LAMPS: BEING BOSS HAS SURPRISED ME

FRANK LAMPARD knew the big decisions would test him as he took his first steps in football management with Derby.

But the former Chelsea and England star (right) admits it’s the minutiae he has had to sweat which has shocked him.

He said: “You’re prepared for the big things people think matter — like selecting a team and getting a result — and you’re ready for the small things.

“But it’s the number of those daily questions that I’ve had to adjust to more than anything.

“How you travel to matches, how much time do you need to leave, how many meetings do you want, what kind of food do we want when we travel, do we want the food here at the training ground?

“I like to not make a decision straight away if I’m not sure, but you have to as a manager.”

Lampard was decisive with recruitment and on a limited budget Derby are a much better side to watch than under Gary Rowett, beating Manchester United and Southampton in the League Cup and FA Cup.

Lampard said: “I get asked a lot about Harry Wilson, Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori and Jack Marriott, and the young boys have done really well.

“But I massively relied on the older ones — the Richard Keoghs, David Nugents,

Craig Brysons and Craig Forsyths — because they have been here for years.”

And if Lampard wants any advice plenty of world-class managers are a phonecall away.

He said: “I’ve spoken a lot and I’m very close to Carlo Ancelotti. And obviously Jose Mourinho. I’ve not had massive conversations with him but I’ve worked under a lot of these managers.

“You should be picking up pointers for ever.”