Frank’s ready to clash on equal terms

FRANK LAMPARD thinks Chelsea fans will make it clear tomorrow what they think about Jose Mourinho’s decision to take charge of their biggest rivals.

But the Stamford Bridge boss insists the former Blues manager won’t be affected if he gets both barrels from supporters who used to adore him. Mourinho has clashed with them before. Last season he was goaded when he took Manchester United to Stamford Bridge. He responded with a three-fingered gesture signifying the number of Premier League titles he won during his two spells in charge. The intense rivalry between Spurs and Chelsea means the one-time Special One is poorly viewed at Stamford Bridge – despite his legacy in west London.

Asked if Mourinho’s new job will sit well with Chelsea supporters, Lampard said: “If you go to the fiercest rivals the fans will give the answer.

“That doesn’t mean history or don’t respect it.

“Jose Mourinho is a manager who wants to work. He was out of work for a while and the opportunity came up and he took it.

“We are talking a lot about rivalries and I think only the fans can give the answer. And I don’t think Jose Mourinho will be too concerned about they’ve forgotten the that either. If you look at the times he’s come back with United it didn’t look like it.”

Lampard flourished under Mourinho as player but the pair operate on equal terms now.

He put one over Mourinho when his Derby side beat United on penalties in a League Cup tie at Old Trafford last season.

Lampard added: “I would always have big respect for all my managers. If I was to text or ring a manager, I’d always call them boss or gaffer. Even when they are long gone.

“It was a good honour to go up against him but I wanted to beat him.

“It would be strange to call him boss now. Now I am an ex-player, on this side of the fence, I won’t be calling him boss. But that doesn’t take away from the respect I have for him.”

Lampard insists his focus is not on his relationship with Mourinho but on the need to reverse his side’s slump that has brought four defeats in the last five league games.

He said: “It’s not the me and Jose show. It’s a game against Tottenham.

“I want to beat him. I respect him and know what a top manager he is.

“He wants to beat me because he used to manage Chelsea, he used to manage me and now he’s managing Tottenham.

“And he wants to win this game probably as much as he has wanted to win any game he has had at Tottenham.”

a