New manager's new trip! Lampard leads Chelsea to Dublin for pre-season

Frank Lampard has got to work straight away following his appointment as Chelsea's head coach.

Lampard, who enjoyed an illustrious career at Chelsea as a player, flew out with the Chelsea squad to Dublin for the first phase of their pre-season programme.

The new Chelsea boss is planning to give squad outcasts an opportunity to impress, with Michy Batshuayi, for instance, making the trip.

Batshuayi has been sent out on loan to Borussia Dortmund, Valencia and Crystal Palace in recent seasons, but is now back at Chelsea.

After signing a three-year contract with Chelsea, Lampard will be eager to impose his methods on his squad early on, and it will be intriguing to see which youngsters and fringe players he gives chances to.

With Chelsea under a transfer ban, they are likely to have to call upon young prospects and returning loanees to bolster the numbers in their squad, especially in the early stages of pre-season.

Regarding senior players, Pedro and Willy Caballero have both made the trip.

The Blues will hold a training camp in Ireland and will take on Bohemians on Wednesday in Lampard's first game in charge before facing St Patrick's three days later.

After much speculation, Lampard was finally confirmed as Chelsea's new manager on Thursday morning.

The 41-year-old impressed during his first season in management at Derby, with whom he came close to earning promotion to the Premier League.

Following the trip to Ireland, Lampard and his squad will then head to Japan for games against Kawasaki Frontale and Barcelona.

Chelsea will subsequently return to England for an away game against Reading before concluding pre-season with games away to Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Monchengladbach in Austria and Germany respectively.

Lampard's first competitive game as Chelsea boss will be away to Manchester United in the Premier League on August 11.