Lampard's dignity shows why he is a Chelsea role model

By Steve Stammers

Published 09:00 28/09/11

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If Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas is as intelligent as he appears, his omission of Frank Lampard from the team that hammered Swansea last Saturday will be seen as a matter of squad rotation rather than an omen that the midfield player's time at Stamford Bridge is coming to an end.

Lampard, you see, is the consummate professional. At 33, his box-to-box foraging style of play now has to be rationed. The most difficult opponent any player faces, after all, is time.

But it can be guaranteed that no-one will have trained harder at Chelsea for tonight's Champions League game in Valencia than Lampard. He doesn't do sulking. He would have been an inspiration to the young players around him at the club, not a diversion with any moaning or snide and sour comments.

Lampard has faced criticism and scrutiny from the day he made his debut as a teenager at West Ham. He was said to have received preferential treatment because his father, Frank senior, was assistant manager. Nonsense, of course, but Lampard had to live with that.

Just as he had to live the vile abuse that has come his way since his move to Chelsea in an £11million move 10 years ago. West Ham fans have never forgiven him for leaving Upton Park and he seems to have been singled out for abuse when he plays for England. He, it would appear, represents all that went wrong with the so-called Golden Generation of the national team.

And Lampard has taken it all his stride. He has never been tempted to call time on England and he will certainly not consider that he has no future at Chelsea.

If anyone has an excuse for the presence of a chip on his shoulder it is Lampard for the unwarranted verbal hammerings that have come his way. Instead, he remains polite, well-mannered and a credit to club and country.

If recent history is anything to go by, Lampard will train will as much dedication as he always as and be ready when Villas-Boas decides it is time for his return. And that time will come.

Maybe, as the years tick by, he will become more of a central midfield player in a holding role. That was certainly the opinion of former Chelsea captain and assistant manager Ray Wilkins, who is convinced that Lampard's football intelligence will enable him to slot perfectly into that role.

But one issue is certain - Frank Lampard is written off at your peril. He has faced challenges all his career. One more will not make that much difference.

**

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