Frank Lampard: EPL legend primed for second bite at Big Apple
The 37-year-old English Premier
League midfield legend, who plied his trade to much acclaim with
Chelsea, recently swapped the English capital with what some call the
capital of the world: New York.
Lampard
joined one of Major League Soccer's newest sides, New York City FC,
last summer, after a somewhat protracted delay saw him first train and
then play with Manchester City, who, along with NYCFC, also fall under
the City Football Group umbrella.
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| Manchester City give Lampard a send off after his last game for the club |
He
made his eagerly awaited debut in August, scoring his first goal a
month later, though the team failed to make the MLS playoffs.
And
Lampard, who won 13 trophies during a 13-year spell with Chelsea, is
acutely aware that a similar story in the 2016 season would not be
acceptable, especially with New York City FC boasting a squad containing
World Cup winners Andrea Pirlo and David Villa.
"We
had a difficult first year," Lampard told CNN. "We didn't perform as
well as we could have done so I'm looking for improvement.
"We
all want to make the playoffs, we want to try and win. I think we've
got the squad with the quality to do that, so we have to go and show
that."
It's been a better story off the
pitch, not only for the strides made by the MLS side, but the ease in
which Lampard has settled down.
"I was ready for a competitive league and
great life experience. And I think I've got all of that," said Lampard,
who started his career at West Ham. "I felt very much at home. Instantly
actually. And I've enjoyed every bit.
"I
didn't miss home and I'm very much a home boy. I love London, I love
where I come from and will be back there, it will always be my first
home. But my experience in New York for four or five months last year I
completely enjoyed."
England expects
The
MLS season will be in full swing when Lampard's home nation head for
France to take part in Euro 2016, which starts on June 10.
And
despite not being involved in a major tournament for the first time
since the 2002 World Cup, Lampard will take a keen interest in how
England fare.
"I think we've got an
exciting team," explained Lampard, who represented his country 106
times. "I think there are a lot of players that have announced
themselves in the last 18 months, that are going to make it really
exciting for England fans.
"This
tournament may be slightly early for them. I think we've got a good
tournament in us over the next four to six years. But it's great to have
some exciting players in the England squad."
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| Lampard represented England 106 times and played in five major tournaments |
Pressed further, one name in particular springs to Lampard's mind when it comes to "exciting."
"I really like Dele Alli," he said. "He's had a great season at Tottenham, and scored on his debut for England.
"I
love midfield players who get into the box and score goals. They're
all-rounders and I see a huge talent in him and a level head as well."
Alli,
still only 19, has made a big impact in his first season in England's
top division, scoring seven times in the EPL and establishing himself as
a first-team regular at Tottenham.
The London club sits just two points off EPL leaders Leicester and is searching for a first league title since 1961.
Its attack is led by Harry Kane, another young Englishman who has caught Lampard's eye.
"Harry
Kane -- he's not exactly new news as such -- he had a great year last
year but it will be great for him in the international scene to sort of
set his story and score some goals in a big tournament," he added.
"Raheem Sterling is an exciting player who's still young and now playing for a big club [Manchester City].
"These
are all forward thinking players and exciting players. It's up to them
now -- they need to prove it on the international stage."
The Vieira factor
Lampard
also predicts a bright future for both MLS and the United States
national side, telling CNN the USMNT could even win the World Cup within
15 years.
He is glowing about the new
man at the New York City FC helm this season -- Patrick Vieira. The
former Arsenal and Inter Milan star won the 1998 World Cup with France
and the European Championship two years later.
After
a two-year stint coaching Manchester City's development squad, the
39-year-old landed in New York in January for his first fully-fledged
management job.
And having played many times against
another EPL midfield colossus -- Vieira also has three English league
titles to his name -- Lampard knows exactly what the Frenchman will
offer the fledgling franchise.
"He'll bring experience," he said. "He was a great player for many a year so he'll bring that naturally.
"I
know he's worked very hard at Manchester with the young players, he's
earned his coaching stripes and he'll get respect -- everyone knows what
he's achieved in the game. Everyone hopefully will lift their game up
for him.
"I enjoyed playing against
him, I enjoyed working alongside him at Manchester City and I look
forward to having even more of a close working relationship with him."
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