Basham a Franz favourite
Frankie says winning run makes him wary
FRANK LAMPARD admits he got scared when he had a good run as a player – and has the same fear as a manager.
Which means as his young team go in search of their seventh win on the bounce at Burnley today, Lampard revealed he keeps them on their toes with the odd rollicking.
Lampard was on the end of a few dressing downs as a player, mainly from his uncle Harry Redknapp when he was at West Ham.
Now the occasional harsh words come from the Chelsea boss, who enjoyed his best win at
Ajax in midweek
“It is a good feeling at the moment. I want to keep that – but temper it with a bit of edginess,’’ he said.
“It comes from me, because I was that way as a Having a good run of form, relaxing, and the form turned.
“I was fearful of good patches, any form of relaxation. So I push that, I am the one who drives that home.
“I’ve had words occasionally but I’m player. slightly not a manager who is full of rollickings. I like to drive home a clear message.
“It doesn’t work with me being the good cop and Jody Morris the bad.
‘‘We can both have our moments. If you try to be the good cop consistently I’m not sure that’s the right tone.
“Sometimes a strong message comes out, even if it is not nice. It must come from the manager – so I have to be bad cop sometimes.
“But you only do that if you want to get the right result. Regular rollickings just become white noise. Not positive.
“Probably only Harry in my early days at West Ham really gave it out. But the game has moved on. It’s uncomfortable to work in that environment.”
CHRIS BASHAM admits he is living the Premier League dream in Sheffield United’s sensational start to the season – and he has the best nickname in the business to prove it.
Blades fans, sitting pretty in the top 10 ahead of today’s visit to West Ham, have labelled the defender “Bashambauer” in honour of the German legend Franz Beckenbauer.
Basham, 31, said: “I just let the fans talk about me like that.
“It’s a great privilege to be compared with that player but you just have to keep cracking along.
“Hopefully I can keep performances up.
“I have always wanted to see what it would be like being a Sheffield United footballer in the Premier League.
“This is what it is all about, the fans are unbelievable, home and away. The support does drive you on.
“I think it’s been great for me personally. To be playing in the Premier League for Sheffield United is a privilege.”
Boss Chris Wilder has eight ever-presents while midfielder John Fleck has missed just one game.
All nine, like Basham, were part of the United squad that won promotion from the Championship.
He added: “You have to pinch yourself but obviously the gaffer’s record speaks for itself and the boys are driving it on.”