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Tag: lampard

  • Why Terry didn’t join my Chelsea staff – Lampard

    Why Terry didn’t join my Chelsea staff – Lampard

    Former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has indicated his reasons for not bringing John Terry into the fold last season.

    Lampard, who was permanent boss at the club a few years ago and caretaker for a portion of last season, did not include Terry in his coaching staff when he replaced Graham Potter.

    However, Lampard has admitted that he had limitations on his coaching staff last season, due to only being a temporary hire.

    “I have the upmost respect for JT on every level, so in terms of the club asking John that’s not for me to answer,” Lampard stated on ex-teammate John Obi Mikel’s Obi One podcast.

    ‘In terms of me, the club came to me and it happened very quickly. The first time they came to me I probably had about a day to say yes or no.

    “They wanted me to bring in two staff. Anyone who works in this game will know that when you are bringing in staff it is a big question, who are your staff and how many do you want to bring.

    “I had been at Chelsea before that, Derby, Chelsea and Everton working with my staff. I ended up bringing in three as Ashley [Cole] came in to do set pieces for me at Everton.

    “The people I was working with were Chris Jones and Joe Edwards, so there was nowhere for me to go.”

  • Mount facing life-changing decision at Chelsea – Lampard

    Mount facing life-changing decision at Chelsea – Lampard

    Chelsea caretaker manager, Frank Lampard has admitted Mason Mount is facing the toughest decision of his life.

    The attacking midfielder has not agreed a contract with the Blues despite months-long negotiations.

    With co-owner Todd Boehly and the club’s sporting directors unable to get Mount to agree to a deal, he is likely to be put up for sale when the transfer window opens.

    “I think it is a difficult situation,” Lampard told Sky Sports.

    “From working with Mason and other players when I was here before, they’ve either gone on to be really important players for the club that have a real relation with the fans, back and forth, because they really feel the club when they’ve been in the academy since eight years of age.

    “And some of them have moved on to other clubs and the club have done well out of that. They’ve gone on and you’ve wished them well in their careers.

    “I think with Mason particularly, as an individual, I don’t know what the solution is going to be because it’s a club and Mason issue.

    “I don’t know exactly where Mason is at personally. He’s got a year left on his contract. I know he’s held in high regard at the club and I know the club are doing what they can to make him stay.

    “But I think also with Mason, I’d never want to stand here and talk in the modern day about what a player should do, because they’ll see it all with their own eyes.

    “In the old days, it was, “why are you leaving the club?” In the modern day, players move on. It’s a shame we’ve got into a situation where it looks like it’s happening maybe now.”

  • Lampard doesn’t like his players at Chelsea – Gary Neville

    Lampard doesn’t like his players at Chelsea – Gary Neville

    Former Manchester United defender, Gary Neville has claimed that Chelsea caretaker manager Frank Lampard doesn’t like his players.

    Chelsea failed to diminish Manchester City’s title celebrations last weekend at the Etihad Stadium as they were beaten 1-0 in Sunday’s Premier League encounter.

    The result against Man City was Chelsea’s 15th defeat of a scorching season.

    Lampard’s side currently sits in 12th position on the Premier League table with 45 points behind Man City and 12 points above the relegation zone.

    “Every time I look at Frank Lampard he’s got a look of a manager who doesn’t like his players,” Neville told Sky Sports.

    “Chelsea need the end of the season badly.”

    Meanwhile, Chelsea finished third position last season and reached two domestic cup finals under former manager Thomas Tuchel.

  • Chelsea were close to signing Haaland – Lampard

    Chelsea were close to signing Haaland – Lampard

    Chelsea boss Frank Lampard admits he tried signing Manchester City striker Erling Haaland during his first spell with the club.

    Haaland has 36 goals from 33 games in his first season with City.

    Ahead of this weekend’s clash, Lampard said: “It’s a fantastic stat from him. I know the Chelsea side is a different story,” Lampard said. “But I have a huge respect for him as a player. He’s a player I tried to bring to Chelsea the first time I was here.

    “I was really keen to get him here, obviously that couldn’t happen. His level at that point was very clear as well. We played against him in a pre-season game and he was fantastic.

    “Credit to him. I love seeing players at that level, with that personality and hunger to play and be the best. In terms of having to deal with him, you have to have a plan and an idea, but players at that level can make anything happen at any moment.

    “I’m sure the players have a good awareness of him. We have to try and be at our best to try and negate the things he does.”

    On comparisons with Didier Drogba, Lampard continued: “I couldn’t compare him to Didier because they’re two different individuals at two different moments with their clubs.

    “Haaland has just started out and his impact has been more instant and that’s a big credit to how he’s managed to do that, coming straight to the Premier League. Some people doubted that a little bit and he’s proven that for starters.

    “Didier, over a really sustained period, did huge things for this club. There’s not a direct comparison but they’re two great strikers.”

    Lampard also said: “I think he’s special and I thought he’d adapt straight away. I didn’t consider it that closely but I thought with the level of player, his record of scoring – firstly in Austria, for his country and then in the Bundesliga which is not an easy league. To come into a really good unit [Man City] already, that’s something that is a recipe to really help him and the rest is a credit to himself and the team around him. I did expect that [for Haaland to hit the ground running], it’s not just an easy hindsight answer. I have a real respect for the player.”

    “I don’t know whether he would have decided to come here anyway. There are some of those that happen, aren’t there? Some that people don’t know about. I was pushing big for him and a few other players at the time, but he was the outstanding one.”

    Asked how close Chelsea came to signing Haaland, Lampard added: “He’ll only know the answer to that.

