Jose Mourinho: Frank Lampard was the best Premier League player in a decade at Chelsea

High regard: Jose Mourinho (right) has showered praise on Frank Lampard (left)
DANIEL MIHAILESCU/AFP/Getty Images
Vaishali Bhardwaj25 February 2016

Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has admitted he believes Frank Lampard was the best player plying his trade in the Premier League in 10 years during the Portuguese tactician's first spell in charge of the club.

Lampard ended his 13-year association with the Blues in 2014 following the expiration of his contract, but departed Chelsea as the club's all-time leading goalscorer with 211 strikes to his name.

During a trip to Singapore this week, Mourinho admitted the midfielder - who now plays for New York City FC - was probably the best player in the English top flight for a decade during his first stint in charge of Chelsea between 2004 and 2007 - but avoided saying who he thought was his all-time most revered footballer.

"At Chelsea, in my first period, I had Frank Lampard, probably the best player in the Premier League for one decade," Mourinho told the Straits Times.

"Who was my best player? It's so difficult to say and I coached some of the best players in the world.

"I went to Inter [Milan], I had [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, I got [Javier] Zanetti. I got to Madrid, I had [Cristiano] Ronaldo. I come back to Chelsea and I find other top players," he said.

"If have so many, they gave me so much, it's not fair to say this is the one. It's impossible to win so many things without the players so I respect all of them."

Mourinho remains without a job since being sacked by Chelsea in December, but amid rumours he is set to replace Louis van Gaal at Manchester United, the 53-year-old admitted on Wednesday he is happy not to rush into another position.

"If I have to return tomorrow, I return tomorrow," he said.

"I always feel that it is better to wait and not to rush. It is better to wait for the right moment and the right move.

"I think starting next season with a new club and project is probably the best for me."

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