Frank Lampard sought Steven Gerrard's opinion on Nathan Patterson as the Everton manager assessed his squad after arriving at Goodison Park.
Gerrard had managed Patterson during his time as Rangers boss, moving to Aston Villa in November of last year. Patterson made the switch to Merseyside in the January transfer window in a deal orchestrated before Lampard's arrival.
As Lampard and Gerrard prepare to face each other in the dug out for the first time, the Blues boss explained he called Gerrard for his opinion on the Scotland defender, adding: "I respect Stevie’s word - on what he thinks about football and just generally."
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Lampard and Gerrard were rivals as Chelsea and Liverpool fought for trophies domestically and in Europe but teammates on the international stage for England. Opinions still differ over how two of the best midfielders of their generation should have been used together as England's 'golden generation' struggled in major tournaments. For Lampard, playing the two alongside Michael Carrick may have been the best solution.
Ahead of Everton's visit to Villa Park and the first contest between them as managers, Lampard made clear his respect for his opposite number. He said: "I wish him all the best because I know the demands of the job, and I hope he does well there."
He said that, while he was competitive as a player, that streak extended across his general approach with his interest sparked by the feats of many other midfielders. Any rivalry between the pair was a creation of others, he said, and respect had always dominated their relationship. Whenever he is in London, however, the question who of the two was the better player is a recurring theme of his taxi journeys.
Lampard believes the pair were different players who, ultimately, were both able to enjoy success. Asked about the development of their relationship, he said: "It was never really me against him, it wasn’t quite like that. In effect for a big part of our careers we didn’t see each other much. For England, yes, then you go back [to your clubs] and be competitive, and that’s just an undercurrent. That is all it was - and we both respected that. As we got a bit more mature, we became that little bit closer as you do, and then we both worked in the media, and we spent a little bit of time together. At the end of that first year we both worked on the World Cup and Champions League final together, and I was just about to go to Derby County and he was getting into it too, and we spoke about it, but not that much.
“We messaged each other and met up a few times through circumstances and chatted about the job. And every job is different, every job is consuming and so we didn’t go into too much of it. I spoke to him when I came in here, and the experience of working with Nathan Patterson, because I wanted to get his opinion about Pats. I respect Stevie’s word, on what he thinks about football and just generally."
Now the two are managers they are under different pressures to those experienced during their playing days. Lampard said the managerial world is different to that of being a player and, regardless of any success they enjoyed on the pitch they have to prove themselves in their new roles.
He said: "You have to give your life to it. And I think ex-players who have become managers, some decide to do it and stick with it, some look at it and don't do it because the job is completely different to being a player. The day is completely different and your family life is different. The experience of being a player at the top level as Steven was, and I was, for a long period of time is clearly something that can be a benefit but you have to translate that into coaching."
Lampard wishes the best not just for Gerrard but other players-turned-managers like Scott Parker. He said: "It will be great if we have our version of success at whatever club we are at because I know the lads who are doing it. They are getting to and staying in the Premier League because of their hard work. Maybe some people think there is an easy run from player to manager in the modern day but there isn’t. Every job that comes up you have to get in the queue with 20 other managers who have their own CVs from all over Europe. You have to show yourself, work hard, show your qualities and then when you get into the job try and have relative success. That looks different depending on where you are."
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