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CHELSEA FC: Mourinho: "I wouldn't swap Frank for anyone"

/noticias.info/ It is rare moment when José Mourinho allows one player to dominate the build-up to a game but on the eve of Frank Lampard’s expected record-breaking appearance at Portsmouth, the Chelsea manager was happy to assume the role of chief cheerleader.

If Lampard does take to the field at Fratton Park, he will set a new Premiership record on 160 consecutive games, beating David James’ previous best. Mourinho gave no reason to doubt that his vice-captain would be starting the match.

“The record before from David James was already unbelievable but he is a goalkeeper. Frank is a midfield player and for a midfield player to get no injuries, no suspensions, no really bad performances is fantastic.

“Two different managers, me and Claudio [Ranieri] have not rested him or left him out because he is not playing well. The record shows everything, not just of the player but also the man he is.”

Just in case anyone was in any doubt how highly Mourinho rates the current joint Premiership top scorer, he gave his answer to football’s equivalent of the famous TV advert soap powder challenge. Would he swap Lampard for any player in the world?

“Other players have a great talent - Ronaldinho, Kaka, Shevchenko - we have unbelievable players in the world. But Frank is my favourite player,” insisted Mourinho.

“He trains every day, he plays every game, cold, hot, rain, snow. He plays against tough opponents, against soft opponents; with somebody trying to kill him man-for-man, with zonal defence. He can play in every system I want to play. He is what I call a player for every game.

“He is a player I wouldn’t want to change with anyone!”

Lampard has missed just one Premiership game since joining Chelsea in the summer of 2001. That was due to suspension in the second month of his first season. He has yet to miss a League game through injury.

“With injuries you need a bit of luck but at the same time you need to have a strong mentality,” explained Mourinho. “I remember last year, sometimes Frank was playing with some problems. He had surgery at the end of the season when another player would have had it in the middle of the season.

“I have many doubts it is record that can be beaten in modern football.”

In recognition of the imminent record, Friday afternoon saw Lampard presented with a special Barclays Merit award. He also picked up an award and £1000 donation to the charity of his choice for being the first player to reach ten goals in the Barclays Premiership this season (both pictured).

In normal circumstances, all the talk prior to Saturday evening’s game would have been about the challenge of facing opponents who have this week sacked their manager.

Mourinho did have some words on the Pompey situation and echoed a popularly held belief.

“When people change their manager, normally in the short term it works. In the long term normally it doesn’t but the immediate consequence is good for one or two games. So Portsmouth will come with a great attitude. We must come with the same attitude.”

He admitted Thursday’s news had impacted on the normal, meticulous preparation for a game.

“Some of the work we did is now forgotten because it was to analyse their last few matches and the way they were playing. We knew everything about the way they play but now it is a new manager, they can play a different way and they can use new players. I don’t know what they have in their minds.”

“We have to start well. I don’t mean we have to score early. Sometimes we start well and don’t score goals but that is not the point. The minimum is we have to start in a way that makes the opponent feel you are there to win.”

Portsmouth head coach Joe Jordan will be caretaker manager on Saturday. Their captain and defender Dejan Stefanovic looks set play despite an on-going foot injury.

by Paul Mason notas_de_prensa_archivo