Former Chelsea manager Avram Grant has told 90min that he's confident Frank Lampard's character will ensure he becomes a successful head coach at Stamford Bridge.
Speaking exclusively about the book 'Win Your Mind: Avram Grant's Motivational Nuggets to Enable You to Get the Best From Yourself',
Lampard, who played under Grant at Stamford Bridge during the 2007/08 season, was appointed as Chelsea's new head coach earlier this summer. The former midfielder takes the hot seat at Stamford Bridge just a year on from assuming his first managerial role at Derby County, where Lampard guided the Rams to the Championship playoff final - only to see his team lose to Aston Villa.
Grant said: "
"Frank was not the biggest talent in the world, but he achieved more than those with more talent than him. But he was a great talent, no doubt about it.
"Secondly, he has the passion to achieve. Frank always stayed after training. There is a difference between having passion and wanting to win. Without passion, you can't achieve.
Spoke to former Chelsea boss Avram Grant for @90min_Football recently and came across this video.
— Scott Saunders (@_scottsaunders) August 6, 2019
It’s Frank Lampard sharing the story of how Grant dealt with him just days after he’d lost his mum, at the most crucial part of the season.#CFC @ChelseaFC pic.twitter.com/mBeYpblVmM
Grant led Chelsea into a semi-final with Liverpool, knowing that they had reached this stage in three of the four previous seasons, but failed to reach the final on each occasion. It was a huge game and Grant had a huge decision to make on one of his key players.
"Before the Champions League semi-final in 2008 against Liverpool, Frank didn't train [due to his mother's passing]," Grant said. We beat Manchester United without him beforehand, and I had to take one of the hardest decisions of my life to play him.
"I knew his character. I knew he would go out there and he would perform well because he had the quality. The pressure was on me, but also on him, because he knew he needed to be good. The team had beaten United without him."
Finally, Grant also predicted that the Blues will enjoy a good campaign with Lampard at the helm, given the quality of the club as a whole.
"I think Chelsea will do well, I have a good feeling. They spent a lot of money on the academy. They have fantastic players with plenty of experience in the squad, and the manager comes with a lot of passion and hunger, which is also important for everybody," Grant added.
'Win Your Mind' is not an autobiography, but a collection of quotes Grant used to motivate himself and others over the course of his inspirational career.
Source : 90min