Frank Lampard says he will always unleash his passion to fight for Everton to ensure the club does not get screwed over by officials favouring the ‘big clubs’ in the Premier League.
The Blues boss has been fined £30,000 and warned about his future conduct, over an emotional outburst following the Merseyside derby where he made claims about a bias towards Egyptian forward Mohammed Salah and Liverpool.
Lampard also faced an inquiry from the FA over comments regarding VAR official Chris Kavanagh, where he seemed to imply a fix after a clear handball was missed, but later escaped a charge.
The constant scrutiny of the governing bodies won’t stop him though, with Lampard revealing he wants to put the emotional fight back into Goodison - and ensure no one thinks they can cheat Everton.
“I have felt, in my short time here, we’ve had decisions not go our way that have been really clear and they have affected us – and I do not want us to be seen as a team that is in any way a soft touch,” he said.
“I want Everton to be a club that stands up for itself, and if anyone has to do that, it is me. I am not asking for favours from anybody, that would be ridiculous; I’m not questioning the integrity of anyone. But I think it is very important that when the opportunity comes to show we are a strong club, who will defend ourselves, absolutely I should be the first to do that and everyone should follow."
Lampard is confident he has that fight against authority within him, and has demonstrated throughout his short management career he is not afraid to go up against anybody.
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That was famously apparent in a touchline bust up with Jurgen Klopp when manager of Chelsea, as he had to be separated from the Liverpool manager as things got heated. And he wants that passion to feed through to the fans - and inspire them to an even more emotional support of the team. “I wouldn’t hold back if I thought there was something affecting the club that I felt wasn’t quite right, I definitely have that strength of character in me,” he told the club website.
“And I appreciated the importance of that connection with the fans. My first thought when I came here was, ‘Can I give them a team they really relate to?’ When I speak or represent the club, which is a huge part of my job, can they see someone who is being honest with them? For good or for bad, that is important.”
Lampard is hoping the honesty he showed as Everton came so close to being relegated can be the platform for a sea change at Goodison next season, and he wants the fans onboard.
He added: “This is an incredible place – and if we get it right, we can take it in a clear, positive direction. What matters are the things you hear when you speak to the people involved and feel their passion and the honesty of where we are and where we want to get to.”
