Kevin Campbell has told talkSPORT that Frank Lampard has taken over an ‘absolute mess’ at Everton, who are a club without a plan.
Everton’s downward trajectory was halted last time out with a dramatic stoppage time 1-0 win over Newcastle, but failed to build on that performance as they were dumped out of the FA Cup with a miserable 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace on Sunday.
The Toffees are in an unexpected relegation battle, having lost eight of their last ten league matches, and find themselves in a fight for survival despite switching managers in January.
Chelsea and Premier League legend Lampard arrived at Goodison Park to replace the much-maligned Rafael Benitez, but results are yet to improve.
Lampard was backed on transfer deadline day with the signings of Dele Alli and Donny van de Beek but, as has been the case at Everton for a while now, splashing the cash has not turned into points.
Former Toffees striker Campbell discussed his old side on talkSPORT’s Weekend Sports Breakfast, just hours before their cup exit to the soaring Eagles, and he felt plenty of sympathy for new manager Lampard.
“Let’s be brutally honest, Frank Lampard has come in and inherited an absolute mess,” Campbell admitted.
“The club should be on a very sound footing and at least have a foundation with the amount of money they’ve spent and the managers they’ve had.
“But they’ve had to go for Frank to revamp, restructure and remould what’s there for now and keep them up.”
During Campbell’s time at the club, Everton were led by current West Ham manager David Moyes who found consistency in the Goodison dugout during a lengthy 11-year management stretch.
Nine different men have taken up the post since Moyes’ 2013 departure, and Campbell believes a lack of planning has hindered any progress, despite vast investment.
“The Moyes years were so solid,” he said. “You could focus, you knew what the club were, you knew what the focus was, the recruitment was good, they even broke the domination of the top-four one season.
“People think money is the answer for everything, but Everton have spent over half a billion pounds and they’re in a worse position
“There just hasn’t been a plan, and now you’re starting to see that manifest itself in performances and the team that they’ve got now.
“I do believe that they can get out of it [the relegation battle] but when I look at what’s been spent and what’s happening at Everton I just shake my head because it’s crazy what’s gone on.