Chelsea transfer ban has given Frank Lampard chance to change club culture, says Joe Cole

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Joe Cole believes Chelsea’s transfer ban has given them “a moment in time to change the culture of the club” and says there is nobody better to lead the transformation than Frank Lampard.

The Blues cannot register new players until the summer of 2020 after Fifa found them guilty of breaching regulations over the signing of underage players. That has left new boss Lampard’s hands tied in his first transfer window, with Christian Pulisic the only new arrival after his move from Borussia Dortmund was agreed in January, although Mateo Kovacic has also joined on a permanent basis after a season on loan from Real Madrid.

For so long big spenders, Lampard’s Chelsea look set to place greater trust in home-grown talent, not something they have been renowned for doing.

And Cole, 37, who works as a coach with the Blues’ academy, says circumstance and the change of manager have galvanised the club.

“It’s an opportunity,” Cole told Standard Sport. “No one would have chosen to have a transfer ban, but what this has done is give us a moment in time and an opportunity to change the culture and the energy and how the club is perceived. The young players are excited — there’s an excitement in the club that I’ve not sensed before.

“The club has been exceptional over the past 20 years, particularly since Roman Abramovich [bought the Blues in 2003], it’s been the most successful club in the country in terms of winning trophies. I think we need to recognise that, but if you’re going to catch Manchester City, you need more. More cohesion, [to be] more settled, everything around the club — and I think Frank’s the man to bring that.”

Cole’s role sees him working part-time with youngsters at the club where he won three League titles in the early days of the Abramovich era, as he looks to gradually build up his coaching experience. By contrast, Lampard has just one season in management, in the Championship with Derby, where he can look back on a promising first season.

He guided Derby into the play-offs and masterminded the highlight of their season, a 4-2 victory at Elland Road in the second leg of the semi-final against Leeds, which booked a place at Wembley against Aston Villa.

In Pictures | Chelsea's summer transfer business

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That match turned out to be Lampard’s last at Derby: the Rams were beaten 2-1, denying them a return to the top flight, and Lampard returned to Stamford Bridge to replace Maurizio Sarri, who was hired by Juventus after a single season in English football.

Lampard had a stellar playing career at Chelsea, scoring a club-record 211 goals during his 13 seasons there. Because of his lack of management experience, there was some surprise when he was appointed, but Cole has no fear that the job may have come too soon for his former team-mate.

“He knows the time is right,” Cole said. “People say you can’t turn it down. You can turn it down, there’s always an option. He could have said no. He feels he’s ready and, having known Frank for many years, if he’s ready, he’s ready. It’ll be a success. In everything he’s done he’s been successful. I can’t see there being anyone better qualified to manage Chelsea at this time.”

Among the young English players to have impressed in pre-season under Lampard are attacking midfielders Ross Barkley and Mason Mount.

Barkley has yet to find his best form consistently for Chelsea, even though he showed flashes of it under Sarri after being frozen out by his predecessor, Antonio Conte.

Much is expected of Mount, who joined Lampard at Derby last season on a year’s loan.

He did well enough there to earn a new five-year deal at Stamford Bridge and he will be pushing for regular action this term.

Cole was considered a rare technically-gifted talent during his England days, but believes the Chelsea duo are part of a whole crop of players battling to start Euro 2020 as the creative driving force in England manager Gareth Southgate’s midfield.

Rising star: mason Mount
Bongarts/Getty Images

“You’ve got [Phil] Foden, [James] Maddison, Barkley, [Jack] Grealish — Mason Mount I’d throw into that,” he said. “We’ve never had so many players, number 10s, who can handle the ball. If I’m one of that group, I’m thinking, ‘Right, I want to be the premier young attacking midfielder in this country’, to ensure I’m on that plane to the Euros. I love watching them play, I think they’re exceptional. It’ll be interesting to see which one gets the nod in the England squad.”

Away from his coaching role, Cole has been working with broadcaster BT Sport as they attempt to predict the new season with their big data project ‘The Script’.

While Cole agrees with the algorithms that have forecast another top four finish for Chelsea, he is at odds with the project’s claim that no English side will reach the last four of the Champions League, after two made the final last season.

“I can see the top four the same as last year,” Cole said. “It's gonna be very close, I'm sure you don't need a database or a script to know that the Premier League's very close. It's the most exciting thrilling league in the world.

“But you go and tell the Chelsea fans, the Liverpool fans, the Man City fans, the Tottenham fans, that they're not going to get nowhere [in Europe], they'll tell you you're mad.

“That's how competitive our league is. Every one of those teams genuinely believe they can win the Champions League, and rightly so.”

Joe Cole was speaking on behalf of BT Sport. With 52 Premier League games, action from the Emirates FA Cup and FA Women’s Super League and with every UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League game, BT Sport is gearing up for its biggest season yet.

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