Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
LAMPARD IS ON WAY TO DERBY
AARON RAMSEY can’t wait to spearhead Unai Emery’s Arsenal revolution.
The Wales midfielder stepped in as skipper for the injured Ashley Williams as Ryan Giggs’ side held on to secure a goalless draw with Mexico in Pasadena.
Ramsey ran off an ankle knock to play the full 90 minutes in the sweltering California heat, and then expressed his excitement at the dawn of a new era with the Gunners.
New Emirates boss Emery will take charge in north London for the start of next season, succeeding Arsene Wenger.
Ramsey captained Arsenal in their final game under Wenger – a 1-0 win at Huddersfield – but has been linked with moves to Manchester United and Barcelona.
Asked if he was keen to work under ex-sevilla and Paris Saint-germain boss Emery, Ramsey said: “Of course. I haven’t spoken to him at all yet, but I think it’s an exciting time for the club.
“I can’t wait to get back there now.”
Ramsey’s Arsenal contract expires at the end of next season and the 27-year-old’s hints that he’s keen to stay at the club will be music to Emery’s ears.
On the outskirts of Los Angeles, Ramsey had to brush off a worrying injury concern of his own as Wales faced the World Cup-bound Mexicans.
Williams was taken to hospital with a suspected cracked rib after an 18thminute clash with West Ham’s Javier Hernandez. It left Ramsey to take the armband.
Ramsey said: “My ankle is sore, I rolled it, and it wasn’t the best surface in the world. But I’d taken the arm band from Ash and thought I had to stay on to do my bit for the team.
“Hopefully, there will be no lasting damage and it will settle down over the next few days. It was always going to be difficult coming here against a good Mexico team.
“In the first half, we played really well, we just couldn’t quite get the goal we needed. And we hung on in the second half, so we are pleased with the result and the performance.”
Wales failed to work Mexico keeper Jesus Corona and had just 31 per cent possession in front of an 82,345 crowd.
At the other end, Wayne Hennessey pulled off a string of impressive saves to earn his team a draw, saving twice from Hector Herrera and Javier Aquino.
Even with his team up against it and shorn of absent Champions League final hero Gareth Bale, Giggs continued to throw his young guns into the fray.
Chris Mepham excelled at centre-half, and George Thomas and Matt Smith made debuts off the bench.
“There are a lot of exciting young players coming through,” added Ramsey.
“Playing a lot of them in this sort of atmosphere will only give them that bit more confidence going into the future.” expected to be confirmed as Derby’s new boss this week.
But Lampard admitted that it was seeing his former England team-mate Gerrard take over at Rangers which convinced him to become a manager rather than remain as a TV pundit.
Lampard turned down Oxford last year while Ipswich also made a move for him, but the Pride Park post came up after Gerrard made his first move into senior management at Ibrox.
When asked if Gerrard getting the Rangers job had given him a nudge, Lampard replied: “Well yeah, kind of.
“I am pleased for Steven, it is a good job. I haven’t really missed playing, I had a great career – 21 years that I couldn’t have dreamed of – but you miss the competitive side.
“It is something I think we all feel, Steven obviously felt it. He was working with Liverpool, he wanted to really work at the competitive edge that Rangers will certainly be.”
Lampard is poised to succeed Gary Rowett, who quit Derby for Stoke.
He has been tipped to be joined by ex-chelsea team-mate Jody Morris (above), who has shone as a youth coach at Stamford Bridge.
But they will want reassurances on control and budget, while previous managers have struggled to work under Rams owner Mel Morris.