Chelsea FC: To be Frank, Lampard must stick with the Blues

11Feb 2013

England - Premier League

Romilly Evans assesses how far Frank Lampard has come against both the odds and the critics

Frank Lampard isn't used to being left out in the cold. But back in December, that's exactly where the Chelsea stalwart found himself. It was the dead of winter and perhaps the dead-end of a storied Blues career.

His European champions were out of the Champions League. They were out of contention for the Premier League. And Lampard himself had been out of action of for seven weeks with a damaged calf. He was also out of favour with the club's owner Roman Abramovich and his contract was out at the season's end.

While Lamps had been off at physical rehab, Chelsea had been undergoing the kind of personnel rehab at which Dr Abramovich excels: "managectomies". Roberto Di Matteo had become the latest casualty to be bagged and tagged for the morgue, replaced by an edgy interim boss in Rafael Benitez.

Benitez's appointment hardly delighted the Stamford Bridge faithful. And Lampard didn't look too enthused either. For when he finally did return to the first team against Sunderland, it was only as a glorified bench-warmer - hardly a position from which to showcase his skills.

However, in the two months that have followed, Benitez has become an unlikely ally to Lampard. Impressed by his commitment in training at Cobham and leadership on the field, the Spaniard has been keen to allow his vice-captain another chance to prove that, at a tender 34, he isn't over the hill.

Benitez knows the value of experience and supporting his players - just look at how Fernando Torres has flourished since his former boss's arrival at Stamford Bridge. Okay, well, that's a moot point. After all, the merits of unswerving belief without evidence are usually the province of religions.

But if the jury's still out on the chances of Torres recapturing former glories, our 12 men good and true have returned a unanimously positive verdict on Lampard. And he has Benitez to thank for starting him in the face of apathetic interest from the Chelsea board.

Of course, gratitude can be a two-way street and Lampard has repaid Benitez's faith in spades. The midfielder has now scored 11 goals in his 12 top-flight starts this term, four of those coming in his last four consecutive appearances (the first time he's achieved that since 2010). Lampard even stands on the threshold (four short) of eclipsing Bobby Tambling's revered club record of 202 goals. Not long ago it seemed that he was out of time. Now it's just a matter of it.

Besides his ability to ghost into the box or score from outside it, it is Lampard's passing which adds to his enduring appeal. Now he is also back picking the lines between players and releasing his more attacking teammates. He may not be the all-round player he was 10 years ago but he still has much to offer on and off the pitch.

So what about that new contract? Benitez was trademark non-committal when asked after Saturday's 4-1 win at home to Wigan. Yet, in fairness to the manager, he is not a factor at Chelsea's negotiating table - a kangaroo court whose only redeeming feature for fans is its deep pocket.

Still, according to reports in the media, it does appear that Chelsea have seen sense and will offer Lampard the contract extension he deserves. However, it is likely to be a deal contingent on the amount of games he plays in the future and certainly nowhere near as lucrative as the tempting carrots that will be dangled by AC Milan, PSG or LA Galaxy - all rumoured to be keen to sign the free agent.

So Lampard's excellent recent play - not to mention his midweek heroics for England against Brazil - has actually served to put him in a double-edged dilemma. And while it's never wise to align the interests of club and country, it's difficult to separate them in Lampard's particular case.

Like a champion bloodhound who never won the Crufts rosette, Lamps can scent one last international hurrah at the World Cup. And knows that he must remain at a top club to fulfill that promise. Staying and delivering at Chelsea would keep him at the forefront of Roy Hodgson's thoughts, Europe would distance him, while Los Angeles might sever all ties. Even Hodgson has admitted that following Becks to Lalaland would "complicate matters." And that's even before the Scientologists have knocked on his Malibu door.

Trouble is that the further Lampard travels, the better he is set to be remunerated. Yes, it's always galling to hear multi-millionaire footballers talk about securing their financial future, but Lampard would not be the first to turn his back on England in pursuit of an almighty payday. It's difficult to imagine anything tarnishing his Chelsea legacy, but rapacious living legends are not above reproach.

So even if it takes Abramovich until the 11th hour to acknowledge Lampard's Chelsea contribution with the accompanying piece of paper, Super Frank may be best-advised to stay. He has a manager who rates him, a dressing room that respects him and fans who adore him. He's even closing in on a century of caps for his country.

It's enough to warm to cockles of any player's heart. Winter may have passed for Lampard. But he would do well to remember how cold it was.