LAMPARD AS THE GAFFER
Frank is almost ready to start his managerial career
FRANK LAMPARD has revealed he will be available for work as a manager within months.
The Chelsea legend and ex-England star said: “My A licence will be finished in the spring, in the next few months or so.
“That gives me the opportunity to work. The pro licence will start in the summer – that is what you need to manage in the Champions League and will take a year.”
The 39-year-old – currently a pundit for BT and the BBC – added: “I could get a job before that, but I wouldn’t be able to take charge of a club in European competition.
“If the right opportunity comes up then I’ll take a view on it.”
Lampard has been helping Chelsea’s Under-18s coach Jody Morris with sessions at the Blues’ training ground in Cobham.
The lack of his UEFA pro licence, however, means that despite admitting in the past that he would one day like to become Chelsea boss, he would not be under consideration should Antonio Conte leave this summer.
Lampard has already impressed with his lucid analysis both as a pundit on BBC’s Match of the Day and BT’s live Champions League evenings.
He is among several top stars of his generation looking to re-enter the game at coaching level. Fellow ex-England midfielder, Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard, is an academy coach for the Reds while both Sol Campbell and Craig Bellamy are also looking for managerial jobs.
Lampard held talks with Oxford United last year but instead went into media punditry while he plotted his way through his qualifications.
He has already ruled himself out of the running for the Kassam Stadium vacancy this time around, joining the likes of Bellamy who has withdrawn from talks over the position.
“I had conversations with Dave Jones, who is on the board at Oxford, in the summer about the role and it went as far as that,” said Lampard.
“They were just conversations but there is no truth in the current link.”