He should join his mate Beckham in America at the end of his contract and extend his career a bit, before returning to Chelsea in a coaching role, in my opinion. His experience and know how will still come in very handy this season, but I think he'd be better off bowing out before he's pushed out. Oscar and Mata should have his favoured position wrapped up by then, so it might be best for all parties.
He has 1 year left, and probably only wants a 1 year extension. He fell out with AVB because he was dropped and sidelined and ignored with explanation. Yet when he came on and played he played out of his skin and like a professional. Money spent on Lampard's wages would be well spent, nobody else in our team could replace what he brings (keep in mind he is a real leader on the pitch also). And to replace him would cost more than to keep him. He is a legend and would make a difference this season, who knows about the next, he should be given a one year extension nuff said. As a contractor myself, i hate it when i am not told whats going on, nothing to do with money or being bigger than you are. All about knowing your position and future. I hope Lamps stays.
The age of a player is something that affects them in different ways. Frank is still running around like players 5 years younger. Like all our great but aging players, the board are more concerned about them fitting into the rules of financial fair play! I reckon if Frank (or his agent) said I'll play for half his current deal, he'd get another 3 years!
Am i right in thinking if said player was on said amount before FFP was introduced their is a lenience?
Agree with Dfer AND CPofL. Frank has been fantastic for us for years. Last year he was pissed off and didn't handle things as well as he should in my opinion. This year he is surely going to be a periphery player, though still has an important role if he takes it on. At the end of his contract he should expect any extention to be in direct proportion to his input, again in my opinion less than half of previous years. I think his importance has diminished considerably last 2 seasons, and can't see him lasting 3 more years at the level we need. Might be wrong, but expect him to follow Drogba / Beckham to a lesser League and continue to ba a big fish for a while longer in a much smaller pond. And who could blame him ???
I am not 100% on this ,but I think its about balancing the accounts. Income minus expenditure and there should be a balace which should be acceptable!
I maintain it would be a massive mistake to let all out senior players move on before the younger lot have really stepped up to replace them. Drogba and Anelka have both been let go this year. Still plenty of room for the likes of Paulo, Frank and JT in the squad. United have always had experienced pros at the club and have been the most consistent side of the last 20 years. If we want to rely on just youth we can go down the Arsenal route and bottle it at the business end. Frank is still better than Essien, Mikel, Meireles, Benayoun etc so why shouldn't he have an important role to play the next couple of years?
If any player of any club shows loyalty, then this should be reciprocated by the club.......Lead by example Roman.
Blimey--Frank was hot stuff tonight! Led England to victory against Italy! How he didn't get on the score sheet, I'll never know!
AVB was a total ****ing idiot who lost half the dressing room and most of the board with his arrogant bullshit. Frank Lampard is a club legend who has won everything there is, apart from maybe the Super Cup and the World Club Championship. I wanted Zola to stay on even though I knew his best was behind him, same goes for Lampard.
Agree! Though i think lampard's best is still current He is only on 150k a week whats the problem? And he will be winning the Super Cup in a few weeks time! ooosh! Did we not win that under Ranieri (actual legend) whom also bought Lamps? Gonna go check Edit: Meh i was way off. Vialli!!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_UEFA_Super_Cup Some names there which are scary to see. Blast from the past. I was like 13 when we won this lol
We can't be giving out lucrative contracts on the basis of loyalty alone. Quite apart from the money, will Lamps even merit a place in the 25 man squad in 3 years time? He should get a year tops for me and that should be dependent on performances this season, and on the understanding that he might not be an automatic starter (like Giggs and Scholes, who seem able to accept this without throwing their toys out of the pram). It seems to me that the majority of fans agree that midfield is our Achilles Heel - too ponderous, too many touches on the ball, isolated from our front 4 - and yet for some reason, Lamps seems to be immune from criticism. Sure, he still puts in the odd classic performance, but there were many times last season when he stank the place out as well (1st half at Old Trafford was a particular horror show) and he isn't going to suddenly turn into the sort of one touch playmaker that we need at his age. His style of play is a throwback to the way we played under Jose and Carlo and, whether we like it or not, we can't play that style with Torres or Sturridge as our lone frontman. We need to adapt the way we play or we'll struggle in the Prem exactly as we did last season. Lamps is a Chelsea legend, but no one is bigger than the club. When the time comes, he should be given the opportunity to bow out gracefully just like Drogs did. I'd much rather see that happen than see a 37, 38yo Frank deluding himself that he can still cut it at the highest level.
I don't think it is any coincidence that the best we have played this season,by far, was against Newcastle when Frank was on the bench. Meri is not the answer but even he showed why Frank is not suited to that role.
