Does Frank Lampard dream of managing Chelsea? | Exclusive Interview

13 years of memories. It is a club that stays with you for your life. It was a special era, with a big piece of my heart, with the way I've been at Chelsea. Is it easier said than done, separating emotion from business? I'll let you know on the night. I think so, I'm getting used to those sort of things, you know what I mean? And having gone and played obviously a year at Manchester City, which I didn't expect to do, but then I did and I went back to Chelsea and obviously the goal against them. But it didn't take away from the feeling of me and Chelsea. It was just great. It was great to go back. It's nice. This is my new career. This is a new challenge for me, but that club stays with me. So it's just all good emotions and then down to the business. Do you remember the last time Derby went to Stamford Bridge? Yeah. Four goals. Yeah, I do. It was a difficult year for Derby, obviously. So hopefully it's better for Derby this time around. Are you happy now that Derby County are playing in the Frank Lampard way? I'm worried about the idea of a Frank Lampard way because that's hopefully a progression and it can be adaptable. I certainly do. We've made steps in that direction on all those fronts. Some results I would have liked to have been better for different reasons, but everyone here has worked really hard to try and get on that way. So yeah, I'm happy, but there's a lot more to do here. I do get worried about good reports and nice words spoken about. I don't take any notice. I do for about three seconds and enjoy them and then I move on because there's a load more to do here. Even though you are a favourite son of Chelsea, when you made the call or asked the club secretary to make the call, can the loan players play against them? How confident were you? I wasn't that confident. I made the call because I thought I'd go straight in. To Barney? I spoke to Dave Barnard, I spoke to Gianfranco Zola, I spoke to Marina and they took time. It was a difficult one for them because they have a lot of players out on loan, so they have to think about that bigger picture. But at the same time, I think the whole decision came solely down to what is the benefit of the two players and the experience of playing for Chelsea. I said I think it was a really classy and strong move by Chelsea because quite rightly they should be confident in the squad they've got to play against us. But also the bigger picture is they're Chelsea players, Mason Mann and Tomori. So I'm thankful to them for that and it's a great opportunity for the young lads. They would have been devastated not to take part in this game. Without any disrespect whatsoever to Derby, is there part of you when you are there in the imposing dugout where Maurizio Sarri is sat and thinking one day I'd like to be there? No. Really? And it was really disrespectful to Derby. Surely ultimately you want to be the manager of Chelsea. You know what, if you want to talk about dreams, of course I want to manage and I want to manage at the top. Doesn't everybody? But I'll be stupid to go so far ahead of myself. I'm here, I'm loving this club, I really am. In the short time I've been here, the staff, the players, the fans, it's an incredible club with great history. So I'm in this moment now for me to try and jump forward with anything going forward, Chelsea or anywhere else. It all will rely on how I do here and this is the start of the journey. So I'm not a dreamer in those senses, I'm a day-by-day man and I want to be successful here. And that's the only thing I'll be thinking. I'll be happy to be at Stamford Bridge, of course I will, but I'll always be thinking about the job in hand. What would it mean to win at Stamford Bridge? It would be great for the club. For me personally, I'm doing my job, so to go up against Mauricio Sarri in a fantastic Chelsea side, at a place that I kind of call home, to win there, of course I'll be proud of my team. I'll be very proud because there's a lot of work that goes into preparing for this game as I prepare for every game very strongly. I'd have to be very thoughtful in victory, which wouldn't be a problem for me because I respect that club so much and the fans. But of course I'll go there with a team trying to win the game.