LAMPS: THE FUTURE STARTS NOW

Lampard was sold a long-term vision for Everton, but knows getting the club out of a crisis begins immediately

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FRANK LAMPARD has been sold a long-term vision at Everton but he knows it all rests on pulling the Toffees out of their current jam.

A run of only one win in their last 14 Premier League games has left Everton just four points above the relegation zone.

With the building of a £500million stadium well under way, there is clearly ambition on the blue half of Merseyside. But former Derby and Chelsea boss Lampard is not walking into a club on the up – he is going to have to lift them there himself.

“The most important thing is to focus on the short term and not get ahead of ourselves,” said the former England midfielder, who has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal. “We know a new stadium is coming and we know where this club wants to be. But we know what the challenges are in front of us in terms of league position, and more immediately we have an FA Cup game to consider (at home to Brentford on Saturday afternoon). So I want to get to work quickly on that, to deal with the short term.”

Confidence and belief is at rock-bottom around Finch Farm, Everton’s training ground. Critics argue there is a lack of character, a lack of leadership, in the squad.

But 43-year-old Lampard believes he can get the best out of what he argues is a strong Premier League squad.

“The first thing as a football club when you are having tough times is that you have to regain confidence,” said Lampard, who led Chelsea to the FA Cup final in his first season as manager at Stamford Bridge

“It’s a good squad, it’s a good bunch of players. It’s a good team.

“When things are hard, when things are tough, then there is a lot of criticism that can be thrown around. I’m here to change that and try to make it a positive message for the players. That message is to believe in themselves and to show we have enough talent to move up the table.

“It is easy to speak like that, now we have to do it.”

Lampard was quick to add quality to the Goodison squad yesterday. Old Trafford misfit Donny van de Beek has signed until the end of the season from Manchester United.

And he will hope to help Dele Alli rediscover his best form after signing the Tottenham

midfielder in a deal which will start costing the Toffees only after he has made 20 appearances. A few years ago Alli looked certain to be an England mainstay but has dropped out of the Three Lions picture and down the Spurs pecking order.

Like his two new signings, Lampard has a point to prove after he was sacked from his beloved Chelsea 12 months ago. “I’ve evolved a lot. That is important as a manager,” said Lampard, whose first managerial job was at Derby.

“I’ve had a lot of experiences and you must always try to learn from them and I will try to bring them into Everton.

“I will try to be myself in that way, be very personable and close to the players and set up a team to play good football and win games.”