    “What stage did it get to? From our point, I was pushing it, I’m not sure what the appetite was everywhere else in the club to do it,” he added. “The competition was big to take him because he was an outstanding player. I think there was a buyout clause at the time which was relatively reasonable, maybe, considering the player. So all those things. I don’t have enough details to say how close it was.”

  • EPL: Lampard lampoons Chelsea players for being ‘too nice’ against Arsenal

    EPL: Lampard lampoons Chelsea players for being ‘too nice’ against Arsenal

    Chelsea manager, Frank Lampard has knocked his players for being ‘too nice’ during their 3-1 loss to Arsenal on Tuesday.

    Norwegian Midfielder, Martin Odergaard scored a brace while Gabriel Jesus added the third in a thrilling encounter.

    Noni Madueke scored the only goal for the visitors in the second half.

    Lampard has now criticized his players for giving Arsenal too much space and playing passively.

    “The performance in the first half was nowhere near good enough. Too nice to play against, too passive. Defensively the line wasn’t coming up, which was giving them space.

    “In possession we weren’t playing over their press. All the things that make you a nice team to play against, we did. The second half was better but the result was relatively confirmed by then,” Lampard said.

  • REVEALED: Chelsea player upset being ‘singled out’ by Boehly in Brighton blast

    REVEALED: Chelsea player upset being ‘singled out’ by Boehly in Brighton blast

    One senior Chelsea player is upset being singled out by owner Todd Boehly in his post-match rant after defeat to Brighton.

    Boehly addressed the players inside the home dressing room after Saturday’s 2-1 home loss.

    The Guardian says Boehly ‘singled out’ one player for specific criticism.

    It’s stated the player, who is now believed to be disillusioned and disgruntled, is ‘senior’ and ‘signed for a large fee in the past 12 months’.

    It was also claimed the player in questioned appeared ‘disgruntled’ in open training yesterday ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid.

    Blues manager Frank Lampard said yesterday: “I am comfortable with that.

    “I had my things to say after the game. There is maybe some criticism of our old owner of not coming to games and being around that wasn’t always true.

    “I remember moments as a player of owners first coming into dressing rooms, I remember being happy. I don’t think it’s a bad thing.

    “I had my things to say, if an owner wants to come in and be positive and speak to the players, they can do that.

    “No problem with that, it shows passion and that’s the first thing that I like.”

    Tribalfootball

  • No-one can deny Mount a top player – Lampard

    No-one can deny Mount a top player – Lampard

    Chelsea caretaker boss Frank Lampard says he has no doubts about the quality of Mason Mount.

    Mount has struggled for form amid new contract talks this season.

    But Lampard said: “I’m not going to tell anyone what opinion they should have on football but if anyone thinks Mason Mount is not already a top player then I’m not sure what they are seeing.

    “Form is one thing that people can debate. But you can ask myself, Thomas Tuchel, Gareth Southgate, and Graham Potter and it’s clear he’s a top player.

    “He can go even further but he’s already a top player.”

  • What Lampard said before Real Madrid kickoff – Fofana

    What Lampard said before Real Madrid kickoff – Fofana

    Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana admits there’s a disappointment after the defeat at Real Madrid last night.

    Chelsea were beaten 2-0 in the first-leg of their Champions League quarterfinal, with Ben Chilwell being sent off.

    “It is difficult to take because we lost a player, conceded one goal in each half. Of course, it is always disappointing to concede two goals,” Fofana told the club’s website.

    “The current situation is difficult for everybody, but next week we’re playing the second leg at home which is good. We’re at Stamford Bridge which is our home and an amazing stadium. It is only 2-0, and it is all to play for.”

    Fofana also revealed manager Frank Lampard’s message before kickoff.

    “He said play for the club, the badge and for Chelsea. We will prepare for the next game. We lost tonight but when you see the game it is ok, as 2-0 isn’t the worst. There are positives to take. It is hard for everybody as one coach comes in, he leaves and then another coach arrives.

    “Every player is focused on winning games. we are Chelsea, a big club,” he added.

    “It is important to try our best for everyone to win more games. it is complicated, of course, the Champions League is the biggest competition and we will still try to win it.”

  • Lampard on Madrid defeat: Next week will be a big fight

    Lampard on Madrid defeat: Next week will be a big fight

    Chelsea’s interim manager, Frank Lampard has reacted to his team’s 2-0 defeat at Real Madrid on Wednesday night.

    The La Liga champions claimed a good advantage ahead of the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

    Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio scored for Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.

    Chelsea were also reduced to 10 men, after Ben Chilwell saw red for fouling Rodrygo.

    “I’m proud of the 10 men. The disappointing thing is we give away a set-piece and switch off. I don’t think they carved us open at 10 men.

    “There is a lot there for us, as good a team as they are. There’s a bit of a lack of belief. The players don’t know how good they are.

    “Next week will be a big fight,” Lampard told BT Sport

  • What Lampard told us ahead of Real Madrid clash – Fernandez

    What Lampard told us ahead of Real Madrid clash – Fernandez

    Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez has disclosed what caretaker manager Frank Lampard told the team ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League quarterfinals tie against Real Madrid

    The World Cup winner is excited about facing the La Liga giants.

    Asked about facing Real Madrid, Fernandez replied: “It is a very big club with a lot of history, big players. We trust in what we are going to do. A good match.

    “Modric and Kroos are two players who won everything in Madrid and they are an inspiration for everyone. Afraid, no. We are not afraid.

    “Of course, there is respect because we know the quality they have and the forwards they have. But we will try to counteract them with our defenders and try to make a wonderful match.”

    On his first week with caretaker manager Frank Lampard, he also said: “Frank talked with the group a bit and he told us to keep our heads straight.

    “Chelsea is a club with a huge history. He told us he won the Champions League in 2012, and he mentioned it was in his worst moment at Chelsea. A great example for us.”