tribalfooball.com - January 30,
2007
Blues star Frank Lampard can't imagine Chelsea without Jose
Mourinho.
The England midfielder, who has been linked with a move to Inter
Milan, said: "Jose is a great manager, and I love to play under him
for so many reasons.
"He has given me lots of confidence and been great for the team.
For me, he is a joy to work under and I have a great relationship
with him personally.
"It's hard to imagine life without him. This is his third season
now, but the minute he came in he created a spirit and an
atmosphere which is what we needed.
"We didn't have a winning mentality particularly at the club before
that, and he brought that to us. That is why we have been
successful for the last couple of years."
Lampard has maintained his impressive form during Chelsea's rocky
patch without their captain John Terry, and he is adamant that all
the speculation over Mourinho's future has not affected team
spirit.
"There's been so much talk coming from outside, but inside it has
been fine as usual at our place," Lampard reported.
"I find it quite enjoyable sometimes when people outside talk a lot
about us, and you realise that a lot of the things being said are
wrong. It makes you kind of stronger as a group. We haven't been
playing at our best but we have been getting there in the last few
matches; we need to take that on in the league.
"We are not stupid; we don't have our eyes shut and we see things
that get said.
"But that's part of being at a top club. If you want to be
successful and want to be at a top club you are going to have
people talking about you - but you cannot take your eye of the
ball."