The model Doug is using it would be a head coach not a old head manager. Doug has given the job with sole responsibility of coaching and developing players. He does not involve that person in anything outside that role.
FL is just a block in the structure and knows if a replacement is needed the who is easier to find. If FL goes it will be with compo attached and Doug will be onto the next one. Id like FL to see out the season and look then at the situation then. If they do come knocking it will be a tough decision for FL to make., hopefully he doesn't have to and the story is nothing but paper talk.
Yes, this is what Doug was angling for ever since he came in and began to recruit senior executives and subject matter experts that reported to him, which likely made Robins pretty uncomfortable.
This is a more stable structure and does mean that if Lampard went although would be disruptive in the short term, it would not be as earth shattering as Robins leaving... or as it would have been had Robins left before King had gotten things set up.
This is very much the modern way of doing things, and you can see that Lampard has succeeded pretty well with very few additions. Anyone coming in would be expected to do the same.
As a sidenote - Lampard leaving would be an odd move for him - he's done that kind of move a few times now and he knows how cut throat it is, and how little control he will have... and of course that relationship between the fans and him & the owner will likely be a lot less smooth. I think he knows he needs to improve a club over a longer term and wait for the right bigger opportunity where those relationships are established and he will be given time. I don't think jumping into a Premiership hotseat is the right move for him at all.
