I worked hard for right to coach Chelsea, insists Lampard

FRANK LAMPARD has defended his path to becoming Chelsea head coach after Raheem Sterling questioned why black coaches had not been offered the same opportunities that he and Steven Gerrard have received.

Chelsea head coach Lampard stressed his respect and support for Sterling and the fight against racism, but pointed out that he worked hard getting his coaching badges and learning his trade at Derby County before being appointed by the Blues.

Manchester City’s trip to face Chelsea tonight sees Sterling return to Stamford Bridge, where he was racially abused last season. Sterling has since become a vocal and respected voice on the fight against racism.

Asked about Sterling’s opinion, Lampard (pictured) said: “In the actual case of managers, I think Raheem got it slightly wrong from my point of view. It felt like a very casual comparison because if you compare opportunities and pathways of individual managers you can compare myself, Steven, Sol Campbell, who did an incredible job at Macclesfield and is doing a job at Southend that any of us would find very difficult to do.

“Compare Ashley Cole who finished his career with me at Derby County last year and is working his way here (at Chelsea’s academy), doing a great job and I think he is going to be successful whatever he wants to do. So I think it is very hard to make that comparison from the outside.

“Those opportunities have to be equal for everybody, I think we all agree on that, but within that, then there are the details of how hard you have worked.

“I certainly worked from the start of my career to try and get this opportunity and there are a million things that knock you, set you back, you fight against.”

Meanwhile City could make one final attempt to persuade Leroy Sane to sign a new contract if talks with Bayern Munich over a fee for the winger continue to stall.

Pep Guardiola confirmed last week that Sane had rejected multiple offers of a new deal with City and wanted to leave in anticipation of a move to Bayern this summer.

But negotiations over a fee for the Germany international have hit an impasse, with Bayern so far proving reluctant to offer more than €40m for the 24-year-old, who is out of contract next summer.

Guardiola meanwhile, has raised the possibility of midfielder Ilkay Gundogan being used as an occasional makeshift striker in the absence of the injured Sergio Aguero, who underwent surgery on his left knee in Barcelona yesterday after aggravating an existing problem against Burnley last Monday night.

“Ilkay can play in many positions – not as a striker as a main target [man], but a striker who can drop and play and get to the box,” said the City boss. (© The Daily Telegraph)

Chelsea v Manchester City, BT Sport 1 , 8.15