CHELSEA MANAGER FRANK Lampard took a swipe at Jose Mourinho today, insisting he will not get involved in a touchline row with Roy Hodgson because he has too much respect for the Crystal Palace boss.
Lampard had a stormy clash with Tottenham counterpart Mourinho during Chelsea’s fourth-round defeat in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.
The Spurs boss, infuriated by Lampard’s boisterous demeanour after Timo Werner put Chelsea ahead, was reported to have taunted him by referring to his decision to remain seated when Chelsea trailed in their draw at West Bromwich Albion last weekend.
“Frank, when you’re losing 3-0 you’re not standing up here,” Mourinho was heard telling Lampard. But Lampard has hit back, insisting what Mourinho said to him could not be called friendly advice.
“I would always be happy to take advice from fellow managers, my players, my staff, people I respect, people I listen to in football and outside football,” Lampard said. “I don’t think the Jose incident was ever advice. It wasn’t that.”
Lampard further stoked the feud with his former Chelsea boss, making clear how much he admired Hodgson, whose Palace team visit Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Saturday.
“Roy has been an incredibly straight-down-the-line person and coach,” Lampard said. “His career is beyond exceptional. I have so much respect for the job he does and the way he carries himself. There will be no touchline spats with me and Roy because I’ve got too much respect for him.”
Lampard has started to earn a reputation as a feisty character on the touchline after accusing Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and his coaching staff of arrogance at Anfield last season.
But the 42-year-old was adamant his confrontational style is not an attempt to show he cannot be intimidated by more experienced managers.
“On the touchline if you look forced or trying to be what might be perceived as arrogant or trying to portray a character, that sometimes becomes not real or boring from the outside,” he said. “I certainly don’t do that. I try to react as I see fit in the game, with a competitive nature.”
Lampard, who revealed Christian Pulisic would be on the bench for the first time this season, was also reported to have given a dressing-down to Marcos Alonso after the Chelsea left-back tried to watch the rest of the West Brom match on the team bus following his substitution at half-time.
Lampard was said to be disappointed that Alonso, linked with a move after the signing of Leicester City left-back Ben Chilwell, did not stay with his team-mates.
“All I asked is the players stick together for good and bad in every moment,” he said. “That is the only thing that brings us together as a successful group.”
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