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..feza.. · Site Admin Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Posts: 304

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..feza.. · Site Admin Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Posts: 304

FRANK LAMPARD has warned his England team-mates: We should all fear the axe after what happened to David Beckham.

Skipper Becks was ditched from the squad when new boss Steve McClaren made his first selection after the World Cup finals.

And midfielder Lamps said: “What happened with Becks is a warning because it could easily be me or Wayne Rooney or John Terry.”

And Chelsea ace Lampard, 28, confessed that all England’s top stars have to prove themselves after Germany.

He said: “I was surprised by what happened to Becks but it’s important that you know you don’t have a divine right to be picked in the first place.

“There have been a lot of people who have said that my place in the team was safe when I was playing well and scoring regularly and others question it when I am not.

“I can honestly say that I never believed my position was safe at any point because the moment you drop your guard is the time your place slips from you.

“The best way to be is to never settle for anything.

“This is England we are talking about — not some team that has only a few good players.

“Everyone in the squad has quality and there are young players pushing upwards all the time as well.

“One of the good things about Steve McClaren’s attitude is that from the moment you arrive in the squad you are under pressure to perform.

“Whether it’s in training, your attitude or even just the way you conduct yourself around the team hotel, you know you are in a pressure situation and that a lot is expected.”

Lampard has had a lot of time to reflect on the World Cup finals and told me in my interview for Radio Five Live that he is a lot more calm now about the criticism he received during the time in Germany.

Lamps is a perfectionist and no one left the tournament with more regrets than he did about the fact he did not score and that the team were eliminated by Portugal in the quarter-finals.

As he prepared for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Macedonia on Saturday and Croatia next Wednesday, Lampard insisted that he is optimistic about the future for England.

He said: “I had a few weeks off after the World Cup finals and thought about it a lot.

“There have been moments in my life when I have felt a lot of negativity.

“It happened when I was at West Ham and there have been other moments when I have been very down as a result of things which have happened on the pitch.

“In the past I’ve talked about it to my dad or mum. I’m not so strong that I can just bounce through these things.

“I took a few days to reflect and went over it all in my head.

“I guess I had one of those dark moments in the summer.

“To combat it, I train as hard as I can and come back stronger.”

Lampard also revealed that he called on his experience of growing up in a football family to help him through it.

Dad is Frank Lampard Snr, 58, who played left-back for West Ham from 1974-81 and later became manager Harry Redknapp’s No 2 at Upton Park. He explained: “A lot of it stems from my dad and the way I was brought up.

“I went home and didn’t feel strong enough to cope but I am the kind of person who wants to fight through that kind of thing.

“I know I can’t affect everything that’s going on around me. For all the stick you get as a player, the most I get I dish out to myself.

“If I don’t play well enough I’m harsh on myself. I knew that I hadn’t scored in Germany and that’s what I wanted — to help us to win games.”

Lampard is aware that the negative attitude which has surrounded much of English football has a lot to do with what happened in Germany.

It has not been helped by the bungs inquiry or the spectre of diving which raised its head last weekend when Spurs’ Didier Zokora won a penalty with a theatrical fall.

Lampard condemned both but stuck up for his club and England team-mate Ashley Cole, who has come in for a lot of flak since the publication of his book.

He said: “The World Cup has had an effect on the way football is viewed but we spend too much time speaking about negative stuff, such as bungs and stuff.

“Didi Zokora couldn't say he was caught in that incident last Sunday.

“Diving is a complicated issue but if anyone is outright cheating then it’s not good and I’m sure Spurs fans would not be happy when they see that incident replayed.

“We don’t want to see that in the game. We have pride in this country in that we are honest. It’s too easy to say it’s just because of foreigners coming into our game.

“There is a degree to which that’s true but it’s something we have to address right across the board.

“Ashley has taken stick for what he said in his book. I haven’t read it but now people are casting him as a bad person because of it. That’s just not true.

“He is a nice fella. I knew that when he was at Arsenal and more so now he is with Chelsea. Sometimes people are too quick to judge.”

The Sun

Guest · Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2006 6:28 am Post subject:

I didn't think I'd get 50 caps

FRANK LAMPARD wins his 50th England cap tonight admitting he feared his international career was over after just one game.

The Chelsea playmaker will be the most experienced member of an experimental five-man midfield in Croatia.

Lampard has never forgotten how he was singled out for criticism by manager Kevin Keegan after his England debut against Belgium in October 1999.

It was another 16 months before he was called back by Sven Goran Eriksson.

And Lamps admitted: “There were plenty of times when I could never even dream of winning 50 caps.

“I remember being stuck on one cap and watching Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, David Beckham and Steven Gerrard as the mainstays of midfield.

“It was a case of working hard and waiting for my breakthrough opportunity, but my best game probably didn’t come until the opening match of Euro 2004 against France.

“That was my first taste of a big competition and I will never forget the atmosphere.

Guest · Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 8:22 pm Post subject:

We've nothing against Mr Poll

November 11, 2006

DO you want to know what Frank Lampard and his Chelsea team-mates will say to referee Graham Poll the next time they meet?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

After a week of controversy in the career of England’s top referee in which he sent off John Terry and then James McFadden, you might think Poll was players’ enemy No 1.

You’d be wrong. The extrovert whistler was accused by Chelsea players of saying ‘they needed to be taught a lesson’ during their defeat at Spurs. But Lampard believes that there are lessons to be learned on both sides.

The issue has split the country with some blaming Poll and others calling Jose Mourinho’s side paranoid.

Lamps defended his team to the hilt but insisted there will be no grudge held against Poll by Chelsea.

The England midfielder said: “I will say nothing the next time I see Graham Poll.

“There isn’t anything to say. We have to get back to playing football and there will be no need for me to say anything.

“Graham Poll came to the training ground pre-season and explained the new laws and we have no problem with him.

“A big decision went against us in the Spurs game and that’s it. There is certainly no grudge on our part and I’m sure there won’t be on his.”

Lampard knows referees have a hard enough job but has a few ideas on how relations can be improved between the players and officials.

He joked: “It would help if they got decisions right!

“Seriously, I do see both sides. It’s a difficult job being a referee. I think sometimes they are locked into the laws and feel that’s the way it has to be.

“But it would be a good idea if they came out after games and explain their decisions if there’s been controversy. These are big decisions which are making a difference in people’s careers and lives and it’s important.”

Lampard also believes the fact that officials are all miked up could be put to use and help resolve any misunderstandings on the pitch by recording the conversations.

He said: “If they are miked up then it would be good if it was recorded then we could all hear what that said during the game.

“That would take away some of the doubt about what’s said by players and officials alike. The only way is to work together.

“Referees say that sometimes players talk to them in a bad way but now there are times when a referee talks to a player in a bad way.

“When those things happen then the relationship starts to break down. It’s a two-way street.”

Mourinho and his players have been accused of harbouring a persecution complex because of the way they react to decisions which do not go in their favour.

Lampard, however, points out that when you are competing at the very top of your profession the pressure is intense. Chelsea want to win and that is not a crime.

He said: “People want to criticise Chelsea for complaining when we don’t get a decision but the fact is that we want to win.

“We’re not intentionally being disrespectful to the referee. If we feel a decision is wrong or unfair we have a right to protest the same as any other team.

“We are being honest about what has happened and so should everyone else. We play on the edge, we have to and we can’t be blamed when people constantly ask us for an opinion on the officials.

“Look what happened after Barcelona. It was an incredible game of football and a brilliant result — but the first thing I was asked about in a TV interview was the referee. A lot of things went against us in that match but we kept going and overcame the odds and played good football.

“And all people wanted to ask about was the referee. We don’t control that.”

Chelsea got back to winning ways on Wednesday with a 4-0 Carling Cup thumping of Aston Villa — in which Lampard captained the team in Terry’s absence and scored his sixth goal of the season.

But the champions know they will have to fight harder in the Premiership than their last two title victories.

In the past, Chelsea have led from the front. But there is a belief that having Manchester United as pacesetters could be no bad thing.

Lampard said: “We’ve been fortunate in the past two years that we had big leads at Christmas. That can’t always be the case and United have come out strong this year.

“It’s a slightly different challenge this time because when you’re nine points clear you play with an air of confidence. But that can become over-confidence — maybe it did in a couple of games last season when we had a bad little spell. Now the pressure stays on us and we put more pressure on ourselves.

“One of our great strengths has been to win important games when either United or Arsenal or whoever have lost earlier.

“Even though we are three points behind Man U — and credit to them for the start they have had — I feel a real togetherness and desire to be successful this year and we have to ensure that we use all of our qualities throughout the season.

“It’s a long campaign but we are physically strong and we feel confident and no one has lowered their ambition at Chelsea.

“We know what we want and we want to be champions.”

FRANK LAMPARD will be writing a regular guest column for the new Orange sport blog. Frank will give fans his views on the month’s biggest stories, posting up his video diaries and even taking part in a live web chats! Frank’s blog can be found on the orange website from next week. The blog is an open-house forum where users can leave their comments, suggestions, photos, rants and personal video diaries.

Guest · Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 8:23 pm Post subject:

FRANK LAMPARD went from Chelsea’s stand-in captain to emergency vet this week when his pet French Mastiff, Daphne, gave birth to puppies.

Lamps dashed back from training ahead of Wednesday’s Carling Cup victory over Aston Villa after a call to tell him Daphne was going into labour early.

He revealed: “We were supposed to go to the team hotel after training but I asked the manager if I could pop home for an hour to make sure Daphne was OK.

“Just as I got in she gave birth to the second pup and then the third. It was a beautiful sight — I’d never seen an animal give birth and I’m glad I was there.”

Guest · Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 7:15 pm Post subject:

Lamps Love Pregnant

England footie hero Frank Lampard is to be a dad again. The Chelsea midfielder's stunning Spanish girlfriend Elen Rives is expecting the couple's second baby next June, we can exclusively reveal.

Pals say they are 'delighted' with the happy news. The pair (above) are planning to have the baby at Lond'd exclusive Portland Hospital where stars like supermodel Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham have given birth.
Last year Elen, 29 had the couple's daughter, Luna, delivered by caesarean section there.
Family man Frank, 28, revealed after this summer's World Cup that he and Elen, who live in West London, wanted up to THREE more kids.
The Romford-born star said at the time: "Being a dad is the biggest high, without a doubt. There is nothing like scoring goals-it can be the best feeling and that feeling can last all day long. But being a dad lasts forever."
Millionaire Frank, who earns over 100,000 pounds a week, is also said to be planning a secret wedding to Elen, probably in Spain, after the birth next summer.

www.newsoftheworld.co.uk

Guest · Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 7:37 pm Post subject:

Credit:www.frank-lampard.net