Lampard sends strong message to Chelsea fans ahead of Stamford Bridge return

Chelsea legend and new head coach, Frank Lampard is looking forward to his first game in charge of the Blues at Stamford Bridge. His return to the stadium when Chelsea play Leicester on Sunday will be cheered and greeted with optimism by the fans who are excited to see one of the greatest players in the club’s history in charge.

However, the Chelsea record goalscorer has urged the fans to motivate the players instead of making the Premier League game about him and his return to the Stamford Bridge. Speaking at his pre-match press conference, he sent a message to the fans discussing his return and his plans for the club.

“I’m trying not to get caught up in the emotion of it all,’ said Lampard in his pre-match press conference at Cobham, having been asked about his SW6 return. “I’ll be proud and it will be a little bit surreal but I want the atmosphere to be pumped for the players, not for me.”

“The fans gave me a fantastic reception when I was at City, then at the Bridge and when I came back with Derby. I am excited but I don’t want that to be the overriding thing in terms of preparing for the game,” the former England international revealed.

“I came from West Ham, which is not an easy move, and I wouldn’t say the Chelsea fans were necessarily rubbing their hands like they had the next big thing.”

“I felt £11m was a lot of money at the time but the fans took to me very quickly, even though my first season was just okay,” the former West-Ham man disclosed.

“They made me very comfortable and, after 13 years at a club, you feel the bond. We had a group of players that really felt the club and I think the fans appreciated that. It’s where I want us to get back to as a club.”

“I want the players and fans to have that two-way relationship because I really felt the club and the Chelsea fans are special to me, Lampard said.

Chelsea have endured a tough start to the new season losing heavily at Manchester United last weekend and losing the UEFA Super Cup on penalties to Liverpool.

“Winning is the most important thing and we’re going towards where I want to go,” Lampard continued. “We know we’re Chelsea and we have to win every game but the good signs from Sunday and Wednesday are overpowering – now we have to win.”

“All we can do is work towards where I want to get to. There’s been a lot of work in pre-season and now we have to give every minute of the day to try and keep improving. People saw on Wednesday a team giving everything, playing good football and with a real energy in the team,” the Chelsea boss concluded.