Frank Lampard refuses to rule out a reunion with fellow Chelsea legend John Terry at Derby County
Former England ace could call upon the services of the 37-year-old as he looks to guide the Rams to the Premier League
NEW Derby boss Frank Lampard has refused to rule out a reunion with fellow Chelsea legend and close pal John Terry.
Defender Terry, 37, is a free agent after his tearful farewell from Aston Villa last weekend following their Championship play-off defeat.
And Lampard said: “I haven’t had a conversation with John.
"I got a text message off him this morning but he’s on holiday. I’ll look at it as a big picture.
“I have had conversations with him this season about how he was getting on. He will definitely be there for me. We are close.”
Former midfielder Lampard, 39, said he will use Derby’s work ethic to try to take them to the next level in his first job as manager.
He added: “This is a strong squad but there will be changes. I watched Derby last season. To me they looked willing to work hard and gave everything to try to get this club up.
“That’s what we need again. I will tweak it and make that extra step.”
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Ex-England regular Lampard, who did a photocall at an empty, floodlit Pride Park, explained his joy at being back in the game.
He said: “I loved my career as a player and all of a sudden I realised I want to be a manager.
“It’s different, the sense of responsibility I feel already, and I like that.
“Being here and feeling the size of this club... it was so intense with just the floodlights on.
“You walk through the city here and feel that everyone is a Derby fan — one in ten have a season ticket.”
Lampard also said he will use Derby’s most famous boss as inspiration.
He said: “Brian Clough is written all over the walls everywhere you go and the great teams of the Seventies.
“I want to tap into that — that inspires me to try to be successful here.
“When I came off the pitch I looked into the manager’s office and I thought ‘Yeah, I want to be here in ten months having brought some success’. Only then will it rank with my other footballing achievements.
“That would be a special feeling but there’s a lot of hard work to get through first.
“History should never die. That’s why it’s important these walls are painted with Brian Clough, Peter Taylor and the great players of the Seventies.
“I’ll use those images myself for inspiration.”
Lampard says he does not fear the cut-throat nature of the job and will race back from his TV job at the World Cup to take charge pre-season.
He added: “I understand managers change. It is the nature of it. All I can do is work very, very hard.
“But one of my proudest achievements is that, as a player, I got every ounce out of myself.
“I will try to do that with my players. I’ll listen and I’ll learn.”
