Frank Lampard today hailed Ajax’s policy of employing ex-players, but insists the former Chelsea stars currently at the club must prove their worth on merit alone.
Chelsea are in Amsterdam ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League Group H clash at the Johan Cruijff Arena without N’Golo Kante, Ross Barkley and Antonio Rudiger due to injury.
The Blues’ reliance on youth this season is just one point of comparison with their hosts, who have a track record of former players returning to the club in a coaching or scouting capacity, including Marc Overmars who is currently Director of Football.
Chelsea have followed suit to an extent with Lampard taking over as manager in addition to Petr Cech’s appointment as technical and performance advisor and Jody Morris joining the coaching staff.
“I think it is a good model in terms of the fact that with ex-players, you would hope there is a feeling for the club, a feeling from the fans who like to see players who care about their careers at the club,” said Lampard.
“You can try and continue with an idea or an ethos, which is where teams like Ajax and Bayern Munich get it so right because it doesn’t change on short-term results. It tends to stay for the longer term.
“Also with ex-players, it is a great thing for the club but they should be there on merit. I should be manager of this club on merit because I want to work hard, be successful and help improve the club.
“So should everybody. That’s why Petr Cech has a work ethic to be here and be the best he can be every day. I don’t think just being an ex-player should be a ticket because it should be the best people who can work for Chelsea. Maybe there is a balance somewhere there because there are a lot of good people at Chelsea who aren’t ex-players who can add huge amounts as well. That’s the balance.”
Despite the comparisons, Lampard rejected the idea Chelsea should copy the Ajax strategy wholesale.
Asked whether Ajax had been discussed as part of the summer restructuring, Lampard said: “No. I am not privy to it, and I am sat here from afar so I wouldn’t want to go into too much detail. I think it is something that is not that smart to copy a model from somewhere else in world that looks like it has done from the outside.
“I think we can sort of constantly re-evaluate ourselves and see where we can improve. I am certainly happy that ex-players are here, but I don’t think that is the end. I think we have to keep pushing for results and performances on the pitch.”
Ajax reached last season’s Champions League semi-finals – losing to Tottenham here in dramatic fashion – and have a 100 per cent record so far in the group having beaten Lille at home and Valencia away but Lampard rejected a blunt claim from one local journalist that Chelsea were “scared” of Ajax.
In Pictures | Ajax vs Tottenham, Champions League | 08/05/2019
“What makes you say that?” asked Lampard.
“You look scared,” replied the journalist.
“That is just my face,” said Lampard. “I respect the team, on a serious note. We saw the way this team played last year, and I know that the team has changed slightly, I am very aware of the new threats of the team and anywhere to travel in the Champions League is a difficult match.
“They have won two games in the group convincingly, so definitely it is not a fact of being scared of Ajax. We have confidence in ourselves.”
