Who'd be an English football manager and why would you want to? From the day you're appointed it's only a matter of how long 'til you're fired. This week Chelsea's Frank Lampard became the latest casualty and he won't be the season's last.

Lampard was just 18 months into the job. Last year he qualified the  club for the Champions League, this year they're currently five points off the Top 4 with 18 games and 54pts left to play for. Last December they were being talked about as the likely challengers to Liverpool's crown,

Lampard hailed for the work he was doing. At the time Man City were unconvincing,  Tottenham inconsistent, United floundering with manager Ole Gunnar Solksjaer rumoured to be walking a knife's edge.

Fast forward to right now and United are there or thereabouts, City in imperious form, Leicester, West Ham, Everton, Spurs, Liverpool and Chelsea ALL within striking distance. There's nothing to say that in another 6-7 weeks it won't all be reversed, or at least be quite different again. 

But that's the thing. No-one has the patience to even see that amount of time through.

The standard fair go would assume a basic tenure of at least two or more years.

By that time you should be able to see some managerial influence, good he stays, bad he's gone. Since Roman Abramovich has owned Chelsea they've had 16 managers, averaging one per year. Three of those men have won Premier League titles for the club, one a Champions League, others responsible for unbeaten records that most likely will never be equalled - none of which seems to make a shred of difference.

Chelsea were on a 5 game mini-slump. Five games in a 38 game season, five points outside the Top 4 and it's enough to see Lampard sacked. Before you feel too sorry for Frank though, do remember he will get a whacking great severance payout. The bruised ego will eventually heal, the massively increased bank balance providing some sort of compensation. And as a former player Lampard, more than most, knows the score.

It's all about results. And if the team doesn't get them then this IS the result.