GOING DUTCH
Lampard aiming to match the talent factory at Ajax
FRANK LAMPARD says Chelsea have a “long way to go” before they can be compared to Ajax.
But from within the walls of the Amsterdam club famous for developing superstars, Lampard spoke with pride about bringing through a new generation of home-grown Blues.
The Chelsea manager is set to name four academy graduates – Fikayo Tomori, Reece James, Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount – in his team today, a move that would have been unthinkable last season.
The resemblance to their opponents goes even deeper as Ajax have also prided themselves on bringing back great players, with Edwin van der Sar and Marc Overmars both having senior roles in their set-up.
Chelsea did likewise with Lampard in the summer, while Jody Morris, Eddie Newton, Claude Makelele, Petr Cech and Ashley Cole are behind the scenes too as the Stamford Bridge outfit look to follow the Ajax model.
Lampard said: “We’ve got a long way to go to claim the similarities but we have pride in the short term, yes. We shouldn’t get carried away with ourselves.
“It’s great we have a good feeling at the club in terms of the young players who have come through.
“I think it’s long-deserved recognition for the academy as well.
“Here we are at a place that is steeped in history of bringing young players through, creating great teams.
“I aim to give my young players confidence because I believe in them. What Ajax did last year was incredible – to get as far as they did with such a young team.
“With us, you see my belief in them, because even though everyone says we had a transfer ban and it’s the only option I have, that’s not true.
“I have lots of options and I make my options on the players I feel should play.”
Ajax were reborn last season as home-grown stars Frenkie De Jong, Matthijs De Ligt and Donny van de Beek shone in the run to the Champions League semi-finals. That team were broken up in the summer and they are rebuilding again.
Lampard is also moulding a new-look side but they are under pressure to get a result tonight because defeat would leave them in serious danger of an early exit.
The Chelsea manager laughed when he was asked why he looked scared of Ajax. “That is just my face,” he said.