BIG GAME BOTTLER SPEAKS OUT

Lampard Hits Out At Svennis:-

England star Frank Lampard has delivered a damning verdict on Sven Goran Eriksson's tenure after questioning both the training methods implemented by the Swede and also his decision not to take Jermain Defoe to the World Cup.

A World Cup challenge that never rose above a level of mediocrity in Germany saw Eriksson end his tenure in indistinguished fashion and, while previously he has always enjoyed the support of his senior players, Lampard has now spoken out.

The Chelsea workhorse, who endured a tournament best forgot, feels that England's preparations were not what they should have been and that the players involved should have been pushed harder in their pre-tournament preparations.

''My legs were really heavy,'' revealed Lampard in his autobiography, serialised in the News of the World.

''And there were days when I became frustrated - I know what I need to do to be sharp - because the manager gave us days off when I'd rather have been training.
''The day before we were due to return from Portugal we were due to take the day off so Rio Ferdinand and I did some work on our own.

''Though I was told I was the fittest player in the squad when we were in Portugal, I knew I was a bit short of my optimum level.

''Sometimes a manager needs to trust his players to know what they need. In retrospect maybe I should have been more forceful.''

Another bone of contention with regards England's failed challenge was the inclusion of just four strikers, with two of those - Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney - still in the process of recovering from serious injuries and another, Theo Walcott, entirely untested at the highest level having yet to even make his Premiership bow.

Calls for the inclusion of Defoe, or alternatively Darren Bent fell on deaf ears and this is another folly Lampard believes Eriksson committed.

"Questions had been asked about why we didn't have five strikers in the squad when two of our forwards went into the tournament trying to recover fitness,'' he added.
"Personally, I'd have included Jermain as well. I played with him at West Ham and he is a natural goalscorer.

"In terms of the line-ups for each match, I don't think they would have been affected.

"I'd have preferred some insurance though, and it would have given us more options. In that respect I would have taken Defoe."

Drogballs: Fair enough Lamps, but took you around.. a month to reveal all this? Last month, after the exit of England after defeat to Portugal, I wrote a report on who's to be blamed and to me, the main culprit was Sven himself. So now, a senior England player took a parting shot at the departing Swede and now we actually knew what happened on the inside.

But I have to point out, that instead of blaming everything on Sven, why not take a look at yourself, Lumplard. He gave permission for you to take a break? So what? Go train on yourself then! It's not like Sven ordered his men to tie you down in your room?

And can you really blame Sven for you not hitting the cow's arse with a banjo? Do Lamps meant that Sven was the one playing 'Winning Eleven' and controlling him, and by holding the button a wee bit too long, he blasted the ball to the stands? Bollocks, Lamps. Don't blame your mediocre performance on others. Take a damn good look at yourself.

He's right on the last point though, of Sven bringing Walcott instead of Defoe/Ashton/Bent. This will goes down in the history as one of the most controversial decisions ever made by a manager, more so an England manager paid around 5 million a year.

RANT. OVER .