Abdoulaye Doucoure has not held back in his criticism of former Everton manager Frank Lampard, accusing him of treating him unfairly and mishandling his time at the club.
Lampard, who managed Everton from January 2022 to January 2023, endured a disappointing spell, winning just 12 of his 44 matches in charge. During his tenure, Doucoure—who had been a key player since arriving from Watford in 2020—was sidelined and left frustrated by a lack of opportunities.
Speaking on The Overlap Breakdown Podcast, Doucoure revealed that tensions between him and Lampard came to a head in a heated dressing room argument.
“I think he made a mistake with me,” Doucoure said. “I work hard, I’m humble, I never contest a manager’s decisions, but sometimes you have to be fair—and I don’t think he was fair with me. I was left on the bench for so many games without a chance, even when the team was struggling.”
The Mali international explained that after voicing his frustration following a home match, Lampard felt disrespected and promptly banished him from first-team training.
“The day after, I was told I couldn’t stay with the team. He said I needed to train with the Under-21s or alone,” Doucoure continued. “I chose to train alone because I know how to take care of myself. Luckily, it didn’t last long—he was sacked a week later.”
Lampard has since reflected on his Everton tenure, acknowledging the challenges he faced during that period. Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, he admitted that the club’s internal struggles made his job extremely difficult.
“There were a lot of issues beyond my control,” Lampard said. “I was constantly on the phone with the owner, chairman, and CEO while trying to manage the team. It was intense. I realized quickly that many of Everton’s problems weren’t mine to solve long-term. In the end, I made peace with it.”
Despite their differences, Doucoure has since reestablished himself at Goodison Park, while Lampard remains without a managerial job since his brief return to Chelsea as interim boss in 2023.