Frankly laughable: Fulham target Lampard but don't expect Chelsea legend to take their interest seriously
Frankly laughable: Fulham target Lampard but don't expect Chelsea legend to take their interest seriously
"He is England's most productive midfielder in 30 or 40 years. He will have a smile on his face if he listens to us but I'd love to have him" sighs Jol Martin Jol would love Frank Lampard at Craven Cottage - but reckons he is staying at Chelsea.Lampard is out of contract in the summer and Jol, who Fulham side host the Blues in a west London derby on Wednesday, expects clubs to be queuing up to sign the England star.The game at Craven Cottage is expected to see Lampard make his 600th appearance for the Blues, but his future is still up in the air - to the extent that even his planned summer wedding to TV presenter Christine Bleakley is on ice.The 34-year-old has won almst every major honour during his 12 years at Stamford Bridge - and that is why Jol reckons he will get offered a new deal.The Fulham boss said: "He is the most productive midfield players in England in the last 30 or 40 years."Everyone would love to have him. He's fit and is a good character"He will have a smile on his face if he listens to Fulham but I would love to have him. But it's hypothetical as he will never play for Fulham - I'm not sure he will play for a top-10 team."He's a legend - a living legend over there. He won all the prizes over there. In the end I have a feeling they will keep him."
There could well be room for Lampard in Fulham's midfield, as Jol explains here:
After losing the likes of Clint Dempsey, Mousa Dembele and Danny Murphy last year, there again looks set to be another high turnover of midfielders at Craven Cottage.Giorgos Karagounis, Mahamadou Diarra, Chris Baird and Simon Davies have all yet to extend their contracts past the end of the season.The on-loan quartet of Urby Emanuelson, Emmanuel Frimpong, Stanislav Manolev and Eyong Enoh also see their stays expire in the summer, although Fulham have an option to make the latter duo's moves permanent."If you look at the defence, I think we are fine," the Dutchman said. "If you look at the midfield, I think Steve Sidwell is probably the only one left if you think of all the players we had six or seven months ago. We have to do something."In midfield we can do something because there is only one or two left. Karagounis is also on a one-year deal so Sidwell is probably the only one who is on a long-term contract."And Jol clearly has faith in veteran players - the Cottagers' first XI has the oldest average age in the Premier League.Keeper Mark Schwarzer is 40, but has hinted at leaving in the summer, when his contract is up, if he is not still first choice.The Dutchman added: "We are looking for a good goalkeeper, so if Mark decides to stay I will have two good goalkeepers."Plus, David Stockdale, he is still there. I have to talk to him. We are looking for a goalkeeper because Stockdale is fed up being the number two."We always look for a goalkeeper. Would you look for a crap goalkeeper or a good goalkeeper? You always look for a good goalkeeper, so that is what we are doing."But Mark Schwarzer is for us almost a hero. He saves games for us, so I would like him to stay, but we are looking for a goalkeeper."
"He is England's most productive midfielder in 30 or 40 years. He will have a smile on his face if he listens to us but I'd love to have him" sighs Jol Martin Jol would love Frank Lampard at Craven Cottage - but reckons he is staying at Chelsea.Lampard is out of contract in the summer and Jol, who Fulham side host the Blues in a west London derby on Wednesday, expects clubs to be queuing up to sign the England star.The game at Craven Cottage is expected to see Lampard make his 600th appearance for the Blues, but his future is still up in the air - to the extent that even his planned summer wedding to TV presenter Christine Bleakley is on ice.The 34-year-old has won almst every major honour during his 12 years at Stamford Bridge - and that is why Jol reckons he will get offered a new deal.The Fulham boss said: "He is the most productive midfield players in England in the last 30 or 40 years."Everyone would love to have him. He's fit and is a good character"He will have a smile on his face if he listens to Fulham but I would love to have him. But it's hypothetical as he will never play for Fulham - I'm not sure he will play for a top-10 team."He's a legend - a living legend over there. He won all the prizes over there. In the end I have a feeling they will keep him."
There could well be room for Lampard in Fulham's midfield, as Jol explains here:
After losing the likes of Clint Dempsey, Mousa Dembele and Danny Murphy last year, there again looks set to be another high turnover of midfielders at Craven Cottage.Giorgos Karagounis, Mahamadou Diarra, Chris Baird and Simon Davies have all yet to extend their contracts past the end of the season.The on-loan quartet of Urby Emanuelson, Emmanuel Frimpong, Stanislav Manolev and Eyong Enoh also see their stays expire in the summer, although Fulham have an option to make the latter duo's moves permanent."If you look at the defence, I think we are fine," the Dutchman said. "If you look at the midfield, I think Steve Sidwell is probably the only one left if you think of all the players we had six or seven months ago. We have to do something."In midfield we can do something because there is only one or two left. Karagounis is also on a one-year deal so Sidwell is probably the only one who is on a long-term contract."And Jol clearly has faith in veteran players - the Cottagers' first XI has the oldest average age in the Premier League.Keeper Mark Schwarzer is 40, but has hinted at leaving in the summer, when his contract is up, if he is not still first choice.The Dutchman added: "We are looking for a good goalkeeper, so if Mark decides to stay I will have two good goalkeepers."Plus, David Stockdale, he is still there. I have to talk to him. We are looking for a goalkeeper because Stockdale is fed up being the number two."We always look for a goalkeeper. Would you look for a crap goalkeeper or a good goalkeeper? You always look for a good goalkeeper, so that is what we are doing."But Mark Schwarzer is for us almost a hero. He saves games for us, so I would like him to stay, but we are looking for a goalkeeper."