oscar, Piazon and Marin who came last summer, and they will need some time. That is part of the evolution of the team.”

Chelsea will no doubt challenge for years to come, and I can understand why they would be willing to let Frank go considering his wages, I just wish he could stay. He has done a lot for the club, and has helped deliver many trophies to us. The legends will never be forgotten, and I wish them all the best for the future. Do you have a favourite Franky moment?