Former Chelsea manager, Frank Lampard, has insisted that he trusted Mason Mount during his time at Stamford Bridge because the midfielder was special.
Lampard also said that he made Mount, Chelsea’s captain before he left the west London club because he wanted to show the 22-year-old that his authority and standing within the group had risen.
The Blues legend believes the emergence of Mount under his stewardship at Chelsea is something he will always be happy about.
Lampard was sacked last January by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.
The Englishman was replaced by former PSG manager, Thomas Tuchel, who has been impressive for Chelsea so far.
Speaking about Mount ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace on Saturday evening, Lampard said in a Q&A hosted by the London Football Awards, “I am delighted. I never understood the critics. He’s evolving all the time. His performances were top draw.
“He would never play in an English league, the Championship is a tough league, but when he stepped through the door, I could see something special in him, his quality, his work ethic. I really trusted him.
“At Chelsea, there were established players in those positions. The one thing I can be happy about is being part of that story for Mason from an early age. You are seeing him mature quite quickly.
“For me, firstly, it was attitude and mentality. There was something about him when he played. It was an awareness of what was around him. I was sure it would be a difficult ride for him in the Championship.
“He’s going to carry on developing, and he is going to be a fantastic player. A nice feeling for me when I left Chelsea, I made Mason captain. It was not a gesture. I didn’t know I was leaving at that point.
“I wanted to show Mason that his authority and standing within the group had risen. When you have players who have that care, it does not matter who the manager is. As you can see, I like him a lot.
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