Frank Lampard wants to emulate Chelsea
legend Gianfranco Zola by playing into his late 30s after what he
feels was the best year of his career.
The England midfielder believes he has just completed
the best season of his career as he netted 20-plus goals for the
fourth successive campaign.
Lampard, currently preparing for Saturday's World Cup qualifier
in Kazhakstan, will be 31 later this month but has shown no signs
of his powers diminishing and hopes he has still to reach his
peak.
He said: "I have been lucky, I have stayed away from injuries.
I've got an aim to keep getting better and better as a player and
keep my levels as high as I want them to be.
"I think I've just had my best ever season but I don't know when
the peak will be. I hope it is still to come. I hope the peak will
be over the following years.
"I see good professionals like Gianfranco Zola have fantastic
seasons aged 36-37. That is where I want to be.
"I want to carry on as long as he did. No one can guess the
future too much and we are always liable to form and injuries and
your legs packing up when you don't expect them to go.
"But the way I feel now, the way I want to lead my life and
train and play, I see myself playing for quite a long time, to the
stage Gianfranco did.
"And, when I get to that stage, I want to be involved in helping
younger players in the team and be a big part of the future."
