Harry Diamond
Uncle ‘Arry Redknapp has tipped Frank Lampard to be a success at Chelsea, saying the former England international will demand ‘effort and commitment’ from his squad.
The Chelsea legend returned to Stamford Bridge as Maurizio Sarri’s successor, having impressed by leading Derby County to the Championship play-off final in his first season in management.
Redknapp, Lampard’s uncle and former manager at West Ham, described the 41-year-old as the ‘best trainer’ he has ever seen and says Lampard will ‘demand’ the same from his players.
“He has a special way about him.” Redknapp told Sky Sports News. “He is a very educated boy.
“He is the best trainer I have seen in all my years of football. I have never seen anyone work so hard on the training ground.
“I am sure you can ask Jose Mourinho, you can ask Claudio Ranieri, you can ask anybody who worked with him – he trained like nobody you have ever seen.
“He will expect the same level of effort and commitment from the players at Chelsea. He will demand it. If he gets that, then Chelsea are in for a great time.”
Redknapp says he was influential in Lampard’s appointment at Derby last summer, ringing Rams chairman Mel Morris to recommend his nephew.
The former Portsmouth and Tottenham boss says while Morris was initially unconvinced at appointing a novice, any doubts were soon removed following Lampard’s impressive start to first-team management.
“A year ago, when Derby had lost their manager and I rang Mel Morris (Derby’s owner) and asked him who he was going to give the job to and he said an experienced manager. And I said ‘Mel, you keep picking managers and you are not doing very well at the moment,” Redknapp added.
“I said ‘take Frank Lampard’ and he said ‘no, I want experience’, so I said ‘take Frank Lampard! He will be a different class for you, he will bring so much to your football club – he is a special talent.’
“In the end he listened and two months later, he is ringing me and saying ‘Harry, I am so glad I listened to you he is amazing.'”
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