Little more than a year has passed since Frank Lampard woke to an ominous text message from Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck summoning him to the boardroom at Stamford Bridge.
His time as head coach of the club where he scored a record 211 goals was at an end. There was no attempt to deny his ego was bruised and he has resisted the urge to plunge straight back in, but he always knew he would be back in the game.
Lampard has devoted the bulk of the last 12 months to family life, with son Freddie born in March, along with the occasional shift as a TV pundit and a determination to continue his coaching studies while digesting the lessons of his career thus far.