What Frank Lampard’s deal means for NYCFC, MLS & Man City

Call it the New Year’s Eve Earthquake. The reaction to the news that Manchester City has decided to keep Frank Lampard until the end of the European season sent shockwaves through social media and the American soccer community this afternoon. But here’s what the deal means for each of the parties involved.

Manchester City

Short of quality midfield depth and facing an extended period without Yaya Toure due to the Africa Cup Of Nations tournament, the decision to have Lampard play all season long for Man City makes sense for the Blues. Manager Manuel Pellegrini, who was keen to keep the Englishman in the fold, has been impressed by Lampard’s professionalism on and off the pitch. Lampard will continue to play a major role for the club in domestic and European competitions.

New York City FC

The new Major League Soccer club will begin life without a local training facility, in a baseball stadium and without its marquee signing who will be playing abroad. Lampard appears poised to join the club in 2015 but the stadium situation appears to be years away from being solved. The pretense that Sheikh Mansour was as committed to his MLS club as his Premier League club has now been shattered. NYCFC now looks even more like a rushed, second rate project with owners that lack commitment.

Additionally, the revelation that Frank Lampard was still on the books of Manchester City and not loaned out by New York City, according to a BBC Sport reporter, is disturbing given the lack of transparency from the NYCFC and MLS executives.

Major League Soccer

In recent years, Don Garber has hitched much of his legacy on establishing a second New York franchise. He took the $100 million franchise fee from Manchester City’s owners when it was on offer partly due to timing and the re-launch of the New York Cosmos in the second-tier NASL. Garber perhaps did not ask the right questions of Mansour’s group when they bought into the league. As a result, the reality is that NYCFC shares Manchester City’s colors and arguably has an identity that mirrors the English Premier League club instead of New York. This has public relations disaster written all over it.

Premier League

In an era when fewer and fewer English players of note are involved at the top clubs, it’s important to keep Lampard in the league as one of the signature British footballers of the last two decades. Premier League officials won’t admit it, but having Frank Lampard involved in one last title race is good for business.

Frank Lampard

Sometimes professionals in Europe sign to overseas league like MLS, the A-League, J-League and others when they think their careers have run its course. Lampard may have thought this months ago, but the willingness of manager Manuel Pellegrini to give him a key role at a club chasing the Premier League title would certainly have changed Lampard’s mind.

I am of the belief ultimately that the player himself forced this deal. It may not please American soccer fans to hear this, but if you are a high-level accomplished professional of Frank Lampard’s status, playing MLS when you could be contributing in a title race in England is simply not at all appealing. Yes, Lampard did sign a contract with NYCFC, but once it became clear he had an important role to play with this Manchester City side, I have no doubt he was pushing to stay even if costs him in the States due to its impact on the Frank Lampard brand and endorsement deals